If the Glassboys' achilles heel last season was a propensity to concede late goals, it's been the reverse so far this campaign with Stourbridge netting a vital goal at the death in both their Saturday games to date!

Boss Gary Hackett named an unchanged starting eleven for the Glassboys, but the visitors were hit by the loss of frontrunners Tom Lorraine and Ben Diamond, however they had welcomed pacy attacker Joel Gyasi back into their ranks in time for their visit to the War Memorial Athletic Ground.

The Glassboys attacked the Shed End in the first period and showed first with Brad Birch sending over a deep cross from the right for Greg Mills to get a shot away that was blocked by Callum Westwood for a corner.

Rushden went very close to going ahead with nine minutes played. Westwood took a throw-in on the right to Gyasi and he took on Jordaan Brown to get to the by-line before delivering over a cross and Aaron Hayden under pressure from Jack Bowen appeared to miscue the ball goal-wards and James Wren had to recover his position to dramatically kick the ball off the line.

However moments later the Northamptonshire visitors did take the lead, capitalising on a short back-pass by Paul McCone that let in John Dean and he rounded Wren before slotting into an empty net.

Diamonds threatened again on 18 minutes with Gyasi laying the ball back for Ben Farrell to whip in a right-wing cross that Bowen headed well wide in the middle.

Stourbridge slowly regained their composure though and began to impose themselves more on the game.

In the 22nd minute Luke Benbow fed Robert Thompson-Brown and he took on two Diamonds players to work room for a 20-yard shot that forced Ben Heath into a good save away to his left to tip the ball wide and then from the resulting flag-kick from Thompson-Brown, Duggan headed wide at the far post.

Stourbridge had the opportunity to draw level soon afterwards as a raking pass from Benbow found Mills and he attacked the left-hand side of the box and enticed a mistimed tackle from Westwood to win a penalty. However Heath went the right way to keep out Benbow's 25th minute spot-kick.

The drama wasn't over as another wicked ball in from Mills again had the visitors in trouble with Hayden firing into the roof of the net, but the referee had spotted an infringement and the goal didn't stand.

It looked like it was going to be a frustrating afternoon for Gary Hackett's men, so it was relief all around after 31 minutes when with a slice of good fortune, Stourbridge restored parity.

Wren collected the ball and sent a quick kick downfield looking for Mills on the left. He took on Westwood as he cut inside and he then drifted in an awkward bouncing low cross-shot towards goal that squirmed through the outstretched Heath's hands and into the net with the keeper possibly distracted by the run across of Benbow.

A minute later Westwood was booked for a foul on Mills as the young full-back struggled to get to grips with the Glassboys wily wide player.

Three minutes before the interval though Westwood produced a strong run down the right flank leaving Duggan in his wake but he couldn't pick out Bowen at the far post with his cross.

Stourbridge immediately responded with Benbow dribbling with the ball and hitting a shot that was blocked by Blaize Punter, but the ball broke towards Hayden on the right-hand side of the area and he turned and let fly with a shot that Heath was equal to.

HALF-TIME 1 - 1

Diamonds were first to threaten after the re-start when on 51 minutes Gyasi turned a short pass inside into the run of Dean, however a heavy first touch allowed Wren to reach the ball first.

With an hour gone Stourbridge pressed and Mills sent in a cross from the left for Benbow to get in a header that was saved by Heath.

The visitors replied with Gyasi beating Birch on the left and advancing into the box close to the by-line before firing the ball in low across the face of the six-yard box which Duggan somehow managed to clear as Bowen looked set to capitalise.

Stourbridge introduced Anderson for the tiring Birch after 63 minutes and it was the home side that then enjoyed a good passage of play that put increasing pressure on the visitors defence.

Thompson-Brown fed Forde who turned and hit a 20-yard shot that was deflected for a corner and Thompson-Brown sent his flag-kick over to the far post where Duggan was denied by a good save by Heath to keep out his header.

In the 71st minute Mills again got away from Westwood after riding his challenge and his curled low shot again drew a fine save from Heath who dived down to his left to push the ball round the post for a corner.

Brown picked up a booking for a shirt-tug on Gyasi after 77 minutes and the summer signing was replaced by Pierpoint four minutes later with Hayden moving to right-back.

Just when it looked like the spoils were being shared, Stourbridge were awarded a free-kick just outside the right-hand side of the box when Jack Ashton rashly dived in on Thompson-Brown to earn a booking.

The subsequent free-kick from Thompson-Brown was headed back across goal by Duggan and Broadhurst was in the right place to direct his header on goal and Farrell was behind the goal-line when he kicked the ball away with the assistant confirming that it had crossed the line leaving Stourbridge to celebrate their fight-back from a goal down and secure a win that they just about deserved as Heath had been the busier of the two keepers.

Stourbridge team – Wren, Hayden, Brown, McCone, Duggan, Forde, Birch, Broadhurst, Benbow, Thompson-Brown, Mills

Subs: Anderson (for Birch 63 mins), Pierpoint (for Brown 81 mins), Evans, Edmonds-Hill, Maher (not used)

Booked – Brown

Scorers – Mills, Broadhurst

Att: 560