A CONTROVERSIAL injury time goal sentenced Bromsgrove Rovers to a costly 2-1 defeat at Bedworth United in the Dr Martens Western Division.

It was Rovers' first game since the death of Ashley Read, which was marked by a minute's silence beforehand.

Early chances for the visitors saw a Richard Burgess snap shot force Richard Williams to save at the foot of his post, and he then diverted Marvin Blake's chip over the bar.

Leigh Everitt made a last-gasp tackle to deny Blake before at the other end, Craig Middleton cracked a shot just wide of Matt Lowe's right hand post. Ben Steane was then played behind the Rovers defence and he clipped the ball over the advancing Lowe but hit the bar. Middleton picked up the loose ball but his effort was blocked by Steve Pope.

The Greenbacks broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute. Jamie Hood floated in a free kick towards the edge of the Rovers box, and Steane's deft touch found Andy Morson who beat Pope's despairing tackle to shoot past Lowe via the inside of the post.

Bedworth should have wrapped up the points a minute later when a mistake in the Rovers defence let in Morson and Lee Ross, but both strikers got in each others way and the chance was spurned.

Rovers turned up the pressure on the Greenbacks, and it finally paid off in the 84th minute when substitute Kevin Banner fired between a sea of legs to find the bottom corner of the net.

Rovers almost snatched another two minutes later when Paul Danks' shot was deflected just wide of the left hand post with Williams nowhere near.

Four minutes into injury time Steane passed to Darren Beckett, who found Ross who appeared at least a couple of yards offside to slot under the advancing Lowe.

The goal sparked furious scenes at the end of the game as Rovers players confronted referee M L Short.

Bromsgrove: Lowe 6, Benbow 7, Beckett (Banner 61, 7), Clifton 7, Lutz 7, Pope 7 (Collins 63, 7) Dyson 7, Cartwright 6 (Danks 70, 7), Burgess 6, Blake 7, Frost 7. Subs not used: Ford, Hateley.