Stourbridge 1 Ramsbottom United 2

After Saturday's disappointing display and result against Blyth Spartans, Gary Hackett again made changes to his starting eleven, with Leon Broadhurst and Will Richards slotting in at centre-back in place of Tyrone Williams and Leon Miles, whilst there were starts for Reece Hales and the fit-again Chris Knight.

And it was Hales who gave the hosts the perfect start. A flowing move ended with Chris Lait being denied by the sprawling Grant Shenton in the Ramsbottom goal, but from the resulting corner the ball came to Hales on the edge of the box, and the on-loan Kidderminster striker bent a perfectly-placed shot into the top far corner.

Almost immediately, Luke Benbow was inches away from getting his head to Drew Canavan's cross and then with 8 minutes played Benbow capped a driving run at the Rams' defence with a shot drilled just wide of the post.

There was a warning for the Glassboys on 15 minutes when Chris Bagueley couldn't keep his far post header down after the ball bounced up from a corner, the ball dropping harmlessly over the crossbar, and then Lait again found himself in on goal only to screw his finish harmlessly wide when he should at least have forced a save from Shenton.

With 23 minutes played, Benbow was given the opportunity to run at the defence from Brian Smikle's through ball but Philip Edghill did well to get back and make a tackle.

Within seconds Edghill's good work grew in significance as the visitors levelled. A loose ball was not dealt with effectively in the Stourbridge area and when it fell to Vinny Mkendi 15 yards out his thunderous finish gave Coleman no chance.

And there was worse to come for Stourbridge just two minutes later. A right wing cross saw Broadhurst do well clear under pressure and when the ball was laid back to the edge of the area Jamie Rother took aim and sent the ball flying into the top corner, again leaving Coleman helpless.

In spite of the double set-back, the Glassboys continued to have the better of the play for the most part but Ramsbottom's defence tightened and there were few chances until Lait fired over the bar just before the break.

The second half saw Stourbridge again hold the upper hand, but struggle to break through. Canavan saw a free-kick deflected wide off the wall on 49 minutes, and ten minutes later a fine run by Lait ended with his low cross from the by-line somehow evading the onrushing Hales in the six-yard box.

But Ramsbottom had what was to prove the best chance of the half in the 65th minutes as a miscued header by Broadhurst left Mkendi one-on-one with Coleman. The tall striker should have scored but his shot was straight at Coleman, whose reaction save kept the Glassboys in the game.

A minute later at the other end, Smikle picked up a half-clearance from a corner but saw his powerful shot blocked in the throng of blue-shirted defenders, but from there on despite some neat build-up play there was little alarm until a late flurry saw Benbow's low shot a minute from the end of normal time saved at his near post by Shenton after the best move of the game from Stourbridge, and then the same player snatched somewhat at a half chance ten yards out and ballooned the ball over the bar to cap a frustrating night.

Despite an eighth League game without a win, Stourbridge hold on to 13th place in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division table.

Stourbridge: Coleman, Smikle, Fitzpatrick (Brown 60), Richards, Hales (Morgan-Parker 70), Lait, Connolly, Broadhurst, Benbow, Canavan, Knight (Quaynor 78).

Unused substitutes: Miles, Wint.

Attendance: 230.