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BSC - Stourbridge 1 Halesowen Town 0 - Match Report

BSC - Stourbridge 1 Halesowen Town 0 - Match Report

Nigel Gregg17 Feb 2019 - 21:35
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Stourbridge continued their defence of the Birmingham Senior Cup with a 1 – 0 victory over their local rivals Halesowen Town. (READ ON)

STOURBRIDGE 1 HALESOWEN TOWN 0

Holders Stourbridge continued their defence of the Birmingham Senior Cup as they progressed through to the last four of this season’s competition with a 1 – 0 victory over their local rivals Halesowen Town.

The Glassboys should have won by a wider margin as they bossed the opening forty-five minutes, but their failure to add a second goal meant that they were never entirely sure of victory although the Yeltz offered little threat in the final third.

The visitors were forced into making changes as they had five of their recent signings cup-tied, while Stourbridge opted to rotate their squad, but nevertheless fielded a strong side to signal their determination to advance further. Niall Maher took over from James Wren in goal and there were also starts for Darryl Westlake, Brad Birch, Callum Powell, Bilai Yafai and Stuart Pierpoint who had all been on the bench against Biggleswade Town two days earlier. This meant that Paul McCone, Kaiman Anderson, Aris Christophorou, Leon Broadhurst and Aaron Forde were named as substitutes.

Stourbridge attacked the Shed End with early conviction in their play and Halesowen were soon forced on the defensive.

In the 2nd minute Aaron Hayden headed wide at the far post from a Greg Mills left-wing corner and then a minute later Yafai fed Mills and he took on Enock Ekongo before curling a shot from 18 yards out narrowly over the bar. Soon afterwards Benbow blazed a shot over from a tight angle as the Glassboys didn’t allow Halesowen to settle.

Stourbridge threatened again on 10 minutes as Thompson-Brown pressed Ekongo and seized possession as the defender slipped. He drove forward and let fly with a shot that Daniel Platt parried away and then Benbow pounced on the rebound, however Jack Rea did well to block his effort.

Six minutes later Callum Powell cut inside from the right and hit a low shot that Platt saved comfortably at his near post.

Halesowen slowly grew into the match and they had their first sight of goal in the 19th minute, however an Andre Wright free-kick from 25 yards flew well over with Maher untroubled.

After a quieter passage of play Stourbridge got back on top in the last fifteen minutes of the opening half. In the 30th minute Mills provided a low cross and Benbow sneaked in at the near post but was denied by a close range save by Platt who blocked his shot with his legs.

A minute later Westlake embarked on a burst forward through the right channel area. He beat his man before driving into the box, however his low angled shot rolled past the far post.

Stourbridge needed a goal to show for their endeavours and it finally arrived in the 36th minute. The home side attacked down the left with Yafai turning the ball back to Mills who worked a one-two with Thompson-Brown and then delivered in a telling deep cross that found an unmarked Benbow and he had time to chest the ball down before firing home past Platt as Tyler Weir appealed in vain for offside.

Buoyed by the goal, Stourbridge continued to ask questions of the Yeltz defence. In the 40th minute Hayden played the ball into the left channel area looking for Benbow and his back-heel set up Mills, however he skewed his shot off-target.

In first-half stoppage time Powell drilled in a hard, low cross from the right that Platt did well to clutch at his near post.

Half-time – Stourbridge 1 Halesowen Town 0

The second period, in contrast, never reached great heights as the hosts appeared to take their foot off the pedal and they seemed content to hold the visitors at arm’s length.

The good tempo to their play shown in the first-half wasn’t there after the re-start, but Stourbridge still looked the more likely side to score again and sporadically they threatened the Yeltz goal.

In the 58th minute Platt was called upon to push a Benbow free-kick from just outside the left-hand corner of the box round the post and then from the resulting flag-kick taken by Mills, Yafai directed a header over the bar.

The Glassboys introduced Anderson for Powell after 61 minutes before Stourbridge went close again two minutes later. Birch evaded a lunging tackle as he drove down the right flank before he pulled the ball back into the path of Benbow, but Platt was equal to his low shot.

Halesowen made a double change with Jack Kelly and Ivor Lawton replacing Lee Hughes and the injured Jesse Akubine but it made little difference as the Yeltz still failed to test Maher. A long range shot from Ekongo flew harmlessly off-target in a rare attack of note by the visitors.

Stourbridge brought on Broadhurst for the tiring Yafai after 77 minutes and two minutes later Benbow might have wrapped up the tie when a clearance from Platt went straight to Anderson and he fed the ball across to Benbow, however he delayed getting his shot away and Ekongo recovered to make an important tackle and the chance was gone.

Aris Christophorou replaced Benbow after 83 minutes with Anderson pushed through the middle, but the game largely petered out and even with five minutes of stoppage time at the end Halesowen couldn’t punish Stourbridge for not putting the tie to bed earlier.

Stourbridge – Maher, Hayden, Brown, Westlake, Pierpoint, Birch, Powell, Yafai, Benbow, Thompson-Brown, Mills

Subs – Anderson (for Powell 61 mins), Broadhurst (for Yafai 77 mins), Christophorou (for Benbow 83 mins), McCone, Forde (not used)

Booked – Birch

Attendance – 495

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