Stourbridge 2 Boro 1 - FA Trophy

Nuneaton Borough bowed out of the FA Trophy in the first qualifying round as Stourbridge ran out 2-1 winners at the Memorial Ground.

Despite a Luke Benbow cracker to cancel out Ashley Carter's opener, Josh Ezewele plummeted Boro out of the FA Trophy after his strike in the latter stages of the game.

Boro impressed in the first quarter of the game, high pressing and intensity was the plan, which was portrayed by Callum Powell as the winger went close to breaking the deadlock.

The half hour mark approached and Stourbridge grew into the game, Tom Tonks had the chance to open the scoring with a free kick but the attempt collided with the wall.

Half time was approaching and Callum Powell was involved once again as the forward raced through on goal before being brought down by Stourbridge shot stopper James Wren but to the disbelief of Powell, the referee awarded a goal-kick.

The half time whistle blew at the Memorial Ground and honours were even. Both sides endured good chances in the first forty-five as it remained a cagey affair.

The deadlock was broken inside seventy-one minutes, an Ashley Carter free kick escaped the grasp of Jake Bull. A low hard shot meant that the home side were in the ascendancy.

Just one minute later, Boro won a free-kick from thirty yards out. Luke Benbow stepped up with the chance to make honours even at the Memorial Ground. The attempt was blocked by the wall but the follow up was volleyed home by Benbow who cut across the ball to fire, low into the left bottom corner.

As the final phases of play were fizzling out, the game remained poised at one goal each.
Josh Ezewele decided the outcome inside the final ten minutes as his strike beat Jake Bull at the near post. The attempt smashed the roof of the net to dampen Boro's chances of reaching the next round of FA Trophy qualification.

Despite the loss, Jimmy Ginnelly can take credit from the game as Boro created many chances and on another day, the scoreline could've been different.

Team: Bull, Towers, Sharpe, Stanley, Kettle, Osbourne, Powell, Byrne, Benbow, Kelly-Evans, Clifton.

Subs: Richens, Verma, Henshall, Julien, Wassell, Belford.