Match Preview: Bromsgrove Sporting (A) – Saturday 10th October 3:00pm

Off the back of a long trip to East Suffolk on Tuesday night it’s North Worcestershire for Diamonds on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Bromsgrove Sporting.

The Worcestershire side are very well supported and a strong away following is expected – 871 saw the 0-0 draw last season – so it is recommended fans purchase their on-line ticket as early as possible – details here.

UPDATE: Bromsgrove have advised that tickets have now sold out. The game is all ticket so if you don’t have a ticket please don’t travel.

Bromsgrove Sporting
Sporting are one of the biggest non-league clubs in the Midland area but were only founded in 2009 after the financial problems of the previous town side Bromsgrove Rovers. Like Diamonds they had to start at Step 6 in Midland Combination/Midland League with 400 plus following. Three consecutive promotions saw them into Southern League Premier Central last season, the last of which via a dramatic 4-3 play-off victory of our county neighbours Corby Town.

Crowds regularly exceed 1000 and the club has a strong community feel with the supporters trust having a stake in the club and there is a restriction on size of ownership. Predecessors Bromsgrove Rovers played at Step 1 and the town feels like it could support a club at that level.

Diamonds vs Bromsgrove
This is not an easy section to write. Despite the last contest between the sides finishing 0-0 at Bromsgrove the contest at Hayden Road brings a cold sweat. Bromsgrove ran amok in a second half that had seen Diamonds reduced to 9 men with the score at 3-2 through a second sending off. The first half had been all action ending 3-2 to an already impressive Bromsgrove who went on to inflict Diamonds biggest ever defeat – 8-2.

Bromsgrove were going really well in their first season at Step 3 sitting in 4th place on 57 points and looking good for the play-offs. Diamonds were down in 11th on 49 points but with two games in hand were still hopeful of getting into that play-off race and maybe taking on Sporting again to get revenge for the 8-2!!

Current Form
Both sides have had solid starts to the season with just the one defeat between them – Bromsgrove going down at Rushall Olympic. They have a win each – Bromsgrove at Biggleswade and Diamonds at home to Hitchin – and each have drawn the other games.

Bromsgrove sit in 11th on 5 points just behind Diamonds who have 6 points in 9th but its fair to say Bromsgrove have had the tougher start. The teams they have played include 3 in the top 6 whereas the teams Diamonds have played are in the bottom 4.

Both sides went out of the FA Cup at the first time of asking and quite painfully. Diamonds lost dramatically 5-0 at home to Newark while Bromsgrove lost at home to local rivals Stratford Town.

Diamonds are unbeaten despite making like difficult in the two away games having a man sent off in both. The aim will certainly be to keep 11 on the pitch and to look to get a first win against Bromsgrove Sporting.

Can’t make the game?

Our Radio Diamonds team will be providing live commentary as the action unfolds – tune in at mixlr.com/radiodiamondsafc. We will also doing live updates on our Twitter account at twitter.com/AFCRD.

Highlights and interviews will be available after the game at youtube.com/AFCRDTV

Match Preview: Paul Judd