Men's First Team
Matches
Sat 27 Aug 2016  ·  Premier Division
Nantwich Town
2
3
Stourbridge FC
Men's First Team
Nantwich Town 2 Stourbridge 3

Nantwich Town 2 Stourbridge 3

Richard Clark27 Aug 2016 - 19:37
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Brandon Hague's injury time goal, his first for Stourbridge, secured all three points for the Glassboys from their trip to Cheshire.

Hague was quickest to react after Chris Lait's shot had been half blocked, and tucked the ball under the advancing Dave Parton to secure the Glassboys' second win in five days.

The result was reward for a battling second half display after the home side had recovered from 2-0 down to draw level with two stunning goals in the latter stages of the first half. Glassboys supporters may also feel it went some way to "evening things out" after the Dabbers had twice inflicted injury time defeats on Stour at the Weaver Stadium last season.

Stourbridge opened strongly, and were ahead after just six minutes when Drew Canavan's corner was cleared to the far side where Leon Broadhurst lifted it back into the box. Dan Scarr's initial header was blocked but his follow-up volley found the back of the net via the head of the unfortunate Curtis Jones.

Matt Gould then had to be alert to claim a right wing cross from the always dangerous Steve Jones, and then Benbow stung the palms of Parton with an angled shot.

The Glassboys' lead was doubled, though, with eleven minutes played as a flowing move saw Lait, from his own half, spread the ball wide to Junior Smikle on the left. Smikle drove forward before turning inside and playing the ball in to the feet of Luke Benbow who worked enough space to fire a shot that found the far corner via Parton's fingertips.

Lait might have had a third just moments later, only to be thwarted by an excellent last-ditch tackle, but thereafter it was the home side went on to have largely the better of the half. A Steve Jones corner skimmed off a Stourbridge head to safety, and then Josh Gordon's shot from just outside the area flew over Gould's crossbar.

A foul on Lait some 40 yards out on 26 minutes saw Leon Broadhurst line up a shot which was deflected to make life difficult for Parton who held the ball low down by his left-hand post, before another free kick at the other end, this time closer to goal, led to Theo Stair's effort taking a touch off the wall and going behind for a corner.

The Dabbers were beginning to turn the screw by this stage, with Benbow increasingly isolated up front and Stourbridge making little headway. Sean Cooke came close to pulling a goal back on 33 minutes as his surging run took him past three challenges only for the finish to be dragged wide of the far post, and then Gordon threatened again, this time shooting straight at Gould.

The goal that the home side had been threatening finally came with 40 minutes played. Lewis Probert's challenge on Steve Jones brought a free kick close to the edge of the Stourbridge area, and Stair, clearly having got his range from his earlier effort, lifted the ball over the wall and into Gould's top left-hand corner with the Glassboys' keeper helpless.

Three minutes later it was all square as towering centre back Ben Harrison strode forward unhindered with the ball before unleashing a shot from distance that had Gould diving, again fruitlessly, towards the opposite corner. On balance it was no more than Nantwich deserved.

More of the same in the second half would surely have led to only one result, but Stourbridge set out with a clear intent to deny Nantwich time and space to build from the back, and the half was to prove a much more even affair, although Cooke again was first to threaten with a shot from the corner of the area that curled wide of the far post.

Clear chances were at a premium for a good while, although the game was no less entertaining for that, with both teams clear in their desire to win rather than settle for a point. There was scare for the Glassboys as Gordon looked to break, tussling with Scarr as he bore down on the penalty area, with the Stourbridge man perhaps fortunate not to concede a free kick, or even worse.

Lait almost capitalised on a cross from Benbow after 70 minutes, but the ball was bundled to safety with Lait shouting vociferously, and perhaps optimistically, for a handball decision that didn't come.

A procession of substitutions upset the flow a little but if anything it was Stourbridge who looked the most likely side to find a winner. One of the replacements, Jake Heath, threaded a neat ball through for Benbow who, on the turn, could only pull his shot across goal and wide of the far post, before two substitutes combined at the other end with Godwin Abadaki playing in Dave Walker, whose shot rebounded off Gould's right-hand upright and away to safety.

A draw looked likely by this stage, but the closing moments were to prove decisive. First substitute Josh Hancock saw a maybe slightly harsh red card for a late challenge on Broadhurst, and then Hague pounced to settle matters, much to the glee of the assembled throng from the Black Country.

Match details

Match date

Sat 27 Aug 2016

Kickoff

15:00

Attendance

289

Competition

Premier Division

League position

14
Stourbridge
17
Nantwich Town
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