Stourbridge 2 Marine 0

It may not have been one of Stourbridge’s best performances of the season but, crucially, they took the best of what chances did come their way, whilst the visitors failed to make the most of theirs.

After Saturday’s resounding win against Hyde United, manager Gary Hackett named an unchanged starting line-up and substitutes’ bench, clearly hoping for more of the same!

However, the Glassboys got off to something of a sluggish start, and it was the visitors who largely controlled the opening ten minutes or so, with energetic striker Danny Mitchley to the fore.

The striker, who had already found the net against the Glassboys for Skelmersdale United earlier in the campaign, hit a shot well wide on the turn just two minutes in, and then fired a weak effort straight at Matt Gould after 7 minutes, whilst a long ball over the Stourbridge defence on 13 minutes gave him the chance to shoot first time from the corner of the penalty area, with Gould again making the save, albeit at the second attempt.

Stourbridge were yet to seriously threaten Matt Cooper in the Mariners’ goal, and when they did so for the first time on the quarter hour, Leon Broadhurst’s shot trickled harmlessly wide.

But somewhat against the general run of things, it was Stourbridge who forged ahead with 19 minutes played, ad Broadhurst was again involved. Picking off a loose pass 25 yards out, he drove into the penalty area, riding a tackle on the way, before unselfishly squaring the ball to the unmarked Karl Hawley who tapped home from five yards out.

The Glassboys clearly took heart from that goal and began to find more rhythm in their play, with Matt Dodd in particular stretching the visiting defence. Clear openings remained few and far between, however, whilst Marine continued to cause problems at the other end whenever they got within sight of goal.

Stephen Wainwright’s cross from the right on 26 minutes was missed by Stuart Pierpoint, giving Mitchley another sight of goal but his snap-shot was held by Gould, and then with 36 minutes on the clock Mitchley again tried his luck with a lob from 25 yards that cleared Gould’s crossbar, with the Glassboys’ keeper looking to have it covered.

A rare opening for the Glassboys in the 41st minute saw Justin Richards’ left foot shot from 15 yards find the side-netting, before Mitchley’s strike partner, Chris Sharp, broke clear and attempted to round the advancing Gould, who partially smothered the ball before regaining his feet and holding on as the striker tried to turn the loose ball goalwards.

The half-time lead flattered Stourbridge a little, but with a stiff breeze at their backs after the break, the home side came out looking to impose themselves more, and only two minutes had passed when Dodd’s cross from the right found Hawley fifteen yards out, and his header rebounded against the outside of Cooper’s left-hand post.

However, it didn’t take much longer for Stourbridge to find the second goal and some breathing space. The hard-working Justin Richards held the ball up in the corner before laying it off to Chris Lait, who advanced into the penalty area before sliding the ball beyond Cooper and into the far corner.

From that point on the visitors never quite carried the same threat, and Stourbridge seemed to have the upper hand, if not always total control. Dodd fired wildly over on 58 minutes, after being put clear on the right, before Richards then did likewise from a more central position five minutes later, and then again two minutes after that, although this time not missing the target by anywhere near as much.

Junior Smikle had to be alert on 68 minutes to smuggle a dangerous cross from Sharp behind for a corner, and from the flag kick, drilled low to the near post, Alan Burton’s flicked shot rebounded off the crossbar before being cleared to safety.

Another Marine corner on 76 minutes resulted in towering centre-back Andy Nicholas heading over from no great distance, but that proved to be the Mariners’ last real effort of note as the game petered out somewhat. There was one final flourish for the Glassboys before the full time whistle when substitute Ban Billingham cut in from the right flank and fizzed in a fierce left-foot shot that Cooper did well to tip over.

A third goal would have been harsh on the visitors, but ultimately it was Stourbridge’s ability to put the ball in the back of the net when given the opportunity that made the difference.