Stevenage 4 Stourbridge 0 - Match analysis

In the end, the extra organisation and fitness of Stevenage, 79 places and four tiers above them in the football ladder, told.

But the Glassboys know they could have pushed the League One side a lot closer if only they had taken their chances in a first half they shaded as we witnessed a similar outcome, if not scoreline, as when they met at the same second-round stage of the competition two years ago.

Stourbridge, backed by a noisy contingent of 809 fans, missed a one-on-one, had an effort disallowed and forced the only save of the opening period against a defence which for 45 minutes showed all the nerves and shakiness of a team that had lost three of their previous four games and conceded nine goals in the process.

Although they ultimately won at a canter, Stevenage's progress to the third round was largely down to the poor defending by Gary Hackett's side, and that the first two goals came at key times.

We were left to reflect on two more things that shaped the day: The superb backing from the Stourbridge fans and the reaction of Stevenage manager Graham Westley.

The many hundreds of supporters – more than double Stourbridge's normal home gate and over a third of Saturday's attendance – filled the South Stand behind the goal and made it an old-fashioned cup-tie atmosphere from start to finish with their non-stop chanting.

What a pity Westley chose to switch the spotlight to himself after accusing Hackett of making "personal and club attacks" on Stevenage afterwards.

What Hackett did was merely highlight the rather cold and graceless way Westley goes about his business; despite the briefest of post-match handshakes, there hasn't been a word exchanged between the managerial camps over the two ties.

You might have expected a 'bad luck, well done and all the best in the league' over a glass of red in the confines of the manager's office as is the custom up and down the leagues.

But no, Hackett and his backroom staff retired to the supporters' bar to mingle with Glassboys fans instead.

When they were told of Westley's comments, they tried to extract an explanation only to be told by his assistant Dino Maamria he didn't want to see them.

It was just a shame Hackett's gallant battlers didn't do their talking on the pitch.

Luke Benbow had a golden chance to do that in the second minute, but he fired wide from a one-on-one with keeper Chris Day on the angle.

That came after Lucas Akins glanced wide in a frenetic opening spell that saw Stevenage midfielder Michael Doughty booked for an ugly lunge on Drew Canavan that saw him substituted in the 12th minute as Westley admitted he was concerned about the prospect of being reduced to 10 men.

By then, Stourbridge had the ball in the net when Leon Broadhurst scrambled home in the sixth minute following Ben Billingham's corner, only for the strike to be begated by an infringement.

Then came Canavan's chance, a left-foot shot from 25 yards after 19 minutes that bounced just wide with Day at full stretch.

Canavan then set up striker Ryan Rowe, the hero of Stourbridge's last FA Cup run two years ago, to force a diving save from Day with a header 10 minutes before half-time.

But Stevenage were always able to create chances, and, after Francois Zoko sent a free header wide and Akins blazed over from point-blank range, Zoko got the breakthrough a minute before the break when he headed home Luke Freeman's cross.

The game was anyone's at that stage but that all changed within four minutes of the restart when Akins got the killer goal that allowed the hosts to dictate the pace for the last half-hour.

Sadly, it will go down as an error from Stourbridge keeper Dean Coleman, who swung on the bar thinking Akins's looping effort had gone over only for it to hit the woodwork and allow him to bundle home the rebound.

Freeman buried a low close-range shot to make it 3-0 on the hour after more poor defending and Filipe Morais added a flattering fourth two minutes from time from the spot, sending Coleman the wrong way after he had been pushed over by captain Sean Geddes. It could have been so different.

Stourbridge must dust themselves down and focus on their Calor League promotion push knowing they have been handed a lesson about taking their chances.

It's one they need to heed if they are to make it third time lucky in the Cup.

Stevenage (4-4-2): Day; Smith, Jones, Ashton, Hartley; Morais, Doughty (Parret 12), Heslop (Andrade 79), Freeman; Zoko, Akins (Wedgbury 72). Subs not used: Chorley, Burrow, Deacon, Arnold (gk).

Stourbridge (4-4-2): Coleman 6/10; Francis 6 (Drake 79 5), Bennett 6, Richards 6, Oliver (Knight 73) 6; Billingham 6, Geddes 6, Broadhurst 6, Canavan 7 (Washbourne 56 6); Rowe 6, Benbow 6. Subs not used: Fitzpatrick, Agbor, Brown, Slater (gk).

Man in the middle – Tim Robinson (West Sussex).

Attendance: 2,160 (809 Stourbridge fans).