Match Report -
Celtic Lose Away At Stourbridge
By Deborah Taylor

Stourbridge started well and Celtic couldn't get going. Two goals in each half were enough for a comfortable result for the home side.

Stourbridge scored with their opening attack, a straightforward corner that Paul McCone rose unchallenged to meet and open the scoring.

The game was effectively over when Luke Ashworth sliced a clearance and Nicu Carnet was the lucky recipient, one-on-one with George Sykes-Kenworthy, his shot giving the keeper no chance.

Celtic did try and get back into the game but couldn't break the home defence. Matty Wolfenden went close, firing through a crowd and got into a good position onto Connor Hughes's pinpoint cross, but scuffed the shot and Matt Gould scooped up. At the other end, Luke Benbow was denied by a last-ditch block from Jack Taylor, with Liam Dickinson back defending to deny Benbow. Sykes-Kenworthy pulled off a superb one-handed save to deny Brad Birch's narrow angle shot. McCone was also denied, from a free kick, whilst at the other end, Hughes had Celtic's best chance with a curling shot that Gould did well to stop. Running into the last few minutes of the half, Celtic looked on top, but Alex Honeyball's shot from twenty-five yards was wide and Connor Hughes fired wide just before the interval.

Stourbridge doubled their two lead by the hour mark. Carnat saw Sykes-Kenworthy pull off a decent save to deny him, whilst Oli Roberts finished off a good Celtic move but Gould was up to it. Tom Tonks launched a ball into the channels, Benbow chased it down, outpacing Ashworth and firing across the Celtic custodian.

Moments later and it was four, Brad Birch getting enough space at the by line to pull the ball back for Carnat to tap in far too easily.

Oli Roberts almost pulled one back with a wicked free kick though Carnet almost added a fifth but Sykes-Kenworthy pushed the shot around the post. Conor Hughes picked up a yellow for reacting angrily after Jake Evans sliced him down as he raced down the wing at full speed. However, from the free kick, Stourbridge couldn't get the ball clear, Hughes's cross in punched clear by Gould, falling to Harrison Holgate who fired it straight back in to get a consolation goal.

1Gould, Matt  
2Westlake, Darryl  
3Christophorou, Aris  
4McCone, Paul  
5Pierpoint, Stuart  
6Tonks, Tom  
7Birch, Brad  > 62
8Broadhurst, Leon  
9Benbow, Luke  > 80
10Gallagher, Chris  > 75
11Carnat, NicuYellow Card 
12Shearer, Luke  < 75
14Cooke, Josh  < 80
15Hague, Brandon  
16Evans, JakeYellow Card < 62
17Hawk, Peter