Bromsgrove Sporting (A): Match Preview

by Peter Scherer

Our hosts this Saturday at Bromsgrove Sporting have had a very mixed season with a fairly large turnover of players. Back in October we beat them 4-1, but had George Nunn sent off for retaliating against an unpunished foul from player manager Michael McGrath.

They are currently 13th in the table, following their 1-1 draw at home to Rushden & Diamonds on Tuesday night. They have had two wins in the last 10 games, having lost out to promotion hopefuls Leiston and Coalville away from home recently.

Mickleover will hopefully have Joe Bateman and Will Trueman fit to rejoin the squad, following the disappointment of last Saturday’s home defeat.

With Michael McGrath becoming the Bromsgrove Sporting player/manager he handed over his captaincy to Tom Taylor. Centre back McGrath arrived in March 2022, having been without a club since leave Kettering in June 2021.

He has along list of former clubs from a long career, including Redditch, Kidderminster, Worcester, Sligo Rovers and Galway Utd, plus lengthier stays in the Midlands with Rushall, Stratford and Hereford. His first spell at Bromsgrove was 2018, for three months, before moving on again to Redditch, Stourbridge and Evesham.

Taylor is a former striker who became a defender. An ex Shrewsbury junior, he has played much of his football in Wales, with Porthmadog, Caernarfon Town, Pentraeth, Glantraeth, Holyhead Hotspur and Llangefni Town.

He left Bromsgrove in April 2021 to join Stourbridge, but returned in the December.

First choice goalkeeper Ollie Taylor was signed from Alvechurch in December 2021 and has also played for Redditch. He is the son of former Birmingham City keeper Maik.

Goalkeeping coach Adam Marusiak is his deputy. He started out at Worcester City, before joining Bromsgrove initially. He also played for Tividale before spending a couple of seasons with Wolves Academy, then went coaching in the US for four years.

He returned to the UK with Alvechurch and Redditch and had brief spell with Bromsgrove last season, before returning this year to a similar role.

Gambian born midfielder Mo Sebbeh-Njie started out at Kettering, before spending a year with Stafford Rangers. He joined Alfreton in July 2021, before arriving at Bromsgrove last October.

Midfielder Tristan Dunkley started in the Birmingham City Youth team, before joining Loughborough in 2014. He joined Hednesford two years later and then Worcester City, before being loaned to Halesowen, and a permanent move to Solihull Moors.

Stops at Rushall, Tamworth, Alvechurch, Barwell and Corby followed, before Bromsgrove signed him from Bedworth Utd earlier this month.

Midfielder Conor Tee was signed from Rushden last month. He is an ex Leicester City Junior, who joined Brackley Town following his release. He then spent a year at South Shields before moving to Rushden at the beginning of this season.

Defender Ammar Dyer is an ex Port Vale Junior who was released in July 2021 and is a regular in the Bromsgrove starting line-up, after arriving from Leek Town.

Brandon Smalley is a striker who began his career in the US with Florida Tech and Ocean City. On his return to the UK in 2021 he signed for Yorkshire Amateurs, before moving to Evesham Town. He joined our hosts last November from Yate Town.

Dewain Sewell is a striker too, he came to Bromsgrove in January, after six months without a club, following his release from Aston Villa.

Midfielder Jack Tolley is an ex Shrewsbury Town Junior on an extended loan from Kidderminster. He initially arrived for a month back in November.

Miro Pais is a young winger and has been at Bromsgrove for two years, having come through their own youth scheme.

Defender Lewis Wright also lists Redditch as a former club, along with Alvechurch, Tamworth and Halesowen.

Kartell Dawkins is a young midfielder who came to our hosts in January on his release from Leicester City. He also had loan spell at Rushden & Diamonds before Christmas.

Demi Akinwe is another new arrival only two weeks ago. A midfielder and ex West Bromwich Albion Junior, he left Shrewsbury Town last summer and has more recently been at Hednesford and Gresley Rovers.

Blake Kindred is another striker in the squad and has been out on a dual registration and has made one appearance this season.

Another new signing this month is Mikel Brown, a 6ft plus centre back.

Ayo Lekuti is a Northampton Town loanee. He came to our hosts in January and can play defence or midfield.

Nathan Kabeya is also on loan from Lincoln City, having started as a Wolves Junior.

Centre back Darryl Powell has recently arrived on loan from Lincoln City. He is the son of the former Rams and Jamaica star of the same name and made his debut against Leiston last Saturday. He also made one appearance for Mickleover Reserves last month.

Finally another new arrival is due to make his debut on Saturday. Striker Prince Henry is on loan from Bristol City, having already had spells at Taunton Town, Yate Town, Alvechurch and Tiverton this season, having been at Weston Super Mare and Hungerford last season.

Kick off is at 3pm and travelling time via the A38 and M42 is just over an hour.

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