Stevenage 4 Stourbridge 0 - match report

The Glassboys battled all the way but couldn't match their first-half performance as the League One strugglers exposed the four tier, 79-place gap between the teams.

Stourbridge, backed by a noisy contingent of 1,000 fans, matched their 2011-12 second-round conquerors all the way in a lively first half with a Luke Benbow one-on-one and shot that flew just wide after two minutes and had a sixth minute effort from Leon Broadhurst ruled out for a foul.

They also forced two full-length saves from home keeper Chris Day through Drew Canavan's shot and a header from Ryan Rowe as they played a full part in the first half.

But after missing point-blank chances through Lucas Akins twice and Francois Zoko, the latter broke the deadlock with his 10th goal of the season a minute before the break.

And second-half efforts from Akins (49) and Filipe Morais in the 60th and 88th minutes – the latter a penalty – sealed an unflattering exit for Gary Hackett's side.

Hackett made one change from the side beaten 2-0 at Burnham on Tuesday.

Andre Francis came in at right-back for the cup-tied Dan Preston which saw Will Richards move from right-back to the centre of defence.

In a frenetic start played in a real cup tie atmosphere courtesy of the noisy visiting supporters, there were chances at both ends in the first two minutes.

First Akins glanced a free header over the bar from Morais's cross with barely 90 seconds on the clock.

Seconds later, from keeper Dean Coleman's huge kick, Luke Benbow fired wide after he held off a defender and was left one on one with Day.

Hackett accused opposite number Graham Westley of not being particularly friendly the last time the clubs met and the bad feeling seemed to have spilt onto the pitch as Michael Doughty was booked for a crude lunge on Canavan after just three minutes.

Unperturbed, Stourbridge had the ball in the net in the sixth minute when Broadhurst got the final touch after a goalmouth scramble following Ben Billingham's corner but the referee ruled it out for pushing.

Doughty was to play no further part in the game after being dragged off by Westley after just 12 minutes.

The lively opening continued and centre-back Jon Ashton arrived unmarked for a Simon Heslop corner on the quarter hour mark but Nathan Bennett nodded it away.

The Glassboys went desperately close to a breakthrough in the 19th minute when Canavan's curling left-foot shot bounced up in front of Day at full stretch but the ball sailed just wide.

There were more chances at both ends as they looked for the goal to send both into half-time with the advantage.

The unmarked Zoko sent a poor free header from Morais's right-wing cross well wide from an excellent position on 28 before a header from striker Rowe – the hero of the Glassboys' FA Cup run in 2011-12 – was saved by Day at full stretch from Canavan's cross seven minutes later.

Another golden chance went begging for Stevenage three minutes before the break when Akins blazed over from point-blank range from Luke Freeman's centre.

The breakthrough finally came a minute before the break when Zoko twisted to head home from Freeman's cross after the former Arsenal youngster worked a corner short.

In the second of the two minutes of time added on, Stourbridge keeper Dean Coleman had to be alert to block Zoko's shot on the turn from point-blank range.

Stourbridge kicked off the second half but it was Stevenage who quickly gained the goal that effectively put the tie beyond the visitors.

It was a terribly scruffy one which Coleman will be disappointed with as Akins bundled home from on the line after the Glassboys keeper had allowed his overhead kick to bounce against the bar and out.

Morais arrived late to send a rising sidefooted effort over the bar in the 56th minute from Heslop's corner before Stourbridge made their first substitution, with George Washbourne on for the impressive Canavan.

But it made no difference as more questionable defending led to Stevenage's third goal on the hour.

Shots from Heslop and Akins were blocked inside the box but the visitors just couldn't clear their lines and when the loose ball arrived at Freeman's feet, he buried a low left-foot shot from eight yards out with Coleman committed.

Stourbridge visibly tired as the game wore on and their spirits were dampened.

And with Hackett's side struggling to build attacks, the ball remained in their half and Morais unleashed a tremendous angled drive which smacked against the post and away on 68.

Four minutes later, the galloping Freeman made a surging run that took him past left-back Jamie Oliver but his shot from a reducing angle flew wide.

Stourbridge's first effort of any kind of the second half arrived in the 84th minute when Ben Billingham's left-foot drive was straight at Day.

Two minutes later Freeman's angled drive was saved at the foot of the post by Coleman, but the humiliation wasn't over for the visitors as substitute Aaron Drake, who replaced Francis in the 79th minute, pushed Morais to the ground for a penalty.

The Stevenage winger duly sent Coleman the wrong way to make it 4-0 in the 88th minute.

Defeat left the Glassboys broke but nothing could crush their spirit and the loss was hard on them after going so close in the first half.