Carlton Town 1 Stourbridge 1

The Glassboys FA Trophy campaign remains alive and kicking... but only just, thanks to a late goal from Josh Morgan-Parker, his first for the club.
Morgan-Parker struck with 88 minutes on the clock to salvage a draw from a game that Stourbridge had dominated for long periods without being able to beat an inspired Curtis McDonald in the home goal.

With Will Richards and Jordan Fitzpatrick both suspended, and Reece Hales returning to Kidderminster, Gary Hackett was forced to make several changes. Debutant Exodus Geohaghon came into midfield along with Peter Till, whilst Chris Knight was drafted in as a lone striker.

Stourbridge made a bright start with shots from Geohaghon and Brian Smikle narrowly missing the target, and then Chris Knight seeing a shot on the turn blocked at close range.

But it was the home side who opened the scoring with their first attack on 18 minutes. Jamie Walker managed to get clear down the left and his low cross eluded everybody except Josh Rae who sneaked in at the far post to drill the ball home.

Undaunted, Stourbridge continued to press and McDonald produced the first of a string of saves to deny George Bowerman. A neat interchange with Smikle sent the on-loan striker clear and his shot appeared bound for the top corner before McDonald, off balance, stuck out a right hand to divert it over the bar.

McDonald saved another low shot from Bowerman on 36 minutes, this time a little more comfortably, and then five minutes before half-time he blocked a Drew Canavan effort at close range after the Stourbridge man had produced a sublime piece of skill to wriggle his way into the penalty area.

Stourbridge continued to hold the upper hand in the second half, but never quite to the extent they had before the break, as the Millers grew in confidence and posed a greater threat on the break as the game went on.

Kristian Ramsey-Dickson volleyed over from a corner and then Smikle saw a shot well saved in the opening minutes, but almost immediately Paul McCone was forced to clear off the line at the other end with Carlton appealing in vain for a back-pass as Dean Coleman pounced to claim the loose ball.

And McCone was to block on the line once again just after the hour mark as Carlton increasingly succeeded in breaking up Stourbridge attacks and asking questions of their own.

Midway through the half, the Glassboys came closest yet to an equaliser with Chris Knight's shot somehow deflected by McDonald onto the post, and as the ball rebounded across goal, substitute Jean-Michel Gueyes, stretching, was only able to blaze his effort high and wide with the net gaping.

McDonald again made the most of his luck on 77 minutes when he was unable to hold onto a stinging effort from Canavan from the edge of the box and the ball looped gently and agonisingly over the crossbar, in a manner reminiscent of a high-jumper executing a Fosbury Flop. From the resulting corner, Smikle had the ball over the line, only for a foul to be given for a push on McDonald who had been unable to claim the ball cleanly.

Morgan-Parker was introduced from the bench with ten minutes to go and it proved the decisive factor with just two minutes on the clock as he jinked in from the right wing and produced a low left-footed shot from eight yards which made its way just inside the near post to finally beat McDonald.

There was still time for the Millers' keeper to distinguish himself yet again, clinging onto a low shot from Till which appeared to take a double deflection before almost squirming under the keeper's body. However, the tow sides had to settle for a draw.