Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Stourbridge stun Cheltenham in win
Wednesday 13th July 2011, 6:00AM BST.
Stourbridge 2 Cheltenham 0
The first pre-season fixture played at the War Memorial Ground in living memory saw the Glassboys claim the scalp of League Two side Cheltenham Town.
The home team produced some fine football at times to offer much encouragement to Stourbridge fans for the season ahead.
Town were first to threaten with lively triallist Bagasan Graham producing a strong run before firing wide of the far post.
Stourbridge soon settled and,n the sixth minute, a back-heel from Aaron Griffiths released Ben Billingham down the left and his deep cross was met by the head of Josh Craddock at the far post, but goalkeeper Scott Brown got across to make a block.
Eight minutes later, Paul McCone pulled a low cross from the left back into the path of Craddock whose rising snap-shot was touched over the bar by Brown.
But, from the resulting corner, Gary Hackett’s men grabbed the lead. Billingham swung over the flag kick from the right towards the near post where Craddock managed to glance a header into the net.
The Robins could have equalised on 20 minutes when Nathan Elder shrugged off the attentions of his marker, but his tame lob was clawed away easily by Todd Henderson.
Cheltenham changed their entire line-up for the second period but it brought them no change in fortune.
The Glassboys might have doubled their advantage five minutes after the restart but Billingham screwed his shot off-target.
The home side rang the changes around the hour mark with on-trial former Tipton striker Danny Campbell entering the fray.
Aaron Drake was sent on in the 63rd minute and inside two minutes he had put Stourbridge 2-0 up.
Drake seized on a sloppy back pass and his first touch took him round goalkeeper Mike Green, before tucking the ball into an empty net.
With eight minutes left, Theo Lewis fired into the side netting when he should have pulled a goal back.
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