The Glassboys fielded a strong side with nine players retaining their starting places from Saturday’s draw with Shaw Lane. Josh Cooke came in up-front for Luke Benbow, while Louis Hall replaced Tom Tonks with Darryl Westlake moving into central midfield as a result. Tonks was amongst the four named substitutes.

The home side were looking to bounce back after suffering the disappointment of losing at home to Bracknell Town 4 – 2 after extra-time in the last 16 of the F A Vase two days earlier.

On a chilly, but relatively still evening at Coleshill, it proved to be a close contest on the 3G pitch at Pack Meadow with the Warwickshire side showing why they are once again riding high in the Midland Football League Premier Division.

The visitors drew the first save of the evening with six minutes gone. A shot from Leon Broadhurst on the right-hand side of the box was pushed aside by home stopper Dominic Cotter at the expense of a corner. Coleshill settled and they threatened on 11 minutes as Ryan Edmunds supplied a fine deep cross from the left for Joel Grandison to get in a header that Harry Beasley saved comfortably.

Stourbridge were back on the attack in the 15th minute with Cotter called upon to make a double save to deny Luke Shearer and keep his goal in-tact. Broadhurst spread a crossfield pass to Shearer to attack the left-hand side of the box. He drilled in a low shot that was blocked by the legs of Cotter and Shearer was quickest onto the rebound, but Cotter again saved his follow-up effort before the ball was headed behind for a corner.

A quieter passage of play followed before the hosts almost unlocked the Glassboys defence on the half-hour mark. A dangerous cross from deep on the right was just missed by the onrushing Edmunds as he tried to take the ball on the volley.

Five minutes before the break, however, Coleshill forged in-front. Edmunds delivered in a flag-kick from the left that Broadhurst headed out towards the back of the box where Tom Fishwick took the ball down before sending a high lob back goal-wards and the ball dropped over the despairing outstretched hand of the scrambling Beasley and into the far top corner of the net.

Stourbridge looked to reply with Gater striking a 30-yard free-kick over the bar and then in first-half stoppage time Gater advanced to towards the edge of the Coleshill where he was fouled, but retained possession so the referee played an advantage. Gater fed Shearer, but his low shot lacked the power to trouble Cotter.

Stourbridge got back on level terms eleven minutes after the re-start. A corner from the right by Gater found its way through to Broadhurst on the far post who had the simple task of turning the ball over the line. Coleshill hit back with Edmunds laying a pass off to Grandison, who lifted his shot over the bar.

Stourbridge grabbed the lead on 60 minutes with an exquisite strike from Gater. The midfielder combined with Christophorou and having taken a return pass, he worked room for a sweet left-footed 20-yard shot that Cotter got a hand to, but could not keep out.

Stourbridge joy proved short-lived though as Coleshill immediately replied to restore parity. Anton Astley collected the ball on the left-hand edge of the area and jinked to create enough space to get away a curling right-foot shot beyond the helpless Beasley.

With the Glassboys front-line failing to ignite, Edilson Antonio was sent on for his debut with 65 minutes played in place of Cooke.

With fifteen minutes remaining, a left-wing cross from Giovanni Dainty was headed down by Edmunds in the middle and James Hicks somehow failed to turn the ball home, but his blushes were spared by an assistant’s flag for offside. Stourbridge responded with Westlake hitting a low 30-yard shot that Cotter got safely behind.

Chris Lait continued his comeback with another substitute appearance on 79 minutes, replacing Shearer.

Coleshill went close to a third goal in the 81st minute when a cross from Joe Smith on the right was collected by Joe Halsall and he touched a short pass off to Edmunds, who curled his shot inches off-target.

With five minutes remaining though, the visitors struck the decisive blow. A ball over the top through the left channel area unhinged the back-pedalling home defence. Under pressure from Antonio, Cole’s header back lacked sufficient power and Lait chased down the ball. Cotter got a glove to the ball first, however it broke invitingly for Antonio to send a rising shot into the far top corner of the net.

Leon Broadhurst picked up an injury in the closing stages and hobbled off to be replaced by Tom Tonks and in time added on Tonks set up a chance for Lait with a quickly taken throw-in on the left that released Lait in the clear, but he struck his angled shot past Cotter’s left-hand post.

Stourbridge are the first team to book their place in the last four of the competition and can now look forward to seeing which other sides make it through to join them.

Stourbridge - Beasley, Christophorou, Westlake, McCone, Pierpoint, Hall, Shearer, Broadhurst, Cooke, Anderson, Gater

Subs: Antonio (for Cooke 65 mins), Lait (for Shearer 79 mins), Tonks (for Broadhurst 89 mins), Collingridge (not used)

Some match highlights are available to view at the following link -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ef8lFjUNSAM

BIRMINGHAM SENIOR CUP 2017/18

Holders - Leamington FC

Remaining 2nd Round tie -
Leamington FC v West Bromwich Albion (12th Feb)

Quarter-Finals -
Coleshill Town 2 Stourbridge 3
Hednesford Town v Burton Albion (13th Feb)
Nuneaton Town v Walsall (6th Mar)
Alvechurch FC v Leamington or WBA

YOUTH TEAM

It was a double night of cup success for the Glassboys as the youth team played out a goal-less draw away at Evesham United in the Worcestershire County Youth Cup before winning the subsequent penalty shoot-out 3-0.

Kieran Bustin's side face Wednesfield in the next round.