Bromsgrove Sporting (H) – Saturday 31st August 2024

The Opposition - History
Bromsgrove Sporting club was founded in 2009 as a supporters consortium with the plan to buy Bromsgrove Rovers, and to take that football club out of administration.
On 2 June 2010 Sporting were offered the lease of the Victoria Ground, after they had promised to make the ground available for Bromsgrove Rovers fixtures too.
In August 2010, Bromsgrove Rovers were expelled from the Southern League, despite Sporting agreeing to make the Victoria Ground available, and the Rovers club was subsequently dissolved. Bromsgrove Sporting thus inherited sole use of the Victoria Ground.

After high finishes in their first few seasons, and league re-organisations which led to their elevation from Midland Football Combination Division Two and Division One, for season 2012–13 Bromsgrove Sporting were promoted to the Midland Football Combination Premier Division.

On 10 May 2014, in front of a crowd of 414 at the Victoria Ground, Bromsgrove, Sporting's first team lifted their first piece of silverware, recording a 4–1 victory over Paget Rangers in the final of the Smedley Crooke Memorial Charity Cup with goals by Danny Ludlow (2) & Billy Russell (2).

Bromsgrove gained a reputation for being the perennial bridesmaids, finishing 2nd for three consecutive years prior to 2016–17 in a league that offers just the one promotion place. However the 2016–17 season saw the club finish as champions and thus gaining promotion to the MFL Premier Division at last, becoming 'invincibles' in the process.

Season 2017–18 saw Sporting become champions of the MFL Premier Division at their first attempt, thus achieving back to back promotions and securing a place in the Southern League Division One Central for season 2018–19. The club also won The Worcestershire FA Senior Urn for the second successive season.

The 2018-19 season saw The Rouslers finish in second place to Peterborough Sports, but after winning the Division One Central Play-Off Semi-final against Sutton Coldfield Town 3-2 AET and the Final against Corby Town 4-3 AET in front of a crowd of 2,943 at the Victoria Ground, Sporting were once again promoted, to the Southern League Premier Central Division, for the 2019-20 season.

Season 2021-22 (the club's 12th season and the first completed in full after the lifting of pandemic restrictions) saw a poor first half of the season. The team rallied however and gained enough points in subsequent matches to move to safety, finishing the league season in 18th position.

The following season, 2022–23, saw early departures from the cup competitions. Despite finishing nine points above the relegation places, the club occupied 18th position after the last match, the same position as the previous season.

Last season saw a 17th place finish in the SFL Premier Division Central.

The Opposition - This Season
The Rouslers started the season with a win at Hitchin Town but lost their opening home game against Stratford Town.
They got back to winning ways when Spalding Town paid a visit to the Victoria Ground but have suffered successive defeats in their last two matches against Lowestoft Town and Halesowen Town.
They currently sit 14th: P 5 W 2 D 0 L 3 F 7 A 9 Pts. 6.

A journey of around 68 miles awaits them today.

Manager Paul Smith took over in April 2024 having previously managed the club between 2014 and 2018.

So far this season Charlie Wragg leads the way with three goals, while Shay Palmer has two. Jamie Meddows and Kieran Cook have one each.

The Nailers
Belper enjoyed a great start to the campaign, with a victory at Heaton Stannington followed by a home win against Bradford (Park Avenue) and then Lutterworth Town in the FA Cup.
There was a setback at Emley during the week where mix-ups at the back meant a 1-0 lead was a 2-1 deficit by half-time and the hosts secured the points in injury time.
It was back to winning ways last weekend with an impressive 3-0 home victory against Bridlington Town being followed up by a 1-0 win on the road at Sherwood Colliery.
Harry Draper leads the way with three goals while Nat Crofts and Jacob Gratton have a couple each. Keaton August, Lewis Austin, Ben Rhodes and Luke Rawson have each notched one goal.
The Nailers sit top of the table: P 5 W 4 D 0 L 1 F 8 A 4 Pts. 12.

Head to Head
This will be a first meeting between the sides.

Form Guide (all comps)
Belper Town: WWWLWW
Bromsgrove Sporting: WLWLL

Team News
There are no major injury concerns and no suspensions.

Permutations
The winners of the tie will progress to the Second Qualifying Round.
Should the scores be level after 90 minutes a replay will take place at the Victoria Ground on Tuesday evening, kicking off at 7.45pm.

Match details
Belper Town vs. Bromsgrove Sporting
FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Saturday, 31st August 2024 - 3:00pm kick off
Raygar Stadium
Bridge Street
Belper
Derbyshire
DE56 1BA
Tickets: Adults £11, Concessions £7, Under 11 (accompanied by paying adult) £0
*All-pay fixture (season tickets not valid)*

Follow the match
Live commentary is available with Tom on Radio Belper Town - https://radiobelpertown.mixlr.com
Full coverage on X (Twitter). Team news, HT & FT scores on Facebook.
Match reports to follow on the website and in the Non-League Paper.

FA Cup fixtures involving NPL East teams
1874 Northwich vs. Stocksbridge Park Steels
Bamber Bridge vs. Newton Aycliffe
Belper Town vs. Bromsgrove Sporting
Birtley Town vs. Dunston
Carlton Town vs. Stamford
Crook Town vs. Ashington
Garforth Town vs. Bury
Malvern Town vs. Cleethorpes Town
Morpeth Town vs. Emley
Sheffield FC vs. Pontefract Collieries

League fixtures
Brighouse Town vs. Bishop Auckland
Consett vs. Ossett United
Grimsby Borough vs. Bradford (Park Avenue)
Liversedge vs. Heaton Stannington