With the next round of the F A Trophy due to take place on Saturday November 9th and Barwell still being involved in that competition after their sensational 7-2 win at Bromsgrove on Tuesday evening Town’s League match against them scheduled for that date has been postponed.

Instead Town will have a home match against Coalville Town with that fixture being brought forward from Saturday February 8th.

Coalville themselves are also still in the F A Trophy but their Second Qualifying Round tie against Nantwich Town has been put back to Tuesday November 12th as Nantwich have a home F A Cup First Round tie against AFC Fylde on the 9th.

                                                    Match Stats by Rod Abrahams

Stratford Yellow Cards          –     Richards & Shariff                                                                                  Hednesford Yellow Cards     –    Hallaghan, Hurst & Morris

“I thought that we started the game well” reflected Paul Davis afterwards.  “I had given our lads instructions on how Hednesford would be.   I regard them as a big Northern team that go big early are relentless  and make you defend for ninety minutes.

They was exactly the case when I watched them although they changed their shape slightly tonight playing with a diamond in midfield and just had runners from everywhere..  That suited us as it was all down the middle of the pitch and I felt that we could deal with it.

So our players executed everything I asked them to do really well and we went ahead with Ravi’s wonder goal and then I thought that we dealt with them until their equaliser.  Dan Vann was convinced that he was fouled as the corner came across but nothing was given.

Nevertheless at half time we felt reasonably content.  We were still very much in the game but for the first fifteen  minutes after the break we  were as bad as we’ve been since I ‘ve been in charge.

We couldn’t get to grips with them and then the keeper who had done well all night made a mistake and they score what turned out to be the winner.

And that’s what happens. When you make mistakes against good teams they will score.

In my first game as caretaker against Lowestoft I said let’s be expansive and let’s be creative.  we  created 19 chances in that game yet lost 3-0.

Since then I’ve wanted us to be bit more solid and that’s been to the detriment of us going forward so we’ve now got to find the right balance where we can cause team problems while at the same time the defenders and the holding midfield players get the protection they need.

That takes time but I’m convinced we’re going in the right direction.   We’ve got to start our season somewhere and there’s no reason why it can’t be at Peterborough on Saturday.

Kyle Ambris will be back for that one as his suspension was only for one game while I was pleased with Kai Woollard-Innocent as I felt that we needed strengthening at left back.

So I believe we’ve got a good enough squad.  Other clubs are looking at our players and in the last few weeks seven day approaches have come in for Kairo Edwards-John, Ross Oulton and Nabil Shariff but they’ve all decided to stay with us.

They are all putting in the effort and I just want them to win a game of football.  Hopefully that will be this weekend.”

Town exited their last Cup competition of the season as Hednesford progressed into the next round of the Buildbase F A Trophy.

A full report is now available under the First Team Match Reports Section.

Sunday 3rd November see’s the return of the ever popular bingo session under the stewardship of Stratford Town Independent Supporters Association. Eye’s down 8pm in  the function room at Stratford Town Football Club – all welcome.

The winner drawn on the 25th October was number 15 Violet Mumford. Congratulations and thank you for supporting Stratford Town football club.

If Town can overcome Hednesford in their delayed Buildbase  F A Trophy First Qualifying Round tie tomorrow evening  they will be away to Sutton Coldfield Town in the next round for which the draw was made earlier today.

That round is scheduled to take place on Saturday November 9th with the winners receiving prize money of £3000 and the losers £1000.

After the overnight monsoon it is no surprise that this afternoons’ F A Trophy tie against Hednesford has had to be called off as the Arden Garages Stadium pitch is waterlogged.

The match has been rescheduled for Tuesday October 29th with a 7.45pm kick off.

With heavy rain forecast to continue prior to tomorrow’s FA Trophy match with Hednesford, the arrival of the Supporters association funded pitch splitter couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for club director and groundsman Mark Bickley.

Purchased for £900 the splitter will help maintain the excellent playing surface we’ve seen at the Arden Garages stadium this season and will hopefully ensure that not many fixtures are lost to the weather.

Mark takes the splitter for its first spin.

Continuing on from projects such as the tannoy system and the mower, this is just another example of how the money raised by the supporters association on match days and through memberships can contribute to the club.  Thank you to all of you who contribute so generously to our 50/50 and meat raffle draws on match days. We couldn’t do any of this without your help and support.

The club are looking for help tomorrow morning with pitch preparation. If you could pop along to the stadium to offer your assistance tomorrow it would be greatly appreciated.

Join the supporters association today to help us assist your club with many more exciting projects. https://stratfordtownisa.com/first-team/home/join-stisa/