Ilkeston 1 Stourbridge 2

Broadhurst’s header and Benbow’s second half penalty ensured a place in the final Qualifying Round for the second year running, and the fifth time altogether in the last eight seasons, after Rory Coleman had headed the Robins into the lead inside the first twenty minutes.

Gary Hackett was forced into one change, with Darryl Westlake still feeling the effects of his blow to the head at Stafford in midweek and Stuart Pierpoint replacing him for his first start of the season, with Kristian Green reverting to right back. There was also a recall for Kayelden Brown after injury, as Brandon Hague made way. Justin Richards and Matt Dodd also made welcome returns on the substitutes’ bench, where they were accompanied by recently-signed back-up keeper Ash Malhotra.

The game started slowly as rumbles of thunder and the occasional flash of lightning punctuated the afternoon, and it was a good ten minutes before either side mounted an attack worthy of mention. Even then, Junior Smikle’s left wing cross was tipped away by Ross Durrant in the home goal, and cleared with little discomfort to the Ilkeston defence.

The first effort on goal came on sixteen minutes, and with it the home side led. Luis Rose was not closed down quickly enough on the right flank, and his ball in found Coleman who stole ahead of Dan Scarr to plant a firm header out of reach of Matt Gould.

The goal at last stirred Stourbridge into life, and Benbow almost got on the end of a lofted pass from Drew Canavan before Jak Kenworthy arrived to smuggle the ball behind, and then Benbow headed on for Brown to chase into the box, only for the striker to fire high and wide. Canavan then volleyed some way over after bringing down a long throw from Tom Tonks, as Stourbridge continued to press for an equaliser.

Gould had to be alert to hold a low shot on the turn from Mark Shelton at his near post, as Ilkeston briefly threatened a second, but within a couple of minutes the Glassboys were level. Benbow turned and hit a snap shot from a narrow angle that surprised Durrant a little and bounced off his chest for a corner, and from Canavan’s flag kick, Pierpoint headed on for the unmarked Broadhurst to guide a looping header calmly over Durrant and just under the crossbar at the far post.

The goal signalled a deluge from the skies above, and an increase in tempo on the pitch, as the game seemed to become increasingly open. A dangerous free kick from Shelton was headed to safety at the far post, and then the same player saw his shot blocked by Green after a good passing move, before Matt Baker glanced a header wide from the subsequent corner. The final action of the half took place at the other end though, as Benbow worked himself enough space to get in a shot that might have had Durrant struggling had it not hit Brown and trickled harmlessly wide.

The second half began to another downpour, and with news that the Football League match at nearby Notts County had been abandoned. The New Manor pitch was holding up exceptionally well, however, and Stour seemed to be increasingly enjoying the greasy surface as they took control of the early stages.

Both Brown and Tonks were off target with shots early on, before the Glassboys spurned a glorious chance to take the lead. Miscommunication between Durrant and his defence allowed Brown to latch onto a loose ball in the penalty area. With only the keeper to beat he squared to Chris Lait, who dallied a little too long and was denied by a last-ditch tackle.

The Glassboys were not to be denied much longer, however. A Canavan cross on 57 minutes saw both Brown and Lait again unable to apply the finishing touch, but when the ball came back into the area a touch of trickery from Lait enticed Kenworthy into a rash challenge that brought the instant reward of a penalty, which Benbow smashed low and centrally, with Durrant diving in vain to his left.

The home side pushed forward, forcing a free kick and a number of corners in quick succession, but were generally unable to translate those set-pieces into significant chances. There was one brief moment of panic as Gould dropped a corner under a strong challenge, and was saved by Smikle who cleared the resulting header in the six-yard box.

Lait might have given Stourbridge some breathing space as the game entered the final twenty minutes. Slipped in by Brown, he tickled a right foot shot past the advancing Durrant but also past the keeper’s left-hand upright.

The Glassboys were conceding ground to the home side much of the time now, and not always looking entirely comfortable in doing so. A series of hurried and misplaced clearances invited more pressure but the Robins could not find a final ball to open up the defence and allow a clear sight of Gould’s goal until four minutes from time when a swerving shot from Shelton seemed to move late in its flight, forcing the Glassboys keeper to palm it away for a corner. Moments later, with the resulting corner cleared, Benbow was denied by the onrushing Durrant who hoicked the ball to safety.

Richards, on as a substitute for his 50th Stourbridge appearance almost added some gloss to the scoreline in added time, but his curling shot was parried to safety by Durrant, but it mattered little as the Glassboys saw out the closing moments to progress to the next round.