Boldmere St Michaels 1 Sporting Khalsa 0 - Report

After the Mikes stretched their unbeaten run to five matches against Sporting with a third win during that time, courtesy of Lewis Allison’s sole goal, Rowe believes Khalsa remain in good stead to continue their upwards momentum despite a first defeat this term.

“We’re not going to win every game, we’ve taken 12 points from 15 available, would I have taken that at the end of August? Probably yes,” he said.

“I think a draw would’ve been a fair result, we’ve missed a few personnel today and changed our shape from a 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3 to make sure we were solid and tight.

“They’ve brought a few experienced players in in recent weeks, but I think my ‘keeper’s only made one save.

“The unbeaten record is gone but we must lick our wounds.”

In what proved a cagey opening, Curvin Sanderson-Ellis had the best of Sporting’s chances with two headed efforts prior to the break, before Allison gave Boldmere lift off with his 47th-minute winner.

Tucking the ball home into the far corner after the ball broke kindly to him, the score would have been doubled but for Benjamin Whiting tipping over Harry Sweeney’s rasping effort, while the visitors’ Todd Ferrier should have showed more composure in the dying stages of the game to level.

With Darlaston Town now awaiting in Saturday’s BBC televised FA Cup first qualifying round tie, the Khalsa manager is keen to make amends.

“I back my lads, we’ve got a good side when everyone’s at it, we weren’t great today but in the main, we’re very good,” Rowe added.