Glassgirls Miss Out in County Cup Final

Stour battled throughout in front of over 2,500 spectators, particularly in a second half where they gained more of a foothold in opposition territory, but two first half strikes from Amber Hughes had already seen Wolves take a grip on the game, and a third in added time at the end of the match from Jade Cross added gloss to the victors’ winning margin.

Nevertheless, the Glassgirls can look back with satisfaction and pride on a season that brought a third consecutive promotion and two Cup Finals, as they look forward to taking on the challenge of tier three football against the likes of last night’s adversaries on a regular basis next season.

Manager Andy Fisher went with an attacking line-up, but it was always likely that Stour would need to do more work in their own half of the pitch, and so it proved with Wolves having the first crack at goal on two minutes, as Beth Merrick proved wasteful with her free kick from just outside the area, firing well over Amie Preston’s crossbar.

Stourbridge forced the first corner a minute later, which came to nothing, and after that they held their own for a period as Wolves probed for openings, with Stour remaining disciplined out of possession.

Preston was almost caught out by Jade Cross’s low ball into the box on 18 minutes, grabbing the ball at the second attempt as Hughes slipped in trying to follow up, and then Hughes again threatened, bringing a flying save from Preston with a header from another right wing cross.

However, it appeared frustration might be starting to grow in the Wolves side at the continued stalemate, no more so than when Anna Morphet’s hopeful shot from distance sailed well wide, so it was a blow for Stour when they fell behind on 26 minutes. Tammi George pinched the ball as the Glassgirls looked to build out of defence, quickly feeding AMBER HUGHES who took a touch before calmly lifting the ball beyond Preston.

Stourbridge reacted well, though, with Esme Moran’s through ball forcing Turner to come out of her area to clear as Lexie Harrison looked to pounce, but Wolves were aggrieved not to be awarded a penalty after a clumsy looking challenge by Meg Hadley in the area was waved away by referee Julia Kings.

Wolves were almost in again shortly afterwards, as Destiny Toussaint took the ball round Preston, with the keeper recovering well enough to prevent the striker capitalising, and Zoe Clarke eventually mopping up the danger. In the process, however, Clarke was challenged late by George and after lengthy treatment was unable to continue.

Hughes looked set to add a second two minutes before the break, only for Sophie Levick to get across and make a timely interception, but just as the Glassgirls thought they might get to the break only the one goal in arrears, AMBER HUGHES decided otherwise, working space on the edge of the area before thumping a left-foot shot out of Preston’s reach and into the top corner, and in the six minutes of added time there were further chances for Merrick, who shot just wide on the turn, and then Jefferies at the other end as her shot was beaten away by Turner at the near post.

Stour needed something special to turn the tide after the break, but they were close to going further behind within three minutes of the restart as Hughes cut a passage through the defence before seeing her shot take a deflection and go wide.

However, Stourbridge were refusing to roll over and gradually began to exert a little pressure, even though chances were not forthcoming. Nicklin’s free kick was headed on by Hannah Fishwick, but too far in front of Jefferies for the striker to be able to get on the end of it, and then Jefferies herself, with few other options, tried a dipping shot from 30 yards that wasn’t too far over the bar.

Wolves meanwhile were not seeing too many chances of their own until the latter stages when Summer Holmes headed over after Preston had punched away Morphet’s corner, and then Toussaint with time to pick her spot fired tamely straight into the keeper’s clutches.

Stour might have made the closing stages very interesting as the game entered stoppage time, Nicklin fed by Niamh Deasy before weaving her way through only to be thwarted by a last-ditch tackle, but it was Wolves who finished the stronger in the dying stages, and they added third when JADE CROSS got on the end of a good move to fire beneath Preston and seal the win.