Long journey reaps rewards for Glassboys

10:14am Thursday 10th April 2008

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Chesham United 1 Stourbridge 2.

The Glassboys climbed to third place with this huge win at fellow high-fliers Chesham United to boost their chances of making the end-of-season promotion play-offs.

The visitors got off to a terrific start by grabbing the lead after just three minutes. Paul Danks delivered in a free-kick from the left-hand edge of the penalty area and Nathan Bennett sent a far post header beyond home keeper Richard Hayward.

Chesham settled after that and on 16 minutes, a low drive from Eugene Ofori drew a save from Lewis Solly diving down to his left. The Buckinghamshire side drew level five minutes when Dom Marsala played a quick free-kick to Danny Burnell. He drove towards the Stourbridge box before finding Ofori. Burnell continued his run and he fastened onto Ofori's flick to tuck away a low shot.

he hosts might have have gone ahead on 34 minutes. Sam Ledger received a throw-in and his cross from the left found Adam Parker who planted a free header straight at Solly.

Burnell did have the ball in the net again three minutes before the break, but an assistant's flag had already been raised for offside.

Stourbridge had a great chance to forge back in-front nine minutes after the re-start after being awarded a hotly disputed penalty. A long throw-in from Slater caused problems in the Chesham defence and the referee spotted a foul on Leon Broadhurst as he looked to get in a header.

However Broadhurst blazed the resulting spot-kick over the bar. Midway through the half, Chesham twice went close to scoring with Marsala collecting a diagonal ball on 67 minutes and hitting a low shot into the side-netting with shouts for a corner rejected and a minute later Ofori found Dave Fotheringham on his outside and he cut in from the left before striking a low drive just wide.

The visitors introduced Andy Wright with twenty minutes left and the move paid immediate dividends as the Glassboys regained the lead. Another long throw-in was pushed out by Hayward and Slater lofted the ball back into the area.

Winsper challenged for a header and the ball dropped to Wright whose shot was blocked by a defender, but Broadhurst lashed home the loose ball.

Nine minutes later, Kyle Hadley broke down the right and his cross was flicked on by Broadhurst for Wright who sent a volley wide.

Chesham desperately searched for an equaliser in the closing stages and Solly made one excellent save a couple of minutes before the end, however their frustration boiled over in stoppage time when Parker received a second caution after a show of dissent.

Stourbridge: Solly, Rock, Mahon, Collins, Hadley, Bennett, Slater, L. Broadhurst, Martin, Danks, Winsper Subs: Wells (for Mahon 34 mins), Wright (for Danks 70 mins), Brookes, Ford (not used)