Glassgirls Battle to Crucial Win

A crucial win against one of the teams currently occupying the relegation zone means that they reach the half-way point in the season in eighth place in the FAWNL Northern Premier Division table, with nine points separating them from the bottom two.

In a season that looked daunting from the outset, it also means that aside from tough trips to the expected top four ‘giants’ of the Division, Mike Harris’s squad have lost just once in their seven fixtures against the remaining teams in the Division, a genuine foothold for the second half of the campaign.

With the squad undergoing several departures and arrivals since the last home game back in October, there were debuts for recent signings Lizzie Bennett-Steele, Daisy Clements and Amy Dicken, whilst Mill Rogers came off the bench for her first appearance since being injured in September.

With some early nerves on show, it was Huddersfield who settled quickest, and they should have taken the lead four minutes in as Yasmin Mason broke clear of the Stour defence only for Jamie-Lee Bamford to produce a fine save.

Stour were finding it hard to get their rhythm going, and didn’t threaten the visitors’ goal until ten minutes into the game when Amy Dicken saw her shot blocked from a Kelsey Richardson corner, but that did seem to spark the Glassgirls into life as Zoe Clarke’s header from another Richardson corner four minutes later bounced off the inside of the post and was cleared.

At the other end, Rosie Embley produced a timely block to thwart Feiruz Abdullahi after another swift counter-attack, as an end-to-end game began to develop, with both sides looking to attack at every opportunity.

Jess Lowe looked as though she would put Stour ahead on 32 minutes after a surging run from Clements, but the Terriers defence was able to smother the danger, while Hannah Fishwick curled a first time effort just wide, and Clarke then muscled her way through before dragging her short off target.

Lowe had the ball in the net, but was denied by the assistant’s flag, before Richardson drove a free kick into the wall from right on the edge of the area, amidst a feisty spell which saw a number of yellow cards dished out as the interval approached.

For all their endeavour, neither tea, had looked particularly potent in front of goal, but that was to change as the action stepped up a few notches in the second half, with Lowe first to threaten as her shot was kicked away by Olivia Harness, a late outfield replacement in goal following an injury to Town’s regular keeper Lauren Bracewell during the warm-up.

Meanwhile Abdullahi might have done better as she met Mason’s cross at the far post, but she wasn’t able to get a strong connection and Bamford collected more comfortably than she might have expected.

Huddersfield went close again on 57 minutes as a shot flew over the bar, but they were closer a minute later as BRITTANY SANDERSON turned her defender before firing low to Bamford’s left into the bottom corner.

Just as in the League Cup game in October, Stourbridge found themselves behind early in the second half, but this time the visitors couldn’t hold onto their advantage as the Glassgirls levelled within four minutes. Richardson drifted another corner right under the crossbar, and ESME MORAN was able to force the ball over the line from a matter of inches.

Seven minutes later, the Glassgirls were ahead with the best move of the game. Fishwick’s ball released Clements in plenty of space on the right and she drove forwards before squaring the ball perfectly for JESS LOWE to touch past Harness inside the six-yard box.

Stour pressed for a third, with Clarke’s chip landing on top of the net, and they got their reward on 79 minutes as Rogers, only on the pitch for three minutes, played a pinpoint through ball for SENNA ROBINSON to run on and finish past Harness.

A two-goal cushion might have appeared relatively comfortable, but Huddersfield wasted no time in reminding Stour otherwise. Substitute Lachante Paul had the ball in the net with a shot from outside the area less than two minute later, with the Glassgirls relieved to see the offside flag up, but five minutes from time the Terriers did bring the margin back to a single goal, as KATE MALLIN capitalised on some defensive uncertainty to lift the ball over Bamford and into the net.

Town poured forward in the remaining minutes, plus the seven of injury time that followed, but in truth they couldn’t force a genuine effort on goal, although there was an anxious moment when Rosie Embley’s challenge on Mason resulted in a corner rather than the penalty Huddersfield felt should have come their way.

But Stour hung on for the win that sees them enter the Festive period in buoyant mood, with plenty to play for in the second half of the season.

(Photo - Anthony Dunn, Focus Dunn Sports Photography)