Halesowen 1, Stourbridge 0

AHMED Ali hit the only goal of the game as Halesowen secured a valuable derby success over rivals Stourbridge.

The Yeltz gave their survival hopes a massive boost ten-man Stour thanks to the midfielder's first half strike.

A second half sending off for Stuart Pierpoint gave the Glassboys too much to do.

After a typically scrappy start at the Grove it was Stour that worked the first clear chance when Dan Platt saved with his feet to deny Luke Benbow after 12 minutes.

The forward drove powerfully at the near post after Aaron Forde's free-kick into the box wasn't cleared.

Halesowen continued to drop deep and close down the space as the Glassboys played in front of them.

The hosts did work a chance of their own from a set-piece but Lee Hughes could only head Jordan Goddard's corner wide after rising at the far post.

It was Stour that enjoyed more of the ball with the Yeltz looking to contain.

Benbow was then denied by the post after 23 minutes after he worked the space with neat footwork on the edge of the area.

Town's main threat looked to come from set-pieces and it was another Goddard ball in that cause the visitors problems on the half hour mark.

This time Ivor Lawton's powerful header was well tipped over the bar by Matt Gould.

It was the Yeltz that broke the deadlock seven minutes later through Ali.

McCone lost the ball in midfield before Goddard's pass released Hughes in behind the Stour defence. His left footed effort was pushed away by Gould but Ali was on hand to follow up and roll home the opener.

Hales defended their lead until the break with Stour suddenly looking short of ideas as the hosts continued to pack the midfield.

The second half continued in the same vain as the Yeltz dropped deep to hold their advantage.

The Glassboys were faced with a blue wall every time they entered the final third.

Chances were few and far between with both side struggling to work any efforts of note.

It got worse for Stour on 66 minutes when Pierpoint was handed a harsh red card after bundling over Lawton as he burst towards goal.

It was Pierpoint that initially gave the ball away before fouling Lawton before the midfielder could get into the box or play the pass to a free Hughes in support.

Jack Kelly's resulting free-kick hit the wall as the clash remained on a knife edge.

Both sides saw efforts graze the bar as the clash opened up approaching the final 15 minutes.

Glassboys' sub Josh Cooke drilled an effort wide from range on 73 minutes before Hughes blazed over in reply moments later.

The Yeltz looked comfortable against the ten men and nearly wrapped up the win on 82 minutes when Lawton deflected a Hughes effort into the arms of a grateful Gould.

The Glassboys continued to push on looking for a late leveller as Benbow was again crowded out.

Hughes nearly sealed the success in the final minute with another lung-bursting run that had to be cleared off the line by McCone via the underside of the bar.

In the end, the Yeltz did enough to secure the points as they moved nine points clear of basement boys Sutton.

The defeat for Stour puts a final nail in the coffin of any outside hopes they had of a play-off place.

Halesowen: Platt, Lewis (Oyenuga 63), Kelly, Poscha, Morrison, Charlton, Lawton (Knight 89), Bragoli (c), Hughes, Ali, Goddard (Agbor 75).

Unused subs: Byrnes, Parsons.

Stourbridge: Gould, Hayden, Westlake, McCone (c), Pierpoint, Forde (Cooke 59), Gallagher (Shearer 75), Broadhurst, Benbow, Birch (Tonks 83), Carnat.

Unused subs: Christophorou, Hawk.

Att: 1,753.