Men's First Team
Matches
Sat 21 Jan 2017  ·  Premier Division
Stourbridge FC
Men's First Team
2
0
Marine
Stourbridge 2 Marine 0

Stourbridge 2 Marine 0

Richard Clark21 Jan 2017 - 21:04
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.stourbridgefc.com/

Two goals from Jordan Archer were enough to give the Glassboys victory against a resilient Marine outfit.

Archer, who scored twice in the midweek win at Mickleover Sports, was the man on the spot once more with powerful headers from crosses by Stuart Pierpoint on 32 minutes, and then Luke Benbow five minutes later as Stour climbed into the play-off places.

There might have been further goals after the break, with Chris Lait and Luke Benbow in particular going close. Meanwhile the visitors worked hard and had a decent share of the game without seriously testing Matt Gould beyond a handful of regulation saves from distance.

Manager Gary Hackett made two changes from the starting eleven at Mickleover, with the departed Kristian Green replaced by Chris Knight, and Chris Lait coming back in place of Kayelden Brown. There was no place in the squad for Dan Scarr, with the centre-back's mooted transfer appearing close to completion.

On a somewhat sticky pitch, not helped by the lingering effects of overnight frost, the match took a while to get into any kind of rhythm, and was not helped by a number of early stoppages for injuries, one of which saw Marine's Warren Bellew hobble off as early as the fifth minute after a coming-together with Matt Dodd in the penalty area that brought unrewarded shouts for a Stourbridge penalty.

It was fully 14 minutes before any kind of attempt on goal by either side, as Stuart Pierpoint headed well over at the far post from a left-wing corner, under a defender's challenge.

Darryl Westlake and Luke Benbow combined to give the former a rare sight of goal, but momentary hesitation saw Andy Nicholas able to challenge him, with Mariners' keeper Calvin Hare pouncing on the loose ball. Marine, meanwhile, might have done better on 21 minutes from a smart free kick that saw James Short feed Kurt Sherlock whose attempted cross from a narrow angle could only find the side-netting.

Craig Lindfield then looked to catch Matt Gould napping with an effort from way out on the left but the Glassboys keeper was able to watch the ball slide harmlessly past his right-hand upright.

Such had been the paucity of chances that it was something of a surprise when Stourbridge took the lead just after the half hour. Strong work by Archer on the right won a free kick close to the by-line that Leon Broadhurst swung over to the far post. Jack Duggan was unable to get his head to the ball and it was left to Pierpoint to retrieve and return it into the six-yard box where Archer climbed highest to plant a firm header into the roof of the net.

Five minutes later the former Redditch and Bedworth man had his second, in not dissimilar fashion. Tom Tonks threw the ball in to Benbow at the near post but the striker was forced away from goal and appeared short of options before turning sharply and crossing for the unmarked Archer who could not miss with another thumping header from no more than three yards out.

Lait saw a snap shot blocked by Hare three minutes afterwards, with the Marine keeper seemingly not knowing too much about it, whilst James Foley was flagged offside as he fired just wide at the other end, with the visitors complaining that the ball had been played through by a Stourbridge boot.

Lait again might have added to the scoreline six minutes after the break as Dodd pinched the ball off Robbie Threlfall before playing it in to Lait who miscontrolled and allowed the opening to slip away.

Marine showed they were not going to lie down though, as Danny Mitchley tried a chip on 56 minutes that Gould needed to clutch underneath his crossbar, before another raid by Dodd led to Benbow seeing a shot blocked, and then Tonks clipping an effort wide of the far post.

Stourbridge looked relatively comfortable for their two-goal lead, yet edgy at not being able to extend it at the same time. As the half wore on the visitors began to show more of a threat, albeit rarely enough to trouble Gould. Substitute Sean Myler fired over from the angle of the penalty area, and then Mitchley shot straight into Gould's arms when he seemed to have time to better place his attempt.

Almost instantly the Glassboys hit back, with Archer crossing from the left for Benbow to stoop and head goalwards, with Hare making a very good stop at the expense of a corner.

A looping header by Duggan on 72 minutes was taken by the back-pedalling Hare on the goal-line, with referee Neil Pratt waving away claims that the ball had been carried over the line, whilst Mitchley again failed to make Gould work hard enough with a skimming shot that the Glassboys keeper collected low down by his right-hand post.

The final ten minutes saw Marine run out of steam a little and were largely a question of whether Stourbridge could add to their lead. First substitute Brown slipped Benbow clean through but as the striker attempted to round Hare he was dispossessed by the covering Lindfield, then Duggan saw another header from a Tonks corner cleared off the line, Brown crossed from the left just too far ahead of the onrushing Benbow, who moments later fired wired after being fed by Archer, and finally Knight released Dodd with a wonderful crossfield ball, only for Hare to come off his line and divert the winger's shot over the bar.

It mattered not, however, as the Glassboys saw out stoppage time for a deserved three points.

Stourbridge are now 4th in the Premier Division table, seven points behind leaders Blyth Spartans, but just one point adrift of Whitby Town in second place.

Match details

Match date

Sat 21 Jan 2017

Kickoff

15:00

Attendance

857

Competition

Premier Division

League position

4
Stourbridge
18
Marine
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Main Club Sponsor - Bhandal Dental Practice
Club Sponsor  - Pegasus
Club Sponsor - Ampteam Ltd
Club Sponsor - The Mary Stevens Hospice Lottery
Club Sponsor  - Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company
Club Sponsor  - No5 Barristers' Chambers
Club Sponsor - Oldfields Reclamations Limited
Official Junior Club Sponsor - Avanti Kitchens Bedrooms & Bathrooms
Club Sponsor  - A & H Construction
Club Sponsor - Top Tubes
Official Travel Partner - Prospect Coaches
Club Sponsor - The Four Stones
Club Sponsor - Andyfreight
Club Sponsor - Higgs LLP
Club Sponsor  - CSCM IT Solutions
Club Sponsor - West One Hagley
Club Sponsor  - Reactive Driving Recruitment
Club Partner  - Ridgewood High School
Club Sponsor - G-Tex Stainless
Club Partner  - Justice For Ryan
Club Sponsor - Folkes Worton Chartered Accountants
Club Sponsor - Keltruck
League Sponsor  - Joma
League Sponsor  - Pitching In