7.45pm 22 July 2025
Pre-season friendly
Stourbridge 0 Shifnal Town 2 (att 228)
From Manchester to the West Midlands is further than I'd ordinarily travel for a pre-season friendly, but Stourbridge are warming up for their Southern League season by hosting games at an unusual venue.
With vital safety work going on at their own ground, which I visited way back in 1989, they've borrowed Stoughton Park, home of the town's rugby union club.
It's a good venue, with a large seated stand on the far side and, on the near side, a two-tier clubhouse with a first floor covered viewing area. There are rows of uncovered seats in front of the clubhouse, and grass banking at both ends.
The playing surface is artificial, making it easier to host football as well as rugby I guess. The only downside is the football pitch markings were hard to make out, but it's hardly surprising that rugby markings should be most prominent.
It's hard to read much into pre-season games. Shifnal play one level lower, in the Norther Premier League's second tier West Division, but they were deserved winners thanks to goals early in each half.
With about an hour gone Stourbridge made eight substitutions in one go, something I don't think I've ever seen previously, even in a friendly, other than at half time
Shifnal also made plenty of changes in what I'm sure was a useful workout for both teams. It was also a useful way of ticking a interesting ground rarely used for association football.
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