Marine 1-1 Stourbridge

Marine were denied a third consecutive home win by substitute Brandon Hague's late equaliser for Stourbridge at the Marine Travel Arena. Robbie Threlfall made a timely return to replace the injured Josh Brizell in the only change to manager Sean Hessey's starting line-up from last Saturday's victory against Grantham Town.

The Mariners made a bright start in pleasant conditions in Crosby and had shouts for a penalty waved away by referee Bennett in just the 2nd minute.

However just two minutes later the Whites were given the chance to score from the spot as Lewis Field's pass allowed MJ Monaghan to burst into the box, the midfielder being clumsily brought down by Tonks and the arbiter wasted little time in pointing to the spot. Kurt Sherlock rifled the ball into the bottom corner of the Crosender Road rigging for the second week running to give the Mariners the early advantage.

The visitors had to wait until the 13th minute for their first strike on goal, leading scorer Benbow's curling free-kick from 25 yards being held with relative ease on the first bounce by Calvin Hare.

The Mariners then came close to a second goal as Obi Anoruo's header found the in-form Sherlock who held off a defender's challenge before volleying goalward, Stour' stopper Gould producing an excellent one-handed parry to divert the ball past the post. The subsequent corner reached Billy Smart but the ex-Bootle midfielder's header sailed a couple of yards wide of target.

Midway through the opening period Benbow turned sharply on the edge of the box and although his left-footed shot looked to be rolling wide, Hare took no chances as he diverted the ball behind and claimed the subsequent corner with a commanding catch.

An end-to-end half of football continued apace as visiting skipper Pierpoint hauled down Sherlock just outside the area in an off-the-ball incident. Threlfall's free-kick looked to be curling into the top-corner but Gould's full-length dive allowed the custodian to tip the ball onto his left-hand post and the rebound was hacked clear by the relieved Stour' defence.

Benbow continued to threaten for the Glassboys and he found space in the Marine box but his goalbound shot was blocked at close quarters by Threlfall's excellent challenge.

Five minutes before the break a corner from the Stourbridge left was met by the head of Pierpoint, the Glassboys' defender seeing his powerful downward header somehow diverted over his own crossbar by the alert Karl Clair, to ensure the Mariners reached half-time a goal to the good.

An action-packed second half again saw both 'keepers at their best to prevent further scoring. Visiting stopper Gould was first to impress as a Marine corner reached Joe Mwasile on the edge of the box, but his low drive toward the bottom corner was held securely at full stretch by Gould.

At the other end Hare had to be alert to prevent Benbow's low centre reaching the lurking Brown, the rangy striker waiting for the proverbial tap-in but being denied by Hare's intervention.

Hare then produced another tremendous to stop to deny Benbow in a one-on-one as the striker raced through having beaten the offside trap, Hare getting enough on the ball to divert in past his right-hand post. From the subsequent corner veteran midfielder Broadhurst spurned an equally inviting opportunity as he headed over from close-range at the far post.

The Mariners clearly needed a second goal to see off a strong Stourbridge side who had only suffered one defeat in their previous eleven games, and a flick-on saw Sherlock break clear of the visiting defence but Gould once again turned the striker's shot from a tight angle behind at his near post.

Stour' winger Lait's low long-range effort was parried by Hare and gathered at the second attempt, before it was Marine's turn to have an effort cleared off the line. A corner fell to Liam Goulding and the on-loan Accrington defender turned smartly before his left-footed shot beat Gould but was cleared by the well-positioned Tonks.

On the hour mark Sherlock detected the onrushing Anoruo with a clever pass but Gould raced off his line to block Anoruo's finish at point-blank range.

At the other end the Marine rearguard failed to fully clear their lines and the ball reached Brown just outside the box, but his low drive rolled well wide of target.

With a quarter of an hour remaining the Glassboys blew yet another opportunity to level matters as a free-kick played to the back-post was headed back across the box by Brown, Benbow completely fluffing his lines as he kicked at fresh air from 4 yards out with the goal gaping.

The stocky striker attempted to make amends in the final ten minutes but his daisy-cutter to the near post was well held by Hare, who then produced another good save from Broadhurst's header from a corner two minutes from time as the Mariners looked to hold out for the victory.

However there was a sting in the tail for Hessey's men in the first minute of added time as Stourbridge's decision to replace centre-back Pierpoint with striker Hague paid dividends. A spell of pressure from the visitors saw the ball played into the box from their left, Hague's far post header seemingly headed off the line by James Short, but the well-placed Assistant deemed that the ball had crossed the line and the goal was awarded to the delight of the travelling Glassboys' faithful.

Frustrations threatened to boil over in the dying embers of a game which had been simmering throughout, as a late Sherlock challenge saw players from both sides come together in a melee. Referee Bennett eventually gained some small measure of control and time elapsed to bring disappointment for the Marine team who had held the lead for almost the entire afternoon, but with the visitors arguably deserving their share of the spoils for their second half pressure. Marine keeper Hare was shown the red card after the final whistle.

Marine travel to Marston Road on Tuesday evening to face Stafford Rangers in their next EvoStik Premier Division fixture, kick-off at 7:45pm.

Marine: Calvin Hare, Lewis Field, James Short, Liam Goulding, Karl Clair, Robbie Threlfall (c) (Liam Willis 63), Michael Monaghan (Warren Bellew 86), Billy Smart, Obi Anoruo (Craig Lindfield 68), Kurt Sherlock, Joe Mwasile.

Unused subs: Sean Myler, Ryan O'Hare. Cautions: Short, Sherlock. Sent off: Hare

Stourbridge: Matthew Gould, Kristian Green, Lewis Probert (Matthew Dodd 62), Tom Tonks, Stuart Pierpoint (c) (Brandon Hague 80), Darryl Westlake, Drew Canavan, Leon Broadhurst, Luke Benbow, Kayelden Brown, Christopher Lait (Justin Richards 62).

Unused subs: Bradley Birch, Brian Smikle. Cautions: Pierpoint, Dodd, Richards, Broadhurst.

Goals: Marine; Sherlock (pen 4)
Stourbridge; Hague (90)

Referee: Mr Alan Bennett
Assistants: Mr Nigel Usher and Mr Aran Hodgkinson

Attendance: 462