Rovers 2
Sutton 0

STRIKER Luke Reynolds bagged a brace to hand returning manager Rod Brown victory in his first game back in the hotseat at Rovers.

Brown, taking charge again after returning to the club last week, watched the hitman provide the killer touch in a hard fought game with Sutton.

Brown included new signings Rapinder Gill, making his return from Worcester City, Chris Dickinson from Redditch United and fans' favourite Kevin Banner who returned from Rugby Town, while Reece Styche was on the bench if needed.

It was Bromsgrove who made the positive start and after seven minutes they were rewarded with a goal, when Banner's right wing corner towards the far post found Reynolds free in the six yard area and his header was fumbled by goalkeeper Chris Gemmell into the goal .

The Greens doubled their advantage in the 14th minute, when Dennis Pearce’s ball forward was left by the Royal's defenders and Reynolds nipped in to loop a header over the advancing Gemmell into the empty net for his and Rovers second.

Sam Alsop weaved a bit of magic on the edge of the area to create a chance for himself , his effort floated over Gemmell, who was glad to see it come back off the crossbar, before Dean Craven lifted the rebound over the bar.

The pressure came from Bromsgrove as they pushed their opponents back and carved out several decent chances.

Jermaine Clarke had a weak header in the 40th minute and a Banner trade mark free-kick just before the break kept the Royals beleagured goalkeeper busy.

The Royals looked a different team at the start of the second-half and substitute Junior Brown tested keeper James Dormand in the 52nd minute which he saved low to his left.

Three minutes later Brown screwed an effort off target from the edge of the area.

Clarke wasted a glorious chance to extend the lead in the 58th minute, when Alsop slipped a perfect ball into his path but the big striker blazed over the bar from close range.

Chris Duggan replaced Craven, who pulled up holding his thigh on 61 minutes, and Tom Brady came in for a tiring Gill two minutes later.

Sutton started to get back into the game and cause Rovers a few problems.

On 64 minutes Craig Thomas put an effort just wide of Dormand's left hand upright. Former striker Neil Davis fired into the side netting from an acute angle from the left hand side of the area in the 71st minute.

Dickinson almost marked his debut with a goal after he had combined with Alsop and Banner but his effort was straight at Gemmell in the 76th minute.

Sutton rallied and Pearce was in the right position at the right time to keep Brown at bay, clearing his effort off the line in the 78th minute.

Two minutes later Brown again had Dormand at full stretch to keep another effort out.

Thomas saw his effort in the 88th minute saved by Dormand low down to his right. Rovers' keeper was in no mood to let his clean sheet get ruined as he pulled off a fine one-handed save to deny Thomas's curling effort, which was bound for the top left hand corner in the 90th minute.

The Green's finished the game with 10 men after Keenan Meakin-Richards had to leave the field through injury in stoppage time and Rovers were relieved to hear the final whistle at the end.

ROVERS: Dormand, Hamilton, Gill (Brady 63), Pearce, Dickinson, Meakin-Richards, Craven (Duggan 61), Alsop, Reynolds, Clarke (Styche 73), Banner.

Unused substitutes: Curtis, Mole (GK).

SUTTON: Gemmell, Daniels, Male, Scott, Hughes (Reid 22 ), Moran, Morrall, Owen, Arshad, (Davis 63), Thomas, Quiggin, (Brown 46).

Unused substitutes: Martin, Steadman (gk).

Referee: A Barney (Birmingham). Attendance: 286