Ten out of Ten for Battling Glassgirls

Niamh Deasy’s header late in the first half – her 20th goal of a prolific campaign – was ultimately enough to get the Glassgirls over the line, but only after they had endured 13 added minutes at the end of the 90, during which Moors threw everything at Amie Preston and her defence in their bid to take something out of the game.

A tenth consecutive League win, and an eighth clean sheet from eleven games, mean Stourbridge maintain their five point lead after nearest challengers Doncaster Rovers Belles also collected a 1-0 win against Leafield Athletic, whilst defeat sees Moors now 8 points behind the Glassgirls having played a game more.

Stourbridge had marginally the better of things over the course of the game, until the visitors’ late pressure, but in truth neither team tested out the other’s keeper as much as they would have hoped, and it always looked like a goal either way might be decisive.

Lili-Beth Bown could have got things off to a perfect start, wriggling into the 6-yard box through a scrum of players in the second minute, but could only poke the ball wide of goal, and Deasy was thwarted by a defensive block after Lois Jefferies’ flick had set her clear six minutes later, while Harley Savage spilled Alex Nicklin’s shot from the resulting corner but was able to grab the ball before Deasy could pounce.

Zoe Clarke headed wide from Amber Lawrence’s free kick, but there was a scare for Stourbridge when Tiana Russell-Cartwright broke free, with Sophie Levick doing well to get back and mop up the danger, after which the game settled into something of a stalemate with chances drying up.

Nicklin fired tamely into the arms of Savage, and Ellie McGovern shot well over from 25 yards after space opened up for her, but just as the game seemed destined to be goalless at the break up popped Deasy to break the deadlock.

Some clever work by Jefferies on the right hand flank of the penalty area enabled her to lift a cross over Savage and a covering defender where the unmarked NIAMH DEASY could barely miss from three yards out.

There was still time, however, for Moors to have unheeded shouts for a penalty at the other end after a collision between Preston and Becky Knight, but it was Stour who had the advantage at the break.

Solihull served notice of their intentions within two minutes of the restart as Cheyanne Jarvis lifted the ball into the area only for Knight to completely miss her shot with the goal apparently at her mercy, and the same player was again denied shortly afterwards, but this time by the assistant’s flag after she managed to touch the ball past Preston.

Stour managed to weather that mini-storm and had chances of their own. A half-cleared corner was helped back into the box by Clarke for Nicklin, who could only steer her shot narrowly wide of goal, before they went closer still on 68 minutes through Lyndsey Glover, the substitute steadying herself before thundering a shot against Savage’s crossbar.

A break in play saw the influential McGovern hobble off with what looked a concerning knock, as Moors began to sense there might be something in the game for them. Amber Downs headed wide from Bourton’s cross, and then Preston had to get down well to hold onto a low cross-shot.

For all their possession, however, Solihull struggled to create clear openings, although there was a momentary gasp from the home crowd as Preston appeared from their angle to misjudge a high cross which landed safely against the side-netting.

Stoppage time – lots of it – brought almost constant Moors probing but again Preston was called into action only to claim hopeful balls into the area and on one occasion to punch away a dangerous corner at her near post, although the final kick of the game might have been a crushing one as Russell-Cartwright sent in a shot that can’t have gone far wide, to most of the crowd’s relief.

(Photo - Anthony Dunn, Focus Dunn Sports Photography)