BASHLEY 4, STOURBRIDGE 1.

Stourbridge were unable to make it three wins in a row as they eventually fell to a 4 - 1 loss at Bashley.

In an entertaining contest, the home side proved to be the sharper outfit in front of goal to take the spoils.

Playing up the slope in the first-half, the Glassboys made a bright start and on 10 minutes Gavin Winsper stabbed the ball wide from close range after a free-kick from Craig Slater had twice been headed on.

The hosts created their first real opening of the game in the 17th minute when Richard Gillespie rolled a square pass across the edge of the area and Finlay saw his strike tipped away by Lewis Solly diving down low to his right.

Ten minutes later Solly bravely plunged at the feet of Jeremy Tarr after he had latched onto a ball in from Gillespie.

Bashley grabbed the lead after 28 minutes, however with Jordan Rose playing the ball through to Gillespie, who rounded Solly before rolling the ball into the empty net. The Glassboys looked for a quick replay and defender Matt Parnell blocked a shot from Leon Broadhurst, while Keith Rostill met a Sam Rock cross with a shot on the turn but keeper Dave Elm did well to cling onto his snap shot.

The New Forest hosts threatened again on 35 minutes though as Knowles chested the ball down and unleashed a speculative dipping volley from around forty yards out which Solly did well to tip over the bar.

Just two minutes later though Bashley did double their lead. Knowles played a clever ball through to Gillespie on the left wing and his low centre was fired home at the far post by Jeremy Tarr.

Stourbridge then had a couple of opportunities to reduce the deficit before the interval. In the 40th minute a long throw-in from Slater on the right fell to Leon Broadhurst at the back of the box. He lifted the ball goalwards, but Calum Martin planted his close range header over the bar, then soon afterwards Martin swung in a cross from the right that Ryan Mahon also headed over the top.The Glassboys lost skipper Slater to injury on the stroke of half time, while Winsper also had to be replaced at half-time.

However after starting the second period well, Stourbridge were right back in the game on 49 minutes when a diagonal free kick from sub James Dyson ran through to the unmarked Ross Collinns at the far post who lashed the ball home. For a time, the game was finely poised with Stourbridge going in search of an equaliser.

Bashley were indebted to a clearance from defender Pete Castle who covered well after Martin had charged down a clearance from Elm, while at the other end, a free kick from Chris Ferrett was clipped narrowly wide by Gillespie.

Two goals in three minutes however settled this contest in the home side's favour. With 69 minutes gone Bashley scored the crucial third goal to restore their two-goal cushion. A deep cross from the right by James Rowe was volleyed back across goal by Charlie Knight for Gillespie to head over the line and just two minutes later Bashley grabbed a fourth goal. A ball in from Ferrett looped up off Mark Benbow and into the path of Nic Eastam who flicked the ball over Solly to put the result beyond doubt. The buoyant hosts might have made it five before the finish. Six minutes from time Matt Parnell held his man off but was denied by Solly who blocked with his legs and just before the final whistle Ferrett crossed from the left for Eastham to swivel and hit a volley that Solly saved above his head at the second attempt.