Match Stats by Rod Abrahams

Stratford		St Ives
16	Goal Attempts	9
8	On Target	5
0	Blocked Shots	0
1	Hit Woodwork	1
3	Corners Won	7
6	Crosses into Box	4
9	Fouls Conceded	12
1	Off Side	2
2	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0

 Stratford Yellow Cards      –    Nabay & Shams                                                                                                   St Ives Yellow Cards           –    Wilson

 

“I give the players praise when they do well both collectively and individually” reflected Paul Davis afterwards ” but today was just too much of a mixed bag to summarise in one word or sentence.

In recent games Kyle Rowley has been the best defender on the field but this afternoon for the first goal he was a million miles away, and when you give teams like St Ives who are fighting for their lives something to hang to they battle hard to hang on to it.

After that first goal I felt that we dominated them for the resto of the first half but we couldn’t manage a shot on target while the usually prolific Chris Wreh missed our best chance from close in.

I made a mistake in not starting with Kyle McFarlane but Matt Campbell-Mhlope had been phenomenal  in training on Thursday and I felt we need some pace out wide from  a natural winger.

That didn’t work out so I put Kyle on in time to get us the two goals back and he is simply a natural goal scorer.  In training when we do shooting drills he never misses and the trick is to get him into positions  where he can score.  Had he been on in the first half I’m sure he would have put at least one of our chances away.

But in the last half an hour I felt we were well on top and  Ravi Shamsi was absolutely outstanding.  He grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck to get us back into it and his display in that last half hour shows exactly why people are talking about him.

We won’t have a better opportunity to pick up three pints away from home so overall i’m disappointed to only come away with one considering the chances we created.  The stats show that we had 16 goal attempts with 8 on target and it was similar at Royston and in two away games we’ve scored four goals but only come away with a single point.

At 2-0 down today I would certainly have settled for the point we eventually got, but the real reason we are leaving here without all three is because what we did in both boxes”,

Kyle McFarlane came off the subs bench to rescue a point for Town after the Saints had gone two up early in the second half.

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

Town advanced into the fourth round of the MFYL League Cup with a thoroughly gutsy and disciplined performance in a game that was unfortunately marred by a serious injury to Town’s Joe Waterfield after only fifteen minutes.

The tie was postponed last week as Sphinx’s pitch was waterlogged and as it was still unfit the tie was switched to Rugby Borough’s Kilsby Lane ground.

With Sphinx flying high in the Northern Premier Division it was always going to be a testing evening for Town who went into the game missing several regulars  through injury or illness which meant a debut at centre half for 16 year old Jacob Williams..

Town though were sharp right from the kick off with Jack Ballinger not far away with a dipping volley followed by Rob Singer firing wide after being played in by a perfectly weighted through ball from Ballinger.

Town were already taking control with Waterfield and Harry Miles bossing midfield and the back four well marshalled by Sammy Mould making sure the keeper Callum Monaghan was untroubled, but with only a quarter of an hour gone a Sphinx defender launched into a rash challenger on Waterfield and was promptly sent off.

After a lengthy stoppage during which he received excellent attention from the Rugby Borough club doctor Waterfield was taken to hospital by ambulance, but fortunately the news this morning is encouraging as it has been confirmed that there is no break.

When play restarted Town continued to dominate and went ahead when the lively Ballinger’s mazy run was halted as he was brought down in the penalty area and Rob Sone blasted in the spot kick with the minimum of fuss.

With Ben Cook and Jack Beer raiding down the flanks and Adam Pomeroy working hard in midfield Town were well on top, and any hopeful Sphinx  breakaways were immediately snuffed out by Mould and Williams as  half time was reached with Town deservedly ahead.

And there was no let-up from Town in the second half with Singer doubling their lead with a crisp low drive on the hour mark and then having another decent effort come back off the post five minutes later.

Soon after Town had another penalty when Singer was fouled with the Town striker getting up to take it himself only for the Sphinx keeper to pull off a fine save.

But Town’s third was only delayed and ten minutes later another precision pass from Ballinger sent Sone clear to round the advancing keeper to slide the ball home and propel  Nick Ballinger’s progressive  side safely through to  the next round.

 

The November lottery winner is Lesley Hayward winning £100. Congratulations and thank you for supporting Stratford Town Football Club

Pictures kindly provided by Steve Wood

                                       Match Stats by Rod Abrahams

Stratford		Royston
10	Goal Attempts	19
8	On Target	10
1	Blocked Shots	0
0	Hit Woodwork	1
6	Corners Won	9
6	Crosses into Box	7
6	Fouls Conceded	10
2	Off Side	3
1	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0

 

Town’s wait for their first away win of the season goes on after this defeat at Royston.

Full report now available under the First Team Match Reports Section.

STRATFORD TOWN  4​​​​   HEDNESFORD TOWN 1

Ravin Shamsi 6, 63.​​​​       Ben Bailey 45+6​​​

Chris Wreh 12.

Kyle McFarlane 84.

After losing their last seven games Stratford Town beat 3rd place Hednesford Town, in an entertaining encounter at The Arden Garages Stadium on Tuesday night, with a sterling and determined performance for the win, to please the Town faithful fans.

There was only one change from the side that played Nuneaton, Ross Oulton coming in to replace Kiaro Edwards-John.

It was a quick fire start by Stratford as they went forward, and were two goals up inside the first 15 mins. First Chris Wreh, who caused the Pitmen’sdefenders some problems for most of the game, got down the right flank to the by-line and his low cross was duly converted by Ravin Shamsi at the far post to put Town in front in the 6thminute. It was Wreh again in the 12th minute, as he beat two defenders down the right, and from a tight angel his goal bound strike was deflected into the net by defender Kieran Morris as he tried to clear to give Town a two goal lead.

Being two down Hednesford started to put the pressure on Town, but were unable to get a break thorough, as they were foiled by Towns stout defending, well marshalled by Matt Bower and Dan Vann. Kieran Morris, Tom Elliott and the tricky Osebi Abadaki all had efforts on goal for the visitors, which were off target or easily dealt with by Town keeper Sam Lomax.

It looked as if Town would go in at the break with a 2 goal advantage, but it all changed in the 6th minute of added time. Tom Elliott’s free kick was deflected for a corner, and his flag kick was not dealt with by Stratford, and in the following melee Ben Bailey fired home the loose ball to get the visitors back in the game with the last kick of the half.

At the start of the second half, Ross Oulton, who had picked up a first half injury, was replaced by Kyle McFarlane.

The next goal would be important for both sides. It was the Pitmen who had the early pressure, Elliott headed wide from a good position 10 minutes into the half, but however it was Town who got the next vital goal. Dan Vanns clearance found Lewis Wilson in the inside right channel he outpaced the visitors defence and found Shansi who clinically beat the keeper as he came off his line to restore Towns 2 goal lead, and his second goal.

The Pitmen looked for a way back into the game. Town stopper Sam Lomax made a couple of good saves, turning a header from Dan Glover round the post, and then blocking his shot, the loose ball fell to Elliott, but luckily his shot went wide. Stratford wrapped the game up with 5 minutes left, with a carbon copy of the third goal, this time it was Shamsi who picked up the defensive clearance, and he set up substitute Kyle McFarlane who coolly beat keeper Wycherley with a quality finish. The Pitmen had a couple of chances in time added on. Elliott and Abadaki both had efforts that were smartly saved by Town custodian Sam Lomax as the final whistle went.

Overall an entertaining game and a much needed win for Town. A great performance, with some resolute defending, and quality finishing, against a strong Hednesford outfit. The Stratford Management team will be happy with this performance.

Stratford Town. Lomax, Vann, Woollard-Innocent, Richards, Bower, Rowley, Wilson, Oulton,(46 McFarlane), Wreh, (82 Ambris), Shamsi, (89 Hylton) Nabay.

Subs Not Used Bennett, Edwards-John.

Hednesford Town, Wycherley, Curley, O’Hanlon, Bailey, Morris, Hurst, Hodge, King,(51 Brown), Glover, Elliott, Abadaki,

Subs not Used Gatter, Reid, Fry, Hallahan,

REFREEE R Williams, Ass Ref M Cartwright, J Clarke

Match Stats.

​Match Report Rod Abrahams

Photo’s kindly provided by Steve Wood