Stourbridge 0, Hednesford 3

STOURBRIDGE failed to recover from a dismal first half display as they suffered their first defeat of the new season.

The Glassboys were left to rue defensive errors as they were overpowered at the War Memorial Ground by Hednesford.

First half goals from Dan Glover, Osebi Abadaki and Kieran Wells left Stour with too much to do.

Former Halesowen stopper Dan Platt then made a string of second-half saves to make sure there was no recovery job.

It was the visitors that started the brighter at Amblecote and they worked the first effort on nine minutes when home keeper James Wren had to be a full stretch to keep out Kieran Wells’ looping header.

However, Wells only had to wait two more minutes to open the scoring as the forward rifled home from the edge of the area after a long Hednesford goal-kick caught out the Stour rearguard after Dan Glover had won the flick on.

The hosts settled down after that shaky start as they started to enjoy a little more possession. They nearly found a leveller on 27 minutes but Greg Mills couldn’t quite turn home Tom Turnton’s corner after a goalmouth scramble.

Instead it was Hednesford that struck again and it was route one that proved Stour’s Achilles heel.

Glover was able to race in behind the static home backline after another goal-kick from former Halesowen Town man Platt. The striker kept his cool to loft his effort over the advancing Wren to make it 2-0 on the half hour mark.

It went from bad to worse for the Glassboys before the break when more pedestrian defending saw them go three down.

They lost the ball in midfield before Glover’s first-time through ball set Osebi Abadaki away to slot beyond Wren to leave the home side with a mountain to climb.

Glassboys boss Ian Long made two changes at half time as Mitch Botfield and Zac Foster replaced Ash Carter and Will Grocott.

Stour nearly struck within the first minute of the restart but Platt stood strong to deny Andre Landell from close range following a cross from the left flank.

Platt then saved two quick-fire efforts from Mills at his near post to maintain Town’s three-goal advantage.

Still Stour pressed for a way back in the contest but again Platt was equal to Turton’s long-range drive on 58 minutes.

The visiting stopper then reacted brilliantly to tip sub Michael Taylor’s header onto the underside of the bar as the contest reached the final 20 minutes.

Hednesford remained content to soak up the pressure in the second half and managed the final moments well to secure the win as Jordaan Brown’s 30-yard drive shaved Platt’s post in the closing stages.

Stourbridge: Wren, Green, Brown, Turton, Williams, Carter (Foster 45), Bellis, Grocott (Botfield 45), Landell (Taylor 60), Finn, Mills.

Unused subs: Price, Winwood.

Hednesford: Platt, Curley, Griffiths, Baily, Morris, Scott (Gatter 83), Hallahan, Abadaki (Reid 88), Glover (B.Wells 67), Elliott, K. Wells.

Unused subs: Ezewele, Truslove.

Att: 588.