Despite playing a league below us, Alvechurch scored four times in the opening 32 minutes and a second-half double from Luke Benbow just wasn’t enough for Stour.

Alvechurch got off to the ideal start as Stour were caught napping just 30 seconds into the game.

Babucar Sauane showed strength to get behind skipper Paul McCone, he poked the ball past Matt Gould and with the onrushing keeper committed, the striker was brought down.

Former Glassboy Tom Turton stepped up and gave Gould, who was shown a yellow card, no chance from the spot.

The returning Jack Duggan had to be at full stretch to clear a Yusifu Ceesay cross behind but Church doubled their lead from the resulting corner.

Turton delivered his ball towards the near post, Andrew Parsons found a yard of space and his low header just creeped into the net in the 16th minute.

It went from bad to worse for Stour. Ben Tilbury went on a brilliant surging run into the penalty area, hit the post with a low effort before Nathaniel Waite gladly tapped the rebound home in the 23rd minute.

There was still time for another Church goal in the first half, however, as Mitch Botfield headed over Gould from a good McCauley Manning's cross just after the half hour mark.

Boss Gary Hackett brought Leon Broadhurst and youngster Alex Cameron on for Aaron Birch and Josh Cooke at the break.

Benbow scored his first goal back in Stourbridge colours in the 57th minute as his 25-yard free-kick squirmed underneath Alvechurch keeper Jasmin Keranovic.

Stour started to grow in confidence and Benbow grabbed his second in the 64th minute. He was brought down just inside the penalty area by Manning and fired the spot kick into the bottom left corner.

Young defender James Timmins came on for his first team debut with a quarter of an hour left, replacing Josh Green at left-back.

Aaron Forde came close to getting a third for Stour, seeing his 35-yard thunderbolt crash back off the crossbar.

His brilliant ball in three minutes from time then found Aris Christophorou at the back post but the full-back’s free header was straight at Keranovic.

The Glassboys dominated the second half but couldn’t quite find a third goal to make the final minutes interesting and bow out of the Integro League Cup at the First Round stage.

Stourbridge (4-4-2): Gould; Christophorou, McCone, Duggan, Green (Timmins 74); Birch (Broadhurst 46), Forde, Canavan, Shearer; Benbow, Cooke (Cameron 46). Subs not used: Solomon, Collingridge.

Attendance: 431

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

We travel to St Neots Town on Saturday, 11th November, in the Buildbase FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round. Kick-off is at 3.00 pm.

The Team Coach to this match is now fully booked, but a Supporters Coach will be also be running. Details can be found here.

We then travel to Shaw Lane on Saturday 18th November. Kick-off will be at 3.00 pm. Travel details will be announced shortly.

Our next home fixture is on Saturday 25th November when the visitors will be Buxton.

YOUTH TEAM & ACADEMY

The Youth Team’s next game is on Wednesday, 8th November at home to Lye Town in the Midland Floodlit Youth League.

Meanwhile, our Academy team’s next fixture is away to Solihull Moors, also on Wednesday 8th November (2.00 pm kick-off).

STOURBRIDGE LADIES

The Glassgirls travel to Coventry Development on Sunday, 12th November, for a WMWL fixture. Kick off is at 2.00 pm at Sphinx Sports & Social Club, Sphinx Drive, Coventry CV3 1WA.

INTEGRO LEAGUE CUP 2017/18

First Round
(* winners on penalties)

Belper Town 5-5 Basford United*
Shaw Lane 3-5 Cleethorpes Town
Altrincham* 3-3 Ashton United
Bedworth United 2-0 Barwell
Buxton v Coalville Town (Tuesday 14th November)
Carlton Town 1-1 Matlock Town*
Colne 1-2 Workington
Colwyn Bay 2-3 Warrington Town
Frickley Athletic 3-3 Stocksbridge Park Steels*
Glossop North End 1-1 Mossley*
Grantham Town 3-2 Lincoln United
Halesowen Town 1-1 Romulus*
Hednesford Town 2-0 Rushall Olympic
Hyde United* 0-0 Trafford
Kendal Town 0-2 Lancaster City
Kidsgrove Athletic 2-1 Leek Town
Marine 4-1 Brighouse Town
Mickleover Sports 3-1 Loughborough Dynamo
Nantwich Town v Droylsden (Tuesday 14th November)
Newcastle Town 3-1 Market Drayton Town
Ossett Town v Goole (Tuesday 14th November)
Prescot Cables 1-4 Bamber Bridge
Ramsbottom United v Stalybridge Celtic (Tuesday 7th November)
Skelmersdale United 0-3 Atherton Collieries
South Shields* 2-2 Farsley Celtic
Spalding United 1-1 Gresley*
Stamford 1-0 Peterborough Sports
STOURBRIDGE 2-4 Alvechurch
Sutton Coldfield Town 1-1 Stafford Rangers*
Tadcaster Albion 2-1 Ossett Albion
Whitby Town 1-2 Scarborough Athletic
Witton Albion 3-0 Radcliffe Borough

Second Round

Atherton Collieries v Bamber Bridge
Buxton or Coalville Town v Stamford
Cleethorpes Town v Tadcaster Albion
Droylsden or Nantwich Town v Witton Albion
Gresley v Basford United
Hednesford Town v Newcastle Town
Matlock Town v Grantham Town
Mickleover Sports v Bedworth United
Mossley v Altrincham
Ramsbottom United or Stalybridge Celtic v Hyde United
Romulus v Kidsgrove Athletic
Scarborough Athletic v Goole or Ossett Town
South Shields v Stocksbridge Park Steels
Stafford Rangers v Alvechurch
Warrington Town v Lancaster City
Workington v Marine