Canaries see red twice to scupper hopes of a victory

TWO red cards in the last 15 minutes of this match had Barwell finishing the proceedings with nine men, just as they were looking the more likely to take control and finish the stronger, writes Murray Dworkin.

However it was Stourbridge who took the points with Kayelden Brown and Luke Benbow on the scoresheet. A late penalty from Brady Hickey was the best the visitors had to offer before going down to nine men in the closing stages.

The first half belonged to Stourbridge. An effort from Chris Lait went narrowly past the post and a long ball from the back almost saw Joel Bell in with a chance before a defensive header from Dan Scarr put paid to the attack.

Bell was again in the action soon after, narrowly missing the goal and Stourbridge responded through Brown who drew an excellent save from Max Smith-Varnam.

Lait’s shot forced another good save from Smith-Varnam before a cross from the right from Matt Dodd had Brown stretching on the goalline to stab in from two yards to give the Glassboys the lead.

On the half hour Dodd ran through into the Barwell box but Joe Ballinger’s tackle was adjudged clean.

The Canaries were not giving up and Bell’s effort just before the break was easy for Matt Gould in the home goal.

Barwell started the second period in a much better vein. A Chris Spencer shot was deflected over the Stourbridge bar before Owen Story ran into the home penalty area only to be upended by Lewis Probert. However, the referee Mr Wilding did not feel a penalty necessary.

The Glassboys were again on the attack when a Lait run into the box was thwarted by a diving Smith-Varnam with the rebound put wide by Dodd.

Brady Hickey was taking a number of excellent free kicks, the first of which was blocked by Gould but the follow up was again well saved.

Although the second half was much more even, Barwell’s defensive mettle was tested when a Scarr header from a corner was headed off the line by Story.

Barwell had a great chance to equalise when an Eddy Nisevic cross fell invitingly to Tyrell Shannon-Lewis who blazed his volley wildly over the bar.

With less than 15 minutes on the clock remaining, the game took a more unsavoury turn. First Nisevic was given a second yellow card for a foul on Dodd and consequently his marching orders.

Then after capitalising on the one man advantage, Stourbridge doubled their lead through Benbow who turned in a Brown cross from the left, beating the defence to the ball on the six yard line.

Then, after a Hickey free kick had brought out an excellent save from Gould, substitute Amar Sandhu was brought down in the box by Lait and Hickey made no mistake to pull one back for the visitors.

Barwell secured a hard earned point against a well organised Spennymoor Town side that dominated for much of the match on Saturday.

A 76th minute equaliser from Niall Rowe hit back at, who had led in the first half through Mark Anderson.

Although Spennymoor had been good value for their lead, Barwell were left rueing a spurned chance to snatch victory in the last few minutes.