Lichfield City showed no signs of ring rust as they returned from a two-week break from league action with a 3-1 triumph over Bromsgrove Sporting.
Liam Holt set the tone for the afternoon when he saw a glancing header come back off the post, while Kyle Minto also had a good chance to open the scoring when he fired wide after going clean through.
But Bromsgrove were also capable of carving out chances and Mark Bellingham gave City a warning when he hit the post from five yards, before Liam Hodgen made a great save from a Matt Poyner strike.
The game was opening up as both sides had the bit between their teeth, but it was Lichfield who took the lead on the half hour. Great work between Leon Morgan and Minto played in Benn Minshull who chipped keeper Jake Bedford for a goal on his league debut.
Bromsgrove came back fighting, but City’s defensive duo Dan McLeod and Todd Perry were in solid form to repel the visiting attacks for the remainder of the first half.
The second period again saw Sporting knocking at the Lichfield door, a Rico Taylor shot coming back off the upright with Hodgen beaten.
City’s cause was aided on the hour mark when Minto burst through only to be tripped as he prepared to pull the trigger, leaving the referee with no option but to point to the spot and give a red card to Joe Cole. But Bromsgrove were boosted when Holt’s penalty was superbly saved by Bedford.
However, the Lichfield man soon made amends when he got another chance from 12 yards from the very next attack. Holt was sent tumbling in the box, but dusted himself down to slam the ball home and give his side a 2-0 lead.
And the game was made safe with 15 minutes left when Danny Rock came off the bench to finish a Morgan cross.
The lead could have been extended after Minto’s header came back off the bar and Holt’s free kick was tipped onto the post by Bedford.
Bromsgrove did get a consolation in injury time when Bellingham headed past Hogden, but it was not enough to take the shine off another strong showing from Lichfield, who now sit ninth in the Midland Combination Premier Divsion, just six points off second spot.
