Stourbridge 1-1 Bromsgrove Sporting - Report

While the Glassboys continued to test Sporting’s Oliver Taylor as they searched for a winner, manager Stuart Pierpoint said his side were nowhere near their best.

“Performance wise was nowhere near today - we were really poor first half,” he said.

“Second half we were marginally better, but we didn’t have the same levels of what we have had previously.

“In the end we could have nicked it but it probably would have been unjust.”

On five minutes, Niall Flint blazed over from just inside the box for what was the host’s best chance of the half.

At the other end Prince Henry wasted a glorious chance on 23 minutes, skewing the ball into the side netting after he had been given time to turn inside the six yard box.

Then on the stroke of half time Pais’ low drive from the edge of the box deflected off Jessy Bavanganga, wrong footing Charles Price in the Stourbridge goal.

On 51 minutes Reece King’s header from an Alexander Prosser free kick was cleared off the line by Luke Rowe as Stourbridge looked for an equaliser.

Then 10 minutes later Benbow went down in the box under pressure from Michael McGrath, before slotting home from 12 yards.

Following a host of half chances, the hosts were ultimately indebted to Bavanganga who slid in to prevent Henry from slotting home deep into injury time.

“We said to the lads ‘if you can’t win it, don’t lose it’,” Pierpoint added.

“That’s what we have done today. We will take a point from a really poor performance.

“It certainly wasn’t one for the purists today, but we haven’t got beaten today and that character is what’s important.”