Stourbridge 0 Barwell 2

Manager Gary Hackett named an unchanged starting XI and substitutes bench and will have hoped for more of the same following the weekend's three-point haul against FC United of Manchester. However, Barwell pressurised the Glassboys from the kick-off, never allowing time on the ball, and took their chances to seal victory.

After a quiet start, both teams came close from free kicks within a minute of each other. First Kayelden Brown was fouled in the 'D' and Drew Canavan stepped up to put his free kick just wide of the right-hand post with Liam Castle in the visitors' goal scrambling to get across in time. Then, at the other end, Danny Jenno took aim from 25 yards, forcing Dean Coleman to push the bat wide for a corner low down at the near post.

Barwell forced a number of corners, from one of which Nigel Julien had a shot deflected wide, but they were to take the lead on 21 minutes when the lively Anthony Carney turned Exodus Geohaghon too easily to leave himself a clear run on goal. Geohaghon attempted to recover but could not prevent Carney getting a shot in from 20 yards which Coleman got a hand to but could not prevent from creeping inside the left-hand post.

The Glassboys were unable to create many clear chances at the other end and it was not until the 40th minute that Barwell got a scare - Bowerman nicked the ball past the advancing Castle on the left side of the area, only for Jenno to be on hand to clear.

There was an early opportunity for Stourbridge in the second half, Kristian Ramsey-Dickson finding himself in space 8 yards out, but he was unable to keep his shot down on the turn and the ball flew over the crossbar. And Brown almost capitalised on 57 minutes when Castle spilled a cross, but he too was unable to get his hurried effort on target.

However, the second goal that virtually sealed the win for the Canaries came with 62 minutes played after Drew Canavan, tackling back, was adjudged to have fouled Richard Lavery. From the resulting free kick Alex Tomkinson crashed a thunderous volley against the crossbar and Julien was quickest to react following up to drive the loose ball into the net.

Looking for a way back into the game, the Glassboys introduced Josh Morgan-Parker and Leon Broadhurst, and, after Ramsey-Dickson had skewed an attempt hurriedly wide on 66 minutes when he possibly had more time than he thought, it was the former Youth Team player who looked likeliest to salvage something from the match.

First Morgan-Parker did well on 75 minutes to get his head on a cross from Kyle Haynes, only to watch the ball fall just wide of goal, and then a minute later the same player broke clear of the Barwell defence and forced Castle to make a good save as he shot from 20 yards.

With seven minutes to play, Barwell could have added a third as Coleman made a good save from Carney's instinctive volley and then Brian Smikle, also on as a substitute, was inches away from getting a touch to Haynes's cross with the goal at his mercy.

However, it would have been little more than a consolation for a Stourbridge side that could have no complaints at the final outcome.

Stourbridge: Coleman, Fitzpatrick (Broadhurst 65), Ramsey-Dickson, McCone, Till, Brown, Haynes, Geohaghon, Bowerman (Morgan-Parker 65), Canavan (Smikle 72), Knight.

Unused substitutes: McPike, Hill (gk).

Attendance: 292.