STUDLEY 6 STRATFORD TOWN 2: match report by The Mowdog...

Strained Stratford Stunted By Studley Surge

Studley 6 Stratford Town 2

Studley struggled to contain the Town forwards from the outset of this pre-season game, played in hot, if breezy conditions and the home goal looked threatened by the leggy dribbles of Tyrone Amory, the creativity of Simeon Tulloch and the bullish forward play of Harvey Headley, but Jamie Sheldon’s three angled drives from the right failed to find the target, eventually resulting in two Studley equalisers after the visitors had snaffled a couple of goals, plus a fine volley by home skipper Reece Hewitt directly before the interval. A second-half of three Studley goals, two of which resulted from goalkeeping errors by Town’s replacement goalie Dom Reggero, left Stratford disorganised and beaten. Their many substitutions turned their performance ragged and in truth, they rarely threatened the strong second-period Studley defensive pairing of JJ Cole and Toby Checketts. Mark Bellingham, a copper in plain-clothes (i.e. without a number) nabbed two goals for Studley but one fine strike by the forward was ruled out for an arguably harsh offside flag. Thanks go to the Stratford secretary for allowing me to peek at the team’s line-up and I am in gratitude too to Sam Wills, the injured Studley midfielder, and his dad for providing names for their team, especially as manager Smudger Smith was a much too busy fellow! He reckons his handwriting is awful but hopefully, between the four of us, we haven’t made too many errors in identification. Apologies for all the mistakes which do occur below...

The toss...

Town looked confident from the start and a Sheldon cross-shot from the right was soon nudged past his far post by home goalie Sean Edwards, who was vociferous all evening, with his favourite word a bellowed “SHUFFLE…” Suddenly, through slipshod defending by Studley, Amory found himself stumbling into the penalty-box at inside-left and he took nearly three hours to sort out his legs, which appeared to mesmerise the hesitant Edwards but eventually, the forward nudged the ball into goal, although a defender nearly got back to cover. Sheldon drove another angled effort from the right past the far upright, a home defender was pole-axed by a Headley drive and a terrible 20 yard Stratford free-kick was more like a conversion attempt by a Wakefield Wildcats Rugby League player, as the ball curled high into the trees behind the goal-frame.

Stratford lead 0-1...

Suddenly, without warning, home right-back Danny Morris intercepted a Town pass at half-way, on the right touchline and although he was tugged back and a flag-waving linesman perhaps seemed concerned he might have to run quickly to keep up with Morris, the referee blew not at all and Morris simply bore down on goal, beat ‘keeper Andy Kemp confidently and stroked home the equaliser. Patient Stratford play in response however, with the glistening pate of Alex Price prominent, ended with Price’s pass to Headley, who had been criminally allowed to escape at inside-right and Edwards was beaten again.

Morris (2) has equalised for Studley...

Headley enjoys his moment: 1-2...

Another Headley shot was deflected to Edwards, Amory drove a cross-shot into the net but was adjudged offside and another Sheldon drive from the right took the same route: wide of the far stick. And then Hewitt, who had been creative, along with Josh McGinley (15?), took possession, played a one-two at 18 yards and fired smartly past Kemp for a clinical and well-taken goal. Edwards then beat out a Headley drive but the rebound was weakly placed wide by another Town player and Bellingham was ruled offside as he moved onto a pass at inside-left, his shot flashing like the light on a police vehicle into the net but to no avail. Studley created and scored the best goal of the game almost at the break; Matt Poyner’s incursion on the left flank saw him show patience and although his eventual centre was nodded away as Bellingham challenged, the ball fell to Hewitt, 22 yards out and he nodded the bouncing ball past a defender and volleyed it with all the venom of a bee-sting from 17 yards and the ball powered past Kemp like the hare at Perry Barr greyhound track flying past the traps.

Hewitt: 2-2...

The Stratford follower seems less than pleased that Hewitt has put Studley 3-2 ahead...

Stratford had faded after their workmanlike start but on balance, they were unfortunate to be a goal down. Three great finishes by Studley had formed their base and the hosts’ second-half display was certainly more assured, as Stratford became a scrappy crew, like a set of normally disciplined Siberian huskies released from their sled-hauling and descending into untidy disarray. Replacements were to blame, certainly but a quick cross-field pass by I think McGinley, left to right, soon found Bellingham, this time apparently onside and he measured his angled left-booter just inside the left upright, with substitute goalie Reggero well beaten. A deep cross by Town’s Sam Adkins was nodded partially clear by Checketts but Amory, legs in the correct order this time, shot wildly over the crossbar from 10 yards, which proved to be a costly miss.

Bellingham: 4-2...

Sheldon’s rising drive was well handled by Edwards and replacement 17 for Stratford, presumably Sam Bethell, who had already lashed in a couple of late tackles and been penalised, failed to control a right-side delivery just 10 yards out and the ball bounced to Edwards. Quite out of the blue, Reggero was called upon to fly-kick a simple back-pass away but with Danny Carter challenging, the ‘keeper struck the ball against the busy Studley midfielder’s back and the ball rebounded into the Town net. Oh, dear… It all happened so quickly and out of nothing that I failed to catch any part of it on film but that’s probably just as well for the unfortunate goalie. Untidy play began to infiltrate the game and chances were few but when Regerro jumped to catch a left-wing cross, Bellingham jumped too, the ‘keeper fumbled the ball and Bellingham hooked it over the goalie and watched like an Atlanta Hawk guard taking an NBA free-throw, as it lobbed then dropped kindly into the net. 6-2 and a bit of a thrashing in the end, although in truth, there was never such a gap between the teams. Regerro did redeem himself with a fine parry of a left-side angled shot from Yinka Olia of Studley and to sum up Stratford’s night, the skilled Joe Halsall (15?) made ground on the left flank but after cutting inside, he drove a wild sliced shot way off target, with Headley gesticulating madly, like a turbine in a gale on a wind-farm, from sheer anguish.

The policeman emerges from the mist: 6-2...

The game over, Studley would be pleased that they should compete this season at Step 6, although on the early evidence, Stratford might just be a force in the Southern League too. Having seen their decent performances against Coalville last season, maybe a challenge for promotion might be in the offing. Morris, Cole, Checketts, McGinley and Hewitt impressed at times for the hosts and of course Bellingham scored a customary brace- no change there- but Sheldon was always available for the guests, Price and Tulloch looked lively too and Headley and Amory should chalk up some goals next term...

Bellingham in plain clothes...

I drove off home through the Earlswood lanes for  a thick slice of cherry cake and a bowl of Weetabix (it’s what I do) although I didn’t sleep well, for the sight of the bearded Mark Bellingham chasing a wayward ball as a warm-down activity was very scary… As one of the player’s parents said on the touchline, “A team wearing that awful Luton kit deserves to get beaten…”, or words to that effect. Odd, because when my son was Plymouth Argyle’s mascot in the ‘keeper Romain Larrieu’s orange jersey, it was actually at Luton, even though he also owned an orange Luton kit. I didn’t dare mention it...  

Mark Bellingham's pre-warm-down-sit-down...