Stourbridge returned to winning ways with a gritty performance away to Sporting Khalsa, who are again expected to be one of the main challengers for the MFL Premier Division title this season after two third place finishes.

With Jack Duggan nursing a rib injury, Chris Knight, Paul McCone and Stuart Pierpoint all returned to the starting line-up to form the back three with Aris Christophorou and Darryl Westlake employed as the wing-backs. Having missed the Alvechurch game, both Kayelden Brown and Jordan Archer were also back in the Stourbridge attack.

Khalsa included some familiar faces with Lewis McPike, Leon Miles and Marvin Nisbett all in their starting eleven.

The hosts were first to threaten with four minutes played with a low left foot shot from Simeon Townsend saved by Matt Gould. Stourbridge grew into the match with Jordan Murphy seeing a low 25-yard shot run wide on 11 minutes. With 25 minutes gone, a defensive slip by Shawn Boothe allowed Archer to burst through the right channel area, but his shot was parried by Tom Turner. Khalsa responded seven minutes later with Lewis McPike sending in a dangerous free-kick and Gould didn't get much distance on his punch away, however Townsend fired over.

Stourbridge were back on the attack in the 34th minute as Knight dribbled the ball forward before threading a ball through to Brown, but his cross from the left was just a bit too strong for Archer in the middle, who flicked a header wide of the far post. Four minutes later Brown won possession and fed Gater who laid the ball into the path of Westlake. He worked room for an angled shot that was well blocked by Miles.

On the stroke of half-time, two successive well delivered left-wing corners from McPike had the visitors on the stretch, but the Glassboys just about kept their goal in-tact with bodies in the way of consecutive headers.

Dan Preston replaced Chris Knight for Stourbridge for the start of the second period, while the home side also begun to ring the changes with one eye on their F A Cup match with Stourport this Saturday.

In truth, goalmouth action was at a premium in the second period. The Glassboys defended more tightly than of late to largely keep Khalsa at arms length, particularly once the visitors had got their noses in-front on 51 minutes. McCone collected the ball and played it wide to Christophorou on the right and his tidy low cross into the near post area was seized upon by Brown, who tucked the ball away to break the deadlock.

A series of substitutions by the Glassboys followed with Cooke replacing Brown after 58 minutes and Broadhurst coming on for Archer on 61 minutes, meaning Murphy played further forward. This was followed by a double change four minutes later with Josh Green and Bobby Moseley replacing the two wing-backs.

With eight minutes remaining Broadhurst drew a good save from sub keeper Mihai Gherasim away to his right with his 25-yard drive being touched round the post for a corner and then on 89 minutes Gater played a right-wing flag-kick short to Green and he crossed into the near post area where McCone directed a header over.

Stourbridge now wrap up their pre-season build-up with a visit to Southern League Premier title favourites Hereford FC on Saturday to contest the Herefordshire FA Senior Invitation Cup (kick-off 3 pm).