Non-league wrap-up (December 28): Defeats for Stourbridge and Halesowen

The result put the Lincolnshire side four points above the Glassboys, who also lost at Bromsgrove Sporting by the same scoreline on Boxing Day and are outside the Southern Central Premier play-offs going into the New Year.

Stamford took the lead through Jack Duffy on 13 minutes when he was given time and space to score.

Stourbridge's best chance of the first half came when Jack Fletcher's glancing header from a corner went just wide.

The second half saw Stourbridge come into the game looking for the equaliser, but there was an air of desperation about their play.

And their task was made harder on 59 minutes when the referee gave Stamford a penalty, though it was hard to see what for. Tobias Liversedge converted to make it two.

Dominic Lewis saw a long shot for Stourbridge hit the top of the bar as they tried to get a goal back to no avail.

Glassboys manager Liam McDonald admitted some of his players were low on confidence and 'playing with fear.'

McDonald said the performances at Bromsgrove and against Redditch had not been good enough and that he would be looking to bring new players in if he could.

He said: "This is a long-term project, if you look where the club is compared to recent years, we are better off at the moment.

"But supporters want results and to be entertained and the last two games on both fronts have been poor.

"We are low on confidence, some of the players are realising what a big club this is and the pressure that brings which means they are playing with fear.

"We also have a lot of players still to come back but my job as a manager is to change things and to do that we will look to freshen up with some new blood as well.

"We need goals and fast, they have been spread around the team this season, but in the last few games have dried up all together, so I need to act fast."

Meanwhile, Halesowen Town also suffered a second defeat in the space of 48 hours as they went down 3-1 at Bedford Town - though AFC Telford United's draw at Hitchin Town kept the Yeltz in second.

Bedford captain Ryan Blake put the hosts ahead with a deflected strike, but Conor Tee won and converted a penalty to bring Halesowen towards the end of the first half.

However, Musa Cessay's second yellow card gave the Yeltz a mountain to climb and Edward Panter bagged himself a brace in the closing stages to seal the result for Bedford.

Yeltz boss Russ Penn told the club website:  "We've gifted them three points today - for the first 45 we were excellent, one of the best halves we have played all season. We went in at the break level and with the momentum, but two minutes of madness and the game plan had gone. 

"We swiped the clearance for the first and second goal, when you're under stress like we were in the second half, we didn't have any clear head. We were excellent and created many chances but we end up having to lick our wounds, I've been let down, the players and the club. We haven't done much wrong at the moment, we just haven't had the results in the last two games. 

"Alex Cameron and Kieren Donnelly were brilliant in the first half and then Charlie Wragg ran his socks off when he came on, that is exactly what we need going into the second half of the season. We've had a tough four days, we went from a high to a low in less than a week but we are still in a great position, our disciplinary has been hopeless and that could let us down eventually if we continue it."