Bromsgrove 1, King's Lynn 0: Lynn relinquished their grip on the Errea Southern League Cup at a sub-zero Victoria ground last night. The cup holders started brightly but the energetic Division One West outfit chased and harried Tommy Taylor's patched up side out of their collective stride.

Bromsgrove 1, King's Lynn 0

Lynn relinquished their grip on the Errea Southern League Cup at a sub-zero Victoria ground last night.

The cup holders started brightly but the energetic Division One West outfit chased and harried Tommy Taylor's patched up side out of their collective stride.

Paul Moore's sharp 56 minute volley proved the difference to book Rovers a quarter final tie.

Lynn's miserable evening deteriorated even further when Southern Premier top scorer Danny Bloomfield limped out of the action on the hour mark after failing to recover from a bone crunching first half challenge.

The visitors were already without the services of Adam Smith (shin) and Grant Cooper (head). Matt O'Halloran (flu) and Shaun Carey (calf) were also absent after missing the weekend win at Merthyr Tydfil.

Taylor's diminishing resources forced a tactical rethink - Mark Camm and Dean West were deployed at the heart of a flat back four. Stephen Harvey was given the nod in place of Smith with youngster Matt Peters slotting in on the right of a reshaped midfield.

Lynn began in confident fashion, Bloomfield side-footing wide from 16 yards after Sam McMahon had found the predator in space.

West lost his footing on the rapidly freezing surface to present Wayne Dyer with a sharp chance, but the Bromsgrove marksman dragged wide.

The experienced defender recovered his composure to hack clear at the near post after Steve Hillman had burst down the left. James Smith tried an ambitious lob from fully 25 yards before McMahon's teasing free-kick rolled agonisingly across Rovers' six yard box.

Lynn sliced the hosts open again on 20 minutes, Jack Defty and Harvey combining well to tee up McMahon whose glancing header lacked the power to trouble Tim Clarke.

Moore was wheeling away to celebrate the opener seconds later but Arron Benstead fooled the striker with a stunning one-handed point black reaction stop.

Lyn's keeper deserved his slice of fortune when Moore's fizzing follow-up effort flew a yard beyond the far post with Benstead beaten.

Matt Johnson rattled the visitors' bar with a 25 yard free-kick as Bromsgrove finished the half strongly before Exodus Geohaghan rattle Boomfield with a crude hack from behind that went unpunished.

The striker almost exacted his own retribution in the closing seconds when he raced clear but the finish sailed over. Matt Nolan dragged a first time strike wide after the restart following another penetrative burst from Harvey.

Rovers continued to press and broke the deadlock shortly before the hour mark. The hulking Geohaghan helped Hillman's corner into the path of Moore who lashed a right foot volley past two defenders stationed on the line.

Bloomfield limped out of action minutes afterwards and Lynn must have sensed the writing was on the wall when Defty miscued the goal at his mercy after McMahon's speculative lob had cannoned back of Bromsgrove's bar.

Taylor raided his sub's bench for reinforcements but the home side continued to threaten on the counter attack.

Ben Porter dragged horribly wide with the visitors stretched at the back before Hillman slammed straight at Benstead.

Lynn gamely plugged on and McMahon was inches from taking the tie into extra time on 80 minutes but Clarke sprung to his right to shovel the midfielder's drilled effort clear.