Late, Late Lois Grabs a Point for Stour!

A much improved second half in which the Glassgirls held the upper hand for the most part looked likely to prove fruitless until Lois Jefferies (pictured) slotted home a penalty six minutes into added time to secure a point, after Moors had led from as early as the fifteenth minute as Stour made a sluggish start to the game.

Andy Fisher’s team had struggled to create clear chances against a well-organised home defence, even during their best spells after the break, and the final outcome was most definitely a point gained rather than two lost.

It means the Glassgirls go into Sunday’s home game against Sheffield with four matches to play and a ten-point lead over Doncaster Rovers Belles, who have a game in hand.

Kicking up the Damson Parkway slope, Stourbridge were on the back foot in the early stages, as Moors looked quicker and sharper, and it was no great shock when the home side took the lead a quarter of an hour in. Sophie Heaselgrave had already been forced to bundle one low cross from Tiana Russell-Cartwright behind for a corner, but when the same player repeated the delivery shortly afterwards it was EVA ROGERS who slid in to convert from close range.

The goal spurred Stour on, however, and Niamh Deasy was close to levelling three minutes later from Alex Nicklin’s pass, but Freya Upson in the home goal was able to fingertip her attempted chip behind for a corner, and it was Upson who foiled Deasy again four minutes later as she dived to her right to hold the striker’s free kick.

It seemed Stourbridge might find some reward for their increased tempo, however, when Jefferies was brought down a little too clumsily on 25 minutes, only for Upson to excel herself by parrying Deasy’s spot kick over the bar.

For a while, the frustration seemed to niggle the Glassgirls as the game grew edgy. Moors went close again as Jess Bate was forced to head off the line from a corner, while Nicklin scuffed a shot wide and Jefferies fired a free kick over at the other end, before Rogers fired over for Solihull and then Deasy wide for Stour on the stroke of half time.

There was a distinct uplift from Stourbridge as the second half got going. A scramble in the six yard box from Nicklin’s free kick saw Jefferies unable to force the ball over the line, and Meg Hadley got forward to shoot off target from just inside the area, although in between Moors might have added a second as a cross flashed through the six yard box with nobody able to connect.

The introduction of Mill Rogers added to Stour’s attacking threat and her cross created a half-chance for Deasy who could only head wide, and she was then thwarted by Upson after Lexie Harrison’s through ball had split the defence, with Deasy shooting off target as Rogers laid the loose ball back to her.

The final ten minutes saw increasing urgency for Stour as they scented an equaliser, but for the most part they couldn’t pierce the Moors defensive wall. Hadley’s shot from 30 yards three minutes from time looked to have been their last crack, but with four minutes of added time played Harrison got to the byline and crossed, with the ball striking Zoe Creaney and the referee giving a penalty.

There was some delay before the kick could be taken as Creaney received treatment, but LOIS JEFFERIES was in no mind to allow herself to be put off and sent Upson the wrong way from the spot to earn Stour what could be a vital point.