Eastleigh boss Stevens pleased with ‘fight’ to secure replay against Stourbridge

Posted Sunday, November 10, 2019 by PA

Eastleigh boss Ben Stevens praised his side’s fighting spirit as they twice battled from a goal down to draw 2-2 at Stourbridge and force a replay.

Stourbridge led twice through Aaron Lloyd and Will Grocott but Eastleigh hit back through Tyrone Barnett and Scott Rendell to take the game to a rematch, Rendell equalising after missing a penalty.

“The pleasing aspect is the way we fought back,” said Stevens. “I said to them at half-time that we’d given Stourbridge something to fight for when they went one ahead, so going behind again early in the second half asked the question again of if we could fightback.”

The hosts broke the deadlock on 25 minutes as Lloyd headed home from six yards out, but Barnett nodded in an equaliser ten minutes later.

The Glassboys went ahead again early in the second half when Grocott rifled beyond Maksymilian Stryjek. James Wren then saved from Rendell but the striker fired into the roof of the net five minutes from time.

Stourbridge manager Ian Long commented: “I’m immensely proud. It was superb and every one of them worked so hard today.

“We can go to Eastleigh and cause an upset if we look to pass the ball. When we passed the ball we caused them a lot of problems and we can build on that.”