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Stourbridge 3 Ilkeston 1

Stourbridge 3 Ilkeston 1

Richard Clark20 Mar 2017 - 22:30
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Three late goals turned around what looked like being a frustrating night for the Glassboys against resilient Ilkeston.

Stourbridge controlled the game for long periods but it looked for much of the second half as though their patience and persistence would go unrewarded, with the visitors clinging onto the lead given to them by Anthony Dwyer on the stroke of half time.

Ilkeston, who are facing an uphill battle against relegation, defended manfully throughout, until they were finally undone by Luke Benbow's equaliser from the penalty spot, and further goals from Luke Rodgers and Dan Preston settled the outcome.

Gary Hackett made three changes from Saturday's defeat in the mud at Workington, with new signing Liam Slade making his bow in central defence, and Josh Green and Matt Dodd also returning to the starting eleven. Jacob Wedderburn, Kieren Westwood and Brad Birch made way, and there was also a place on the bench for the other new signing, Kennedy Digie, on loan from Kidderminster Harriers.

Stourbridge were on the front foot immediately, penning the Robins in their own half for long spells, yet unable to convert that dominance into goals. Ethan Jones was at the heart of much of the good work, twice driving down the left before sending in crosses that could not be converted, whilst in between times Leon Broadhurst drilled a shot just past Dale Eve's left-hand post.

Eve then produced a fine save to deny Jones, who had turned his man neatly out on the left, with Jordan Archer unable to get his header on target as the ball looped up, whilst at the other end the lively Dwyer, on his own for much of the time, latched onto a long clearance and got behind Slade before shooting into the side-netting from a narrow angle.

That was a momentary glimmer for the visitors, but Stour were soon pressing forward again. Preston saw his header from a Tom Tonks corner taken comfortably by Eve, and then Dodd headed back across goal for Benbow, only for Dante Leverock to divert the striker's header over the crossbar.

Somewhat out of the blue, 27 minutes in, a spell of Ilkeston pressure saw them force four corners in quick succession, as they took the opportunity to get numbers forward for the first time in the game. The first three flag kicks were dealt with relatively easily, but from the fourth there was a care for the home side as the ball was recycled leading to a looping effort from Reece Horne that dropped onto Matt Gould's crossbar and behind.

Again Ilkeston threatened on 32 minutes as Leon Broadhurst's pass went astray allowing Dwyer to run at Preston, but the Telford loanee was able to block his shot and Green cleared the danger.

The rest of the half belonged to Stourbridge, at least up until stoppage time. A strong run by Benbow led to him feeding Jones, with Matt Baker doing just enough to put him off his shot, allowing Eve to gather, and then Archer headed just over from Dodd's cross under challenge from a defender, before Benbow saw his shot deflected wide as Stourbridge exploited some rare space in the visitors' penalty area.

It was very much against the run of play then, that the Robins netted the opening goal a minute into added time. A free kick out on the right was swung in to the far post and Dwyer was afforded too much space by some slack defending to direct a downward header out of reach of Gould and in off the base of the post.

There were clear signs of a rethink at the break, as Stourbridge emerged for the second period with a little more patience to their play. Ilkeston, meanwhile, continued with their policy of getting every man bar Dwyer behind the ball, and why not, with a lead now to protect?

An early glimpse of goal saw Dodd's cross headed away from the lurking Archer by Charlie Scanlon two minutes in, before two Tonks crosses in quick succession both found Benbow just unable to get any meaningful touch to turn the ball goalwards, and then Broadhurst fizzed a shot just over the angle of post and bar from 20 yards.

A tactical change came on 57 minutes as Rodgers replaced Green, with the Glassboys switching to a three-man defence, but the next chance was to fall to Dwyer, and it could have been curtains for the Glassboys as the striker latched onto another long pass before lobbing both Gould and crossbar from 25 yards. It was to prove Ilkeston's final sight of goal, as Stour barely allowed them out of their own half thereafter.

A decent 61st minute move ended disappointingly with Dodd's cross overhit, and then Benbow tried his luck with a free kick that sailed well over the bar a minute later. Two more minutes passed and Benbow slipped a ball through to Rodgers, who pulled his shot across the face and out for a goal kick. The frustration was growing but the signs were there that Stourbridge were starting to find holes in the Robins' hitherto brick wall defence.

Preston headed wide of the far post from a corner with 68 minutes gone, and then Tonks was allowed to advance before badly shanking a shot out for a throw in, and then there was further irritation as Rodgers netted from close range only to be flagged offside.

Finally, though, the goal came. Benbow slid a pass through the right channel to Archer, who got the wrong side of Leverock, with the big defender rashly tempted into a challenge from behind that gave referee Richard Price no option other than to award a penalty. A brief interlude followed while Mr Price addressed some pushing and shoving, but Benbow was not to be put off as he thumped the spot kick low to Eve's right and into the net.

As is so often the case, one led to another, as Rodgers put the Glassboys ahead less than three minutes later. This time Benbow was the provider, turning smartly in the area before whipping in a ball that cut out Eve and left Rodgers with a simple task to bundle home his first goal for the club.

Archer was close to adding a third on 81 minutes, heading over from another Benbow cross, before Preston made the game safe seven minutes from time. Rodgers delivered a free kick in from the right with Benbow heading the ball on and against the underside of the crossbar from where it dropped for Archer. The striker could only turn the ball against the post but fortunately Preston was on hand and he made no mistake from close range.

That effectively ended the game, although Benbow twice went close in the dying moments, first testing Eve with a curling shot from 15 yards, and then with a free kick from twice that distance, with the Robins keeper equal to both attempts.

Despite the win, Stourbridge remain third in the Premier Division table, behind Nantwich Town on goal difference, although the Dabbers have two games in hand ahead of their clash with leaders Blyth Spartans on Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, the gap to fourth placed Warrington Town is now six points.

STOURBRIDGE LINE-UP: Gould, Green (Rodgers 56), Westlake, Tonks, Preston, Slade, Dodd (Digie 90), Broadhurst (Canavan 66), Benbow, Archer, Jones.

UNUSED SUBSTITUTES: Westwood, Sho-Silva.

ATTENDANCE: 632.

SUPPORTERS' MAN OF THE MATCH: Luke Benbow.


FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

Stourbridge are at home again this Saturday, 25th March, when we welcome Grantham Town (3.00 pm kick-off).

We then face three away games at Buxton on Saturday 1st April, Hednesford Town on Monday 3rd April, and Ilkeston on Saturday 8th April.

Travel details for the fixtures at Buxton and Ilkeston can be found at the following link:

http://www.stourbridgefc.com/news/travel-to-buxton-and-ilkeston-1766386.html


YOUTH TEAM

The Youth Team's next fixture is away to Worcester City on Wednesday 29th March. NB. This match will be played at Stourport Swifts FC, with a 7.45 pm kick-off.


STOURBRIDGE LADIES

The Glassgirls are away to Kenilworth Town this Sunday, 26th March. Kick-off is at 2.00 pm at Gypsy lane, Kenilworth CV8 1FN.


MIDWEEK RESULTS & FIXTURES

Monday 20th March

Hednesford Town P-P Halesowen Town
STOURBRIDGE 3-1 Ilkeston

Tuesday 21st March

Marine v Corby Town
Nantwich Town v Blyth Spartans
Rushall Olympic v Coalville Town
Skelmersdale United v Ashton United
Spennymoor Town v Matlock Town
Stafford Rangers v Mickleover Sports



Further reading