Six-Hitting Glassgirls Bounce into Semis!

Five first half goals, including a four-goal blast late in the half, paved the way for a controlled second half display that saw Andy Fisher’s team ease through.

A competitive opening saw Solihull give as good as they got for much of the first 15 minutes, although Lili-Beth Bown went close with a cross that drifted just past the far post, and Alex Nicklin pulled an effort wide after finding space in the area.

But Stour eventually prised a gap in the home side’s defence as Hannah Fishwick’s precise pass put NICKLIN clear and she bided her time before slipping the ball under the keeper for her 16th goal of a prolific campaign.

Nicklin went close again moments later, curling a shot over, and a good save denied Millie Rogers a goal, but Sporting were sticking at their task and went close to an equaliser just before the half hour when some sloppy defending led to a shot dragged wide of Amie Preston’s right-hand post.

That warning shot appeared to wake the Glassgirls up, and within a minute they were two ahead through FISHWICK as she beat the Solihull keeper to Rogers’ pass to tap the ball into an empty net.

Two minutes later it was three, this time CARLY ALDRED (pictured above) drilling home a low shot after robbing a defender as she looked to bring the ball out of defence, and only three more minutes had passed when ALDRED grabbed a fourth. Nicklin’s cross from the left found its way through to Rogers who kept it in on the byline beyond the far post, playing it back to Aldred who came inside and fired left-footed over the keeper and into the roof of the net.

And a fifth goal came five minutes before the break when Courteney Murphy’s free kick dropped over Rogers for BOWN to turn the ball in at the second attempt.

Job all but done, but there was a scare late in the half as Preston had to react smartly to palm the ball away from an incoming attacker to preserve Stour’s clean sheet.

The second half was initially a quieter affair in terms of chances although Sporting came closer still right at the start with a looping effort from 25 yards which came back off Preston’s crossbar.

Rogers beat two defenders just after the hour before firing well off target, and then Connie Dutton’s close range header sailed wide of the far post, whilst Murphy headed over, both from Rogers corners, as Stour ramped it up again.

Rogers slipped Dutton in, but she could only shoot wide, and a flying save denied Aldred what would have been the eighth hat-trick by eight different players this season. Aldred then hit the bar with a shot from 20 yards, and Ruby Meeson did exactly the same just two minutes later!

Stour finally grabbed their sixth goal with five minutes to play as DUTTON picked herself up after being fouled to stroke home the coolest of spot kicks.

Stourbridge will now face either Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion (both tier three) or Boldmere St Michaels (tier four) in the semi-finals. The draw is expected to be made shortly, with ties to be played on Sunday 20th February.

“We’re very satisfied with our afternoon’s work,” was manager Andy Fisher’s post-match assessment. “We knew they would come at us early on, they’ve got some good players and you can see why they’re top of their Division, but we also knew if we could get a goal they would tire and lose their edge. The second half was just a case of seeing it out, really.

“There are three good teams left in the draw now. We know all about Wolves, but West Brom and Boldmere are also both higher up the pyramid than us so whoever we draw will be a test. Let’s hope it’s at home and we can get another good crowd in.”

(Photo - Paul Rose Photography)

STOURBRIDGE LINE-UP

Amie Preston, Gee Thacker, Macey Turvey, Sophie Heaselgrave, Meg Hadley, Courteney Murphy, Lili-Beth Bown, Alex Nicklin, Hannah Fishwick, Carly Aldred, Millie Rogers

SUBSTITUTES (all used)

Louisa Butcher, Jess Bate, Ellie McGovern, Ruby Meeson, Connie Dutton