Jefferies Double, but Stour Can't Hold On

The Glassgirls trailed as early as the third minute, and for a long time it looked like their trip East would be fruitless, before Lois Jefferies struck twice in four minutes late in the game to turn things around, only for the home side to produce that dramatic finish.

“It’s frustrating , of course it is, when you’re that close to all three points,” said Manager Andy Fisher afterwards. “But you have to take it on the chin. We couldn’t see it out and they were able to capitalise.

“But we’ve been on the right side of so many moments like that over the last few seasons, it’s hard to moan. The positive thing is the way we fought our way back into the game from a goal down in the last half hour because up to that we hadn’t really been at it.

“I’m pleased for Lois. It’s been very stop-start for her with the weather over Christmas, not being eligible for the Plate, and then a little injury problem, but she’s a quality striker and that bit of extra quality was what got us back into the game today.”

Fisher named an unchanged starting line-up from last weekend’s win against Doncaster Rovers Belles, but if he was hoping for the same result, that didn’t last long. With their first serious attack of the afternoon, the Imps took the lead as Chantelle Robinson broke down the right and her low ball into the box was converted by TONI McHAMILTON.

Stour seemed unsettled by the goal, and struggled to make much headway against a resilient home defence. Niamh Deasy’s 11th minute free kick was held comfortably by Lara Timson in the Lincoln goal, but that apart the Glassgirls couldn’t fashion much in the way of real chances.

Lincoln might have doubled their lead just after the half hour as Robinson again crossed from the right, but Lucy Farrow couldn’t get a proper connection and Amie Preston was able to gather the ball, before Stour did see a couple of sights of goal as both Deasy and Alex Nicklin fired off target.

With half time approaching, Amber Lawrence looped a header wide, and then Stour’s best move of the game ended when Deasy couldn’t get her shot away under pressure from a defender.

The opening stages of the second half followed a similar pattern, the Glassgirls frustrated by their hard-working opponents and not seeing enough of Timson’s goal. Farrow again might have done better when she broke clear but lashed her shot over the bar from a fairly tight angle.

But gradually Stour began to press and chances began to come with increasing regularity, notably with the introduction of fresh legs from Jefferies and Lyndsey Glover. Timson pushed Rogers’ shot round the post, and then held onto a header from Nicklin, before Rogers half-volleyed over when she probably had more time than she realised.

With the game heading towards the final 20 minutes, Jefferies saw a tame shot fielded comfortably by Timson, then Glover at the far post fired over, and then Rogers did likewise with her head as Stour began to snatch at chances.

It needed a cool head in front of goal, and it was LOIS JEFFERIES who answered the call, taking Esme Moran’s path in her stride before turning her defender and slotting past the helpless Timson to finally draw Stour level.

And within four minutes they were ahead. Zoe Clarke’s ball deep to the far post was aimed for Glover but it didn’t reach her as Chyna McIntosh intervened, instinctively sticking out a hand to guide the ball away from the Stour player, giving JEFFERIES the opportunity to bury the spot kick.

From there Stourbridge seemed largely to be in control, although Nicklin’s 20 yard volley which Timson held onto very well, was the only time they looked like adding a third, although there was a momentary scare as the lively Robinson got behind the defence only for Preston to come out and save at the feet.

But the sting in the tail came in added time as Stourbridge couldn’t deal with a ball into the area, and Robinson found MADDI GREEN who made no mistake from close range.

The draw sees Stour extend their lead to four points, having now played the same number of games as chasing Doncaster, but it remains to be seen how costly that late goal could be.