STOURBRIDGE suffered a frustrating evening as they were held at home by Kettering Town.

Paul McCone almost opened the scoring in just the second minute but saw his header saved by Laurie Walker.

The visiting keeper also saved well from Stuart Hendrie and Sam Rock as the Glassboys fought in vain for a breakthrough.

But the visiting defence held firm and Jamie Griffiths fluffed a good chance to steal the points at the death.

That would have been extremely harsh on the hosts who dominated the game but must have felt like they were living Groundhog Day as they failed to score for the second home game.

Gary Hackett’s men cannot stop finding the net on their travels, having hit nine already but are suffering a bizarre reversal of fortune at the War Memorial.

Opposition teams seem to have realised to let the Glassboys play is suicide and both Barwell, who won 2-0 at Amblecote on Bank Holiday Monday and Kettering have set out to stifle the hosts.

Finding a solution to this problem will be key if Stour are to mount a serious title challenge this season.

Meanwhile, Kettering assistant boss Dean Greygoose confirmed after the game his players had once again not been paid as the club’s precarious financial position continues. In light of such news, the visiting players deserve huge credit for their committed performance.

For the first ten minutes of both halves, 0-0 seemed an unlikely outcome as the Glassboys flew out of the traps.

McCone scored twice in the win at St Albans and came close to opening the scoring inside two minutes but Walker tipped his header from a Sean Geddes corner over the bar.

The keeper had to be alert again to keep out a low drive from Chris Knight after the striker had eluded Paul Ifil, as Stour continued their bright start.

But Kettering also had their moments. When Lewis Solly failed to get a solid punch on a corner, Omar Beckles headed the return ball just over the bar.

The visitors were enjoying their fair share of pressure but the incisive play was coming from the hosts. Rock sent a drive straight at Walker, while Geddes fizzed a free-kick just over the bar and Hendrie had the keeper sprawling with a shot across the face of goal.

Tempers flared when Sam Smith felt he was fouled by Warren Byerley, only to see the decision go the other way, his missive at the linesman earning the defender a yellow card as the game petered out before the break.

The Glassboys began the second period brightly and the Kettering keeper made a number of fine saves.

Within seconds of the re-start, Sam Rock’s shot was parried away and just two minutes later Walker came to the visitors rescue once more as he palmed away another Geddes free-kick. The lively Geddes continued to threaten but was thwarted by the stopper and astute defending.

Just like in the first half, Kettering settled and began to play some good possession football without an end product. On a rare occasion they did threaten the home goal, towering centre-half Ben Gerring rose above the home defence from a corner but his tame header went straight into the arms of Solly.

Hackett threw on Aaron Griffiths and Ben Billingham with 20 minutes remaining but it was to little effect.

In a rare moment of excitement, Linden Dovey had the ball in the back of the net but his effort was ruled offside.

James Griffiths could have stolen the points for the visitors had he shown more composure and Lewis Solly was on hand to save his shot.

Drew Canavan and substitute Aaron Griffiths also fired off target for Stour as the game briefly flickered into life again in stoppage time.

GLASSBOYS: Solly, Rock (Griffiths 71), Smith, McCone (c), Geddes, Bennett, Lloyd, Broadhurst (Dovey 87), Knight, Canavan, Hendrie (Billingham 71) subs not used: Turton, Oliver.

KETTERING: Walker, Ifil, Radford, Palmer, Gerring, Beckles (c) (Gyasi 44), Lamplough, Burns, Griffiths, Byerley (Blazio-Muzvimbiri 58), Moyo subs not used: King, Peake, Gathercole.