Chances came few and far between throughout the match, but it was Conor Tee’s curled finish late in the first half that turned out to be the difference between the two sides.

The management duo opted for just two changes from the Starting XI that was victorious on Saturday afternoon – Joe Nyahwema began ahead of an injury-stricken Marley Fearon, and Jack Rogers replaced the absent Ryley Reynolds.

The game began rather tame with neither side really creating anything clear-cut or dangerous up until the 11th minute – Billy Shaw cut in from the left and fired towards Ben Whiting’s near post, but it was a comfortable stop for the Blues’ keeper.

And it was more of the same thereafter, as opportunities simply fell through at the final hurdle for both sides and defences were very clearly on top.

Another chance did not appear until the 28th minute, after Lincoln City loanee Morgan Worsfold-Gregg chased down a loose ball and eventually nipped it off the opposition defence to go through on goal, however, a pressurised snapshot looped just over the bar.

Kieron Berry came close for Sporting just two minutes later when Riece Bertram miskicked a clearance and allowed the forward to pounce and strike on goal, although Berry could not find the target.

Shaw had another speculative effort for Bromsgrove late in the first half with a driven strike from 30 yards out, but once again it did not trouble Whiting.

Bromsgrove did however eventually find the breakthrough in the 41st minute through Tee. The attacking midfielder gathered the ball just outside the Blues’ box, worked past his marker and arrowed a shot low into the bottom right corner.

Tee’s goal was the only thing that separated the sides at halftime, but as the second half subsequently began, the Blues were eager to level the scoreline.

Ed Cook was gifted the biggest chance early in the second half when the defender rose and met Callum Cocks’ in-swinging corner, but the towering centre half could not quite find the target.

In the 65th minute, Tee came close to doubling his tally – the midfielder stood over a free kick from around 25 yards out and struck it superbly, although Whiting did incredibly well to tip the strike onto the crossbar and then clear any danger.

Through counterattacking fashion, the Blues immediately drove down the other end and it was Rogers who came close for United. The winger found himself one-on-one with Oliver Taylor but could only drill a low shot past the far post.

Blues’ substitute James Spruce almost found the leveller with just over 10 minutes left in the second half as he struck towards the near post from a tight angle, however, Taylor reacted quickly to stop the shot.

With seconds left of the 90, Long Eaton threw bodies forward eager for an equaliser, and in doing so, a defensive error gifted Tee another chance late on as he drove to goal, although a superb defensive recovery from Bertram meant the Blues only narrowly fell to defeat on home soil.