Zamaretto Southern Premier.

Stourbridge 2, Cirencester Town 1.

TWO momentary lapses in marking by Cirencester at the end of a scrappy first half were clinically punished by Stourbridge to earn all three points. Ciren could have been ahead as early as the fourth minute. A move up the right ended with Justyn McKay crossing for Jody Bevan, who forced Lewis Sully to parry his effort. The ball rebounded to Zak Westlake beyond the far post but he could only nod the ball back into the arms of the relieved 'keeper.

On ten minutes, McKay sent a pass beyond the Stourbridge defence. It seemed as if Mark Draycott would go clear but he hesitated and Solly just managed to scoop the ball away from him to safety.

As the game deteriorated into a series of misplaced passes from both sides, neither helped by a very poor pitch, Stourbridge came more into the game but failed to threaten a steady Matt Bulman.

On 32 minutes, Hoskin tempted McCone into a challenge and went past him. The defender hacked him down and had no argument when the referee pointed to the spot. The bulky Solly guessed correctly to get a hand to Draycott’s spot kick and Sean Wood, backing up, walloped the rebound over the bar.

Within two minutes, the Glassboys were ahead. A deflected ball landed fortuitously at the feet of the unmarked Leon Broadhurst on the angle of the penalty area and his left foot dig sent the ball scorching just inside the post.

It looked as if Ciren would turn round just one goal down, until another loose ball dropped kindly for Stourbridge inside the Ciren box and Drew Canavan dispatched a first-time shot.

In a dreadful first half, Stourbridge had put both their half-chances away with clinical accuracy.

Ciren again opened the second half playing the better football. After another foul on the lively Hoskin, James Mortimer-Jones swung over a clever free kick. Lyndon Tomkins nodded the ball back across the danger area, and Matt Sysum was on hand to swivel and send the ball into the top corner from eight yards.

If the first half had been dire, the second half was even worse, with Ciren increasingly disrupted by vigorous challenges. Meanwhile, Stourbridge could not find a pass to beat the imperious Sysum in the air, nor get one beyond the indefatigable Tomkins.

Bizarre interventions by an increasing flustered referee became the order of the day and after a dubious free kick given against Tomkins 25 yards out, Bulman made a superb tip around the post from Ben Billingham’s strike.

On 85 minutes, Billingham wafted his penalty chance over the bar, an awful effort, aptly reflecting what had been an error-strewn, untidy match.

Cirencester: Bulman, Westlake, Etheridge, Sysum, McKay (Dunton, 74), Tomkins (capt), Wood, Mortimer-Jones, Bevan, Hoskin (Brown, 74), Draycott. Unused sub: Dunn. MoM: Matt Sysum.