Opening Day Defeat for Glassgirls

The Glassgirls began brightly but couldn’t take the chances that came their way in the early stages, and once behind only really threatened to claw anything back as they pressed late in the game.

Manager Andy Fisher felt his team didn’t really do themselves justice in their first game at tier four…

“We looked edgy for a lot of the game, to be honest. We had a couple of chances early on and maybe if one of those had gone in it might have settled us. I don’t think Sheffield were any better than us over the ninety minutes, but we defended poorly from two set pieces and that’s cost us in the end.

“I think we’ve seen the difference today between the fifth and fourth tiers. It’s a step up, we’ve said that all along. We know where we fell short today, so we know what we’ve got to work on. Lincoln next Sunday will be a big test of how quickly we can adapt.”

The first chance fell to Sheffield on seven minutes, with a shot from 20 yards blazed over, but Millie Rogers had Stour’s best opportunity three minutes later, her slightly underhit shot forcing a diving save from Lia Kellogg in the home goal.

Niamh Murphy was inches away from getting her head on a Rogers corner a couple of minutes later but thereafter there was little activity in either goalmouth until the hosts took the lead on the half hour. A corner to the far post was headed back across goal and MATLIDA HALLAS-POTTS was quickest to react to nod home from close range.

Stourbridge’s immediate response was encouraging as Lyndsey Glover rattled the post with a free kick from all of 40 yards but they couldn’t muster up any further chances and the home side held onto their slender lead at the break.

Once again there was not much to get excited about up to the hour mark, but it was Sheffield who added a second with the first serious effort on goal of the half on 62 minutes. A free kick from deep wasn’t dealt with by the Glassgirls defence and it was again HALLAS-POTTS who was on hand to stab the ball into the net from inside the six yard box.

A number of substitutions pepped up Fisher’s team, but chances remained limited. Niamh Deasy’s cross was just too high for the onrushing Lili-Beth Bown, Ellie McGovern could only find the wall with a pair of free kicks from near the edge of the area, and then Deasy fired in a shot on the turn with Kellogg claimed with no great fuss.

Rogers saw her shot blocked and then Bown’s follow up was pushed away by Kellogg three minutes from time and McGovern fired over when a half-cleared corner fell to her on the edge of the box, but that elusive goal wouldn’t come.

STOURBRIDGE LINE-UP

Amie Preston, Sophie Heaselgrave (Keren Allen 66), Niamh Murphy, Sophie Levick (Alex Nicklin HT), Lili-Beth Bown, Lyndsey Glover (Amber Lawrence 66), Angie Morley (Ellie McGovern 72), Esme Moran, Meg Hadley (Zoe Clarke 66), Millie Rogers, Niamh Deasy.