Plenty of positives

Whilst the visitors were deserved winners and showed why - with their strong side that plays excellent pass and move football - they sit top of the Midlands Central Division, City can take plenty of positives too.

Indeed irrespective of the result, this battling performance by the hosts was a moral victory in some ways after conceding double figures in their two previous home fixtures against the division's top sides.

With three players out injured and two more dropping out overnight, City were already down to the bare bones before Saeed Khattak, their goalscorer in the two previous games, limped off with a back injury just minutes after kick-off.

Despite this blow, the opening exchanges were fairly even as both sides tried to impose themselves. After holding their own though, City were undone by a quick Stourbridge counter after losing the ball in an offensive position and a crossfield ball from left to right was perfect for their striker to run onto and strike well into the net to give his side a 1-0 lead at the first break.

The second and third goals were even more disappointing for City to concede - the second resulting from poor marking at the back post as The Glassboys had several men over to capitalise and the third from a corner that went back to the corner-taker to fire back into the box for a team-mate to head home.

Nothing City could do about the fourth, which was the goal of the game and an absolute peach. Fantastic chest control from a left wing cross by Stourbridge player, who then teed up a colleague to strike beautifully into the top corner from distance.

As the home side tired in the final quarter, Stourbridge continued to be clinical in front of goal when chances were presented to them and scored twice more.

Still work in progress for City but improvements are slowly taking shape, so well done to all of those involved for their hard-working endeavours from first whistle to last - particularly the gold, silver and bronze award winners Ben Taylor, Matt Athey and Noah Read who really were deserving of their accolades.