Glassgirls Downed by Derby

With back-to-back wins behind his team, Manager Mike Harris made just two changes to his starting eleven, with Niamh Murphy replacing Lizzie Bennett-Steele in defence, and Hannah Fishwick coming in for the unavailable Jess Lowe up front.

The beginnings of Storm Isha had a major say in proceedings, with Derby having the better of the first half with the wind at their backs, although a determined Glassgirls defence limited their chances for the most part. It was almost a quarter of an hour before either side threatened goal, when Jade Grove’s pass released Amy Dicken, with Maria Timms able to mop up.

The home side forced a couple of corners which Stour managed to deal with, before Stour threatened again through Grove, whose shot was palmed away by Anna Draper in the home goal, who then held onto Dicken’s follow-up effort.

Rebecca May hammered an ambitious free kick low and wide from all of 40 yards, while Fishwick’s lob at the other end held up on the wind and proved an easy take for Draper, while Kelsey Richardson’s shot from distance dipped, but not quite enough to beat Draper’s crossbar, before Derby took the lead with half an hour played. Another inswinging corner from the right flank caused problems at the near post and the final touch appeared to come off a Stour defender, giving Jamie-Lee Bamford no chance.

Amy Sims went close again at the near post three minutes later as Derby looked to turn the screw, but Richardson came close to levelling when her cross from a recycled corner shaved the top of the Derby bar as Stour went into the break trailing.

With the advantage of the wind, Stourbridge would have been hoping to exert some pressure, and they did see more of the play as the second half progressed, but the home side proved adept at looking after possession, slowing the game down, and preventing the Glassgirls from building any momentum, and they had the early chances too as Emelia Wilson shot straight at Bamford from a good position, and then Eleanor Ashton’s cross hit the outside of the near post and went behind.

Stour were a little unfortunate when Draper dropped Zoe Clarke’s corner just before the hour, with the ball falling kindly for a defender to hack clear, and then at the other end May’s shot had plenty of power but was always rising over Bamford’s bar.

Grove saw her powerful strike from a narrow angle beaten away by Draper at her near post, and Esme Moran couldn’t keep her far post header down from Richardson’s corner, but Stour couldn’t get a really clear sight of goal, and with Derby’s attacks always carrying a threat they eventually doubled their lead eight minutes from time. Substitute Kira Rai got to the dead ball line and played the ball back to Isabel Sheridan who turned neatly and fired home.

Stourbridge might have got themselves straight back into the game as Daisy Clements’ excellent crossfield ball found Mill Rogers in space, but she couldn’t squeeze her shot past Draper, and the home side saw the match out in relative comfort from there.