Hitchin Town 1 Stourbridge 2 - Report
Stourbridge made a winning start to life under new boss Ian Long with 2-1 success at Hitchin Town.
But despite building a 2-0 lead, the Glassboys were left hanging on at the end as Hitchin came close to staging a recovery.
The Glassboys grabbed a seventh minute lead when Hereford loanee Kyle Finn fired for goal but Hitchin shotstopper Josh Mollison managed to turn the ball round the post.
But from the following Tom Turton corner, Jordaan Brown netted with a thumping header.
At the opposite end Stourbridge goalkeeper James Wren pulled off a wonderful fingertip save to deny Hitchin striker Harry Draper on 26 minutes.
Stourbridge snatched a decisive second goal on 51 minutes when Greg Mills threaded an inch perfect ball for Finn to race clear and slot home.
Hitchin pulled a goal back on 77 minutes when Wren could only parry Jay Bird's shot and Draper was perfectly placed to slot home from close range.
It was Wren who saved the day for Stourbridge with two spectacular saves to keep out Draper on 79 minutes and then Alex Anderson four minutes later.
Three minutes into stoppage time, Hitchin thought they had equalised when Draper headed home from a high ball into the box, but much to Stourbridge's relief, the goal was ruled out for off-side
