Southern League Premier Division Play-off Semi-final

Stourbridge 1, Gosport Borough 2

STOURBRIDGE suffered the heartbreak of play-off defeat when beaten by Gosport Borough in a game of two halves.

The Glassboys bossed the first half and deservedly led 1-0 at the break through a Nathan Bennett goal.

But Gosport stepped up their game after break and bagged two well taken goals that eventually proved the difference.

Dismayed Glassboys boss Gary Hackett admitted: "I thought we were the better side in the first half, but I said to the players at half time that we needed to up our game.

"I find it hard to criticise the players after what they've achieved this season and it all feels very raw at the moment, because we're all hurting.

"We had a magnificent crowd and it was a shame we couldn't reward them. It's a bitter, bitter disappointment".

Hackett had watched his Stourbridge side make all the early running and it could have been a different story had Gosport goalkeeper Nathan Ashmore not pulled off a pulsating save in the 23rd minute to keep out a goalbound drive from Stourbridge striker Ben Mackey.

By that stage, Mackey had already blazed a good chance wide, while Jamie Oliver saw a powerful shot blocked in a massed Gosport goalmouth.

Pacey Luke Benbow then got behind Gosport's defenced when chasing a Paul McCone free kick, but Ashmore managed to deflect his shot wide for a corner.

Stourbridge made the breakthrough on 28 minutes in route one fashion.

Goalkeeper Dean Coleman picked out Nathan Bennett with a precisely struck free kick as the giant defender somehow ghosted in behind the Gosport defence to hammer home.

Stourbridge maintained the advantage until half time, but the second half was a different story.

Gosport grabbed their chance to level on 57 minutes when McCone misjudged a bouncing ball, which let in striker Rory Williams, who made no mistake, slotting home past the advancing Coleman.

Four minutes later, Stourbridge found themselves behind when a ball from Paul Lloyd struck Jamie Brown in the face and rebounded back perfectly into the path of Danny Wooden who walloped home a wonderful swerving shot that left the unlucky Coleman for dead.

Stourbridge were always chasing the game from that point and laid seige to Gosport's goal in the closing stages.

They almost clawed themselves back level in the last minute of stoppage time when Leon Broadhurst despatched a goalbound header, but Ashmore pulled out all the stops to fingertip round the post.

A downbeat Hackett added: "We got caught out by a sluggish start to the second half, and as you know, goals change games.

 "This football club's made massive strides both on and off the pitch and we have to take stock of what has happened. Now's not the time to dwell on things.

"We should feel mighty proud of what we've achieved this season and this way always going to be something of a shoot-out.

I feel not only the player's and the club's disappointment at the moment - but the whole town's!

  Stourbridge:  Coleman; Benbow, Oliver, McCone, Geddes, Bennett, Lloyd (Canavan 81), Broadhurst, Mackey (Knight 76), Billingham, Fitzpatrick. Subs not used: Dyson, Francis, Turner (GK).

  Referee: Mark Russell (Portishead, Bristol)   Attendance 993   Star man: Paul  McCone.