STRATFORD Town saw their four-game unbeaten run come to an end following a narrow 1-0 defeat at Halesowen Town.
The game’s only goal came shortly after half time as Milan Butterfield’s header settled the contest at the Grove.
Stratford missed the chance to avenge their FA Cup defeat against the same opponents earlier this month.
And the result means the Bards sit 18th in the Southern League Premier Central table, one point above the relegation zone.
The game started at a frantic pace as Reece Mitchell fired narrowly wide for the home side inside the first two minutes.
The visitors responded with a chance of their own at the other end as Lewis Ludford-Ison’s header crashed against the crossbar from Fin Brennan’s corner.
Chances continued to come Stratford’s way in the opening quarter-hour as both Dan Lafferty and Owen James failed to trouble the Halesowen goalkeeper.
However, the home side wrestled back control of the game midway through the first half with the Bards camped inside their own half.
And the hosts almost broke the deadlock shortly before half time as Jason Cowley stretched to meet McKauley Manning’s cross but could only send the ball wide of the target.
Halesowen made their pressure count six minutes after the interval when Butterfield headed in a corner from the left from point-blank range.
And the Bards struggled to carve out another clear-cut chance in the remaining minutes as substitute Jourdain Masidi smashed over from distance.
Stratford are next in action against Sporting Club Inkberrow in the FA Trophy on Saturday, October 4 with kick-off at 3pm at Sands Road.
