Delight for the Glassgirls as Stourbridge secure a third consecutive promotion with victory against Northampton Town.
The league leaders required just one point going into Sunday’s affair to secure the title, a resilient performance at the War Memorial Athletic Ground seeing the Glassgirls over the line with a 16th league win of the campaign.
The visitors, however, looked to test the waters first, Fay Noble’s corner causing all sorts of issues inside the Stour box. Alex Dicks and Vicky Barrett both saw efforts blocked from close range before the hosts could clear their lines, an early wake-up call as Town looked to spoil a potential promotion party.
The league’s top scorers wasted little time in conjuring up a response down the other end, Alex Nicklin forcing a strong stop from Jo Daniel but could only push the ball into the path of Lexie Harrison who fired over from close range.
Nicklin looked to cause issues once again with a dangerous set-piece, Lois Jefferies finding a yard of space inside the box but could only divert her header straight at the keeper.
Northampton’s Jade Bell went close to opening for the visitors with her effort somehow staying out, hitting the bar and post in quick succession after a driving run down the left side.
In a game lacking a wealth of opportunities, a moment of fortune fell graciously to the feet of Stourbridge's Millie Rogers inside the final ten minutes of the half. The no.10's strike from distance took a large deflection off a Northampton shirt, wrong-footing the keeper and hitting both posts before rolling over the line to kickstart the celebrations and put one through the door towards the third tier.
The Cobblers were not going to go down without a fight, however, kickstarting a rather quiet start to the second half with Bell’s first-time effort just inside the area whistling over the bar onto the roof of the net.
The Glassgirls continued to threaten through set-pieces, Alex Nicklin once again on hand to cause panic inside the Northampton danger area. After being handed a warning by Lois Jefferies in the first half, the Stour no.8 punished the second time round. A pinpoint free-kick from the far side found the awaiting Jefferies at the back post, heading home into the empty net to send the home dugout into raptures with her side 25 minutes away from promotion.
A resilient conclusion to the encounter saw Stourbridge go close to a third through substitutes Amber Lawrence and Hannah Fishwick while Amie Preston and co. defended the points on the way to a 15th clean sheet of the campaign to secure the National League Division One Midlands title.
Stourbridge Women complete the season with league visits to Peterborough United and Leafield Athletic before the big trip to Molineux to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Birmingham FA Women’s County Cup final.
Line-Ups:
Stourbridge Women: Preston, Bate, Hadley, Levick, Heaselgrave, McGovern, Moran © (Fishwick, 73), Nicklin (Lawrence, 70), Harrison (Glover, 80), Rogers (Deasy, 76), Jefferies (Morley, 85).
(Subs: Glover, Morley, Lawrence, Fishwick, Deasy).
Northampton Women: Daniel, Barrett, Noble, Wait (Luttman, 85), Omenazu (Brewin, 54), Bell, Farrow (Reboul, 85), Artemiou (Doig, 90), Dicks (Richards, 80), Mumford, Boote ©.
(Subs: Luttman, Brewin, Reboul, Doig, Richards).
Attendance: 333
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