Glassboys Shine at The Cross!

Report by David Robinson.

Ashton suffered another home defeat as a goal in each half proved enough for the visitors to take all 3 points back to the Midlands. Jonathan McIlwaine was making his debut in the home goal and had to be alert within the first 5 minutes as a ball down the right wing saw Matt Dodd with a clear run on goal with McIlwaine effecting the block. Another debutant Daniel Shaw then played a good 1-2 to take him into the area where Gould blocked his attempted cross.

Jordan Archer then just failed to latch on to Jack Duggan’s knockdown from Daniel Scarr’s ball into the box but six minutes before the break Stourbridge moved ahead as Chris Lait’s 30 yard free kick was headed back into the danger area by Stephen Mason for Luke Benbow to provide the finish. Benbow then set Lait free to run on goal with McIlwaine again needing to be alert before Maiese’s near post cross saw Duggan concede a corner from which Chris Baguley’s effort just landed on the roof of the net.

The Robins could have equalised immediately on the resumption as Ryan Crowther’s pass put Lee Gaskell in on Matthew Gould but he saw his chipped effort helped on to the cross bar by the keeper and shortly afterwards Dodd appeared to be brought down in the area by Daniel Shaw with Mr Kenny unmoved and Tonks’ long throw was then back headed just over the top by Duggan. Midway through the half Tom Tonks’ long throw was headed on by a home defender for substitute Kayelden Brown, who had just joined the action, to force home at the far post.

The visitors could have extended their advantage as Dominic Smalley’s mistake gave Brown a clear run on goal which he fired wide and a loose pass out of defence by Mark Lees presented Brown with another clear opportunity which brought another good save out of McIlwaine.

Teams: McIlwaine, Smalley, Maiese, Shaw (Frost), Mason, Lees, Baguley (Buckley), Dorney, Gaskell, Crowther, Smith (Roberts).

SNU: Banim, Lofthouse.