Cambridge City 2 Stourbridge 1

..September 17th. A stunning 30-yard strike from sub Josh Dawkin eight minutes from time halted the Glassboys fine run after Sean Geddes had earlier managed to cancel out a goal from Lilywhites skipper Lee Chaffey.

On their first visit to Histon FC’s Bridge Road base, Stourbridge offered some early encouragement to the travelling support as Geddes fed Jordan Fitzpatrick who hit a 30-yard shot that Zac Barrett got safely behind and then in the 5th minute a goal-kick from Dean Coleman was helped on by Ryan Rowe into the path of Drew Canavan and he fired a shot from just outside the box inches over the bar. However their promising start did not last and instead the home team went on to boss much of the remainder of the opening 45 minutes. In the 9th minute a City right-wing corner was only partially cleared and Will Lawton flashed an angled low shot wide of Coleman’s right-hand post. Eight minutes later a pass forward by Tom Pepper saw Will Richards mis-control the ball to inadvertently let in Nick Beasant, who looked to go round Coleman out wide, however he struck his shot into the near side-netting. City pressed again on 19 minutes with Adam Marriott finding Luke Allen with a pass and his low shot from the edge of the penalty area ran wide of Coleman’s left-hand upright. Five minutes later a ball in from the left found Beasant, but he hit his shot harmlessly wide of Coleman’s right-hand post. Stourbridge then had another let-off in the 33rd minute when a long ball through the right channel area from Pepper played in Marriott and he tried to lob Coleman, however the Glassboys custodian stood big and managed to block Marriott’s effort.

Stourbridge were fortunate to go in at the break still on level terms, however they made a better start to the second period and on 47 minutes a Jamie Oliver header from a Geddes right-wing corner was saved on the line by the diving Barrett. City responded five minutes later with Marriott spraying the ball out to the right and Pepper threaded a pass to Jackson Ramm and from his cross, Marriott clipped a shot goal-wards that proved to be a comfortable save for Coleman. In the 54th minute though the home side broke the deadlock with James Brighton delivering in a corner from the right and Chaffey finding the net with a close range near post header. Stourbridge introduced Roly Agbor as a substitute three minutes later and he then had a hand in their equalising goal on 61 minutes. From close to the corner flag on the left, he pulled the ball back for Geddes to drive a low 20-yard shot through a crowd of players, deceiving Barrett in the process. The visitors threatened again five minutes later as Canavan intercepted a loose pass and he exchanged passes with Luke Benbow before driving through the right-hand channel and hitting a shot that was palmed away by Barrett. Stourbridge enjoyed their best spell of the game soon afterwards. In the 73rd minute Oliver fed the ball into Benbow’s feet and he laid a pass off to the advancing Oliver to strike a low 30-yard shot that flew narrowly wide of Barrett’s left-hand upright. A minute later Geddes drilled a low shot wide from 18 yards and on 79 minutes Nathan Bennett went close with a header from a right-wing cross by Canavan that flew the wrong side of the post. The visitors looked the more likelier side at this stage to go on and find a winner, however City sub Josh Dawkin had other ideas and on 82 minutes he drove forward and cut in from the left and then let fly with a stunning 30-yard screamer that left Coleman rooted to the spot as it flew into the far top corner of the net to put Gary Roberts’ men back in-front. The Glassboys tried to push for a second goal and salvage a draw, but the closest they came was just before the final whistle when Canavan laid the ball back to Ben Billingham and he struck a low 25-yard shot wide of Barrett’s left-hand post.