Ashton United 3 Stourbridge 0

Stourbridge were well beaten at Hurst Cross as they slumped to their third successive away defeat without a goal.

After a week of comings and goings, manager Gary Hackett named debutants Josh Quaynor and Reece Webb in his starting line-up, and there was also a place for Reece Hales on his "second debut" having returned on loan from Kidderminster Harriers.

In blustery conditions, and on a pitch that was heavy in places but perfectly playable, it was the home side who started better and they might have been ahead on 8 minutes when Kayde Coppin managed to steer Dale Johnson's cross wide at the far post with the goal gaping.

Almost immediately, Stourbridge were forced into an early change and a defensive re-shuffle, as Keiran Morris hobbled off to be replaced by Brian Smikle. Morris's injury looked serious and may well have brought a premature end to his loan spell at Amblecote.

The Robins were again close to taking the lead on 13 minutes, when Ashley Young glanced a header wide from Greg Pearson's cross. Again, scoring looked to have been simpler than missing.

However, a goal did come after 29 minutes, with gary Gee nodding in at the far post from another cross by Johnson.

At this stage, the lead was no more than Ashton deserved, but the Glassboys roused themselves to have the better of the closing stages of the half. A good ball from Webb on 35 minutes set up Kayelden Brown for a shooting chance but his effort lacked power and was comfortably held by Paul Phillips in the home goal, and then six minutes before the break Luke Benbow worked an opening and was unfortunate to see his low shot come back off the upright with Phillips beaten.

Somehow, Benbow's temerity seemed to anger the weather gods, and the last five minutes of the half were played out to the accompaniment of hail, sleet and rain swirling across the ground. Half time brought welcome respite for players and spectators alike.

If Stourbridge thought they could turn things around after the break, though, they were quickly disabused of that notion within 8 minutes.

Firstly, on 49 minutes, Coppin finished from 10 yards after Pearson's free kick had not been fully cleared, and then within another four minutes Johnson tucked the ball home after Dean Coleman had saved Martin Pilkington's initial effort.

Thereafter the game drifted somewhat to its inevitable conclusion. Ashton pressed and were always a threat without making the most of their attacks, and the Glassboys only really made serious headway in the last twenty minutes or so when they began to exert some pressure.

The nearest Stourbridge came to reducing the arrears was four minutes from time when Jordan Fitzpatrick was close to beating Phillips with a shot from 25 yards. The Ashton keeper was equal to the effort, first clawing the ball up in the air and then getting up to palm it away as it fell towards goal. To cap matters, Hales's powerful shot on the follow-up was hacked off the line by Sam Wilson to complete a fruitless afternoon.

The result sees Stourbridge drop one place in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division table to 11th.

Stourbridge: Coleman, Hales, Quaynor, Morris (Smikle 10), Webb, Geohaghon, Brown (McPike 77), Broadhurst, Benbow, Canavan (Fitzpatrick 70), Knight.

Unused substitutes: Morgan-Parker, Tye.

Attendance: 148.