There were two changes to the starting line-up from Saturday’s home loss to Ashton United with the returning Brad Birch taking the place of injured defender Aris Christophorou at left-back, while Tom Tonks was included as Stourbridge packed the centre of midfield with Stuart Pierpoint dropping down to the bench and Aaron Hayden being switched to the heart of the defence alongside Paul McCone.

The Northwich based home side came into the contest in good form, being unbeaten in 2018 so far and closing in on the play-off places.

Neither keeper was tested in the early exchanges before Steve Tames threatened to take advantage of some defensive hesitancy on 11 minutes, but a heavy touch allowed Matt Gould to collect the ball. At the other end a long throw-in from Tonks on the right saw Hayden challenge for a header and as the ball dropped Benbow tried an overhead kick that home keeper Calvin Hare got safely behind.

Witton quickly responded with Tom Owens lifting a shot off-target at the far post after Rob Hopley had flicked on a cross from the right into his path before Stourbridge replied through Benbow who struck a low drive that Hare was unable to hold, but he recovered to gather the ball. The chance of the opening half came in the 17th minute as Danny McKenna split the visitors defence with a ball through the middle that enabled Tames to get in behind, but as he was closed down by McCone, he tried an early low shot that was blocked by Matt Gould who had advanced towards the edge of his box.

Witton pressed again on 25 minutes as a low centre from the left by Matty Devine reached McKenna in some space at the far post, however he shot into the side-netting.

Stourbridge threatened sporadically and their best move of the half came in the 35th minute as Westlake slipped a pass into Aaron Forde and his first-time lay-off set up Benbow for a rising shot that Hare touched over the bar.

Two minutes before the interval the hosts won a free-kick just outside the right-hand side of the area and McKenna tried to catch Gould out with an effort whipped towards his near post, however Gould got across smartly to push the ball round for a corner.

Opportunities were at more of a premium in an uneventful second period. In the 52nd minute Leon Broadhurst carried the ball forward before feeding Benbow and he hit an angled low shot from the left-hand side of the box that Hare saved at his near post.

Hayden did well to close down and block a shot from Owens before Romanian loanee Nicolae Carnat was introduced for his Stourbridge debut in the 70th minute. The Glassboys crime count rose as Forde and Anderson followed Tonks – who had been cautioned in the first-half - into the referee’s notebook as the game grew edgier.

Two minutes from time Stourbridge hopes of securing at least a point were undone as sub Paul Williams sent over a corner from the right and Owens was left unattended to power home a header inside the six-yard box.

The Glassboys tried to get back on level terms. Carnat delivered in a free-kick that was headed out towards Forde, but his volley drifted wide. Birch picked up a booking just before the final whistle as Witton took the spoils to extend their unbeaten run to nine games, while Stourbridge have tasted victory just once in their last ten league outings and really need to find the winning habit again ahead of a busy last five weeks of the campaign.

Stourbridge - Gould, Westlake, McCone, Hayden, Birch, Tonks (Carnat 70), Broadhurst, Forde, Gallagher, Benbow, Anderson

Subs not used Pierpoint, Shearer, Antonio, Cooke

Booked Tonks, Forde, Anderson, Birch