The Staffordshire hosts snatched a last gasp winner just when it had seemed that the match was going to finish goal-less as although it had been a competitive contest with some good football played by both teams at times, clear chances were at a premium.

The Glassboys starting eleven showed three changes from the side that had been picked against St Neots Town a week earlier. With Luke Benbow ruled out through injury Kaiman Anderson started up-front, while Callum Powell was recalled to the side with Brad Birch dropping down to the bench and Darryl Westlake was preferred to Aris Christophorou at right-back. New signing George Forsyth was named amongst the substitutes.

Gary Hackett’s men played down the slope in the first period, attacking the Castle End of the Lamb Ground.

Stourbridge made a bright start and in the 3rd minute Robert Thompson-Brown saw a speculative 25-yard effort run wide without seriously troubling Jas Singh in the Tamworth goal.

Two minutes later though Singh was called into action to keep his goal in-tact. A defensive slip by Joel Kettle just outside the box was seized upon by Kaiman Anderson, who found himself one-on-one with the keeper, but his low shot was well blocked by Singh.

Tamworth replied almost immediately with their teenage Blues loanee Jack Concannon (who hails from Hagley) winning a free-kick close to the ‘D’, however former Stourbridge favourite Chris Lait struck the dead-ball hard and low straight into the grasp of James Wren.

With 18 minutes gone Claudio Dias produced a driving run from the centre-circle that took him towards the edge of the Stourbridge box before he was upended by Aaron Hayden. The close proximity of Jordaan Brown to the incident ensured that the on-loan defender was merely cautioned.

The subsequent free-kick from Ryan Beswick hit the wall and the ball looped up to the right-hand side of the box. Callum Powell failed to clear and Beswick was able to lay a pass back for Jordan Clement to fire over from around 20 yards out.

In the 25th minute Tamworth had a penalty shout turned down when Jordan Gough burst forward from half-way and although he was crowded out on the edge of the box, the ball broke in the direction of Chris Lait, who in a tangle with Darryl Westlake appeared to have his arm tugged, but he stayed on his feet and the ex-Glassboy only appealed towards the referee after the ball had been cleared away.

Stourbridge were seeing a decent amount of the ball, with Powell particularly prominent, however an end product was sadly lacking.

Leon Broadhurst became the second Stourbridge player to have his name taken after 39 minutes and then four minutes later Hayden headed the ball forward into the path of Thompson-Brown and he advanced before checking on to his right foot and striking a 30-yard shot that Singh safely gathered.

Half-time 0 – 0

As the players trudged off at half-time, a fracas suddenly broke out just down from the home team dug-out. It wasn’t immediately clear what had sparked it, but the upshot was that for the second-half Tamworth caretaker assistant-manager Andrew Danylyszyn and Stourbridge goalkeeping coach Steve Johnson were not allowed to return to their respective technical areas.

The re-start saw Stourbridge apply some early pressure with Powell firing well off-target, while two corners came to nothing.

In the 56th minute Concannon played the ball across to Clement and he hit a low 25-yard shot that Wren saved comfortably down to his left.

Five minutes later at the other end Powell touched a short pass inside to Westlake who sent a rising 18-yard shot over the bar and then soon afterwards Westlake returned the compliment by lifting a ball into the run of Powell through the right-hand channel area and he advanced before hitting a low angled shot that Singh smothered.

Tamworth went close to breaking the deadlock in the 65th minute when Hayden was dispossessed by Concannon with the ball rolling to Tyrell Waite and his low shot from 20 yards beat Wren but came back off the inside of the post. The danger was not completely over as Concannon recycled the ball from the right, however this time Waite scuffed his shot and McCone was able to clear.

Moments later though Tamworth were back on the attack and Concannon hit a left-foot shot from the edge of the box that Wren saved away to his left.

Brad Birch replaced Broadhurst with 68 minutes gone before Powell was cautioned for a lunging tackle on Clement five minutes later, although thankfully he didn’t make any contact.

The clock continued to tick down with both defences remaining on top and it was hard to see where a goal was going to come from, despite the endeavours of both teams.

George Forsyth was introduced for his debut with 83 minutes gone in place of Thompson-Brown and he did well in his brief cameo appearance, however with the game getting close to stoppage time Stourbridge were denied the point they probably deserved after Paul McCone conceded a free-kick in the left channel area.

Ryan Beswick swung it in and both McCone and Hayden got sucked under the ball leaving Waite, who had drifted off their backs towards the far post, unmarked to send a low volley from six-yards out past Wren to earn his side a third straight victory for the first time since the closing stages of the 2016-17 campaign.

It was a disappointing end to the game for the Glassboys, but of a greater concern as far as the bigger picture is concerned must be the lack of creativity and goals, notably from open play, since the turn of the year. Something that will have to be overcome if Stourbridge are to rejuvenate their campaign for the crucial weeks that lie ahead.

Stourbridge – Wren, Hayden, Brown, McCone, Westlake, Forde, Powell, Broadhurst, Anderson, Thompson-Brown, Mills

Subs – Birch (for Broadhurst 68 mins), Forsyth (for Thompson-Brown 83 mins), Pierpoint, Christophorou, Maher (not used)

Booked – Hayden, Broadhurst, Powell, McCone

Att: 703