Stourbridge 2 Ramsbottom United

The Rams appear to have taken a shine to the War Memorial Athletic Ground having also won there last March and this time around, the East Lancashire side produced a spirited and hard working, pressing display that knocked the home side out of their stride, with Aaron Smith also catching the eye in attack for the visitors, while their recent signing Danny Wilkins made an immediate impact by scoring twice after coming off the bench midway through the second period.

Stourbridge went into this match with an unchanged starting eleven from the win over Rushall, although Chris Knight replaced Drew Canavan amongst the substitutes. The Glassboys also retained the same 3-5-2 formation, but this time the move did not pay off with the wide threat that has been a feature of their play this season mostly neutered.

On a damp, slick surface, the home side forced the early pace. In the 2nd minute Dan Scarr played the ball forward through the right channel area where Karl Hawley tidily chested the ball off to Matt Dodd on the flank. Hawley then accepted a short return pass before getting a shot away that Grant Shenton in the visitors goal gathered safely. The Glassboys continued to enjoy the majority of the possession at this stage and on 15 minutes they went close again. Sean Geddes was fouled just outside the right-hand corner of the box and Ben Billingham duly whipped in a free-kick that clipped the crossbar. As the half progressed Ramsbottom grew into the contest and looked an increasing threat on the counter. On 27 minutes Stourbridge had an escape when Prince Heywood fed Kade Coppin who checked inside from the right and flighted a ball into the box that glanced backwards off the top of Stuart Pierpoint's head and with Charlie Price scrambling back, the ball hit the top of the bar before being cleared away. The complexion of the afternoon though changed just past the half-hour mark. From another inswinging Billingham free-kick, Scarr got in a header that was saved by Shenton away to his left, however the flag had been raised for offside. Shenton then showed some quick thinking by swiftly launching the free-kick down-field and with the hosts switching off, Aaron Smith held off Brian Smikle to hit a shot that Price parried low to his right and Jordan Boue was on hand to turn home the rebound to put the Rams in-front. Stour sought an immediate response and soon forced another corner and this time Billingham's deep right-wing flag-kick was met by Pierpoint at the back post, but Shenton did well to keep his header out. Gary Hackett's men pushed again on 35 minutes with Geddes making room for a low drive from 20 yards that Shenton was unable to hold, but he recovered quickly to dive on the loose ball ahead of Richards.

After losing their way towards the end of the first period, the hosts began the second 45 in livelier fashion without being able to find a final ball of quality. Chris Lait was introduced in place of Billingham in the 61st minute as Stourbridge reverted back to their usual shape, but Ramsbottom threatened next on 66 minutes with Boue finding Smith on the right-hand side of the box, who made space for a low angled shot that Price collected at the second attempt. With the clock continuing to tick down with little sign of a Glassboys goal and with the frustrated home side resorting to an increasing number of long hopeful balls, a further double change was made after 71 minutes with Reece Hales and Mark Wright replacing the tiring Geddes and ineffectual Dodd. Hales went into the middle of the park with Wright playing out wide on the right. Just five minutes later Wright was to play a part in the Glassboys equaliser as his cross
from the right was headed out only as far as Leon Broadhurst who dribbled to make room for a thunderous left-foot shot that rifled against the underside of the crossbar and down before bouncing out with the assistant indicating that the ball had crossed the line. Home relief proved short-lived, however. With ten minutes to go the visitors earned a corner that was cleared out for another flag-kick and this time John Pritchard's dipping ball in evaded Price and sub Wilkins was in the right place at the far post to convert the ball with a shot into the ground that bounced up over the head of Broadhurst on the line to restore the Rams lead. Stourbridge had the chance to restore parity again on 86 minutes following splendid work from Hawley close to the right-hand by-line that took him away from two defenders. He picked out Wright with his low pull-back, but the sub scuffed his shot and the opportunity was gone. With two minutes remaining, more sloppy play from the hosts was punished emphatically with Marcus Porscha showing some quick feet before Wilkins turned and buried an early low shot across Price into the far bottom corner of the net. Still the late drama was not over though as within a minute Stourbridge halved the deficit. Wright pulled the ball back across from the right into the path of Richards, who produced a sublime arrowed finish into the far top corner, however Ramsbottom dug in to see out the subsequent four added minutes to claim their first away win in the league this season on a crazy afternoon when the bottom four sides in the division all won to underline the depth of the Premier Division, but the Glassboys promotion hopes took a big knock and they cannot afford too many more slip-ups now over the second half of their league campaign.