Stourbridge 1 St Ives Town 1 - Report and pictures

Stourbridge should have taken the lead straight from the kick-off.

St Ives played the ball back for goalkeeper Martin Conway whose attempted clearance kick was charged down by Glassboys striker Kaiman Anderson.

The ball looped into the air and provided Anderson with a free header at goal but somehow he put the ball wide.

But Stourbridge didn't have to wait long to take the lead. Dangerman Greg Mills whipped in a wicked fourth minute cross and referee Paul Stonier judged that Brad Birch was shoved in the back as he tried to connect at the far post.

Mills duly stepped up to convert the resulting penalty and maintain his position as the league's leading marksman.

Stourbridge proved unable to press home the advantage at this point and St Ives grew into the game, Oliver Snaith and then Ben Seymour-Shove forcing top class saves from Glassboys goalkeeper James Wren.

Stourbridge couldn't quite kill the game off with a second goal, although they came desperately close after half time as both George Forsyth and then Anderson struck the post but on both occasions the ball rebounded back out into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Conway.

St Ives forced the pace in the closing stages and were rewarded with an 87th minute equaliser when unlucky Glassboys central defender Zac Lilly marked his debut by turning a teasing cross from substitute Ben Baker into his own net.

It could have been worse as St Ives central defender Owen Wallis beat Wren with a stoppage time curling cross but the ball finished up on the roof of the net.