STRATFORD TOWN 2-4 REDDITCH UNITED: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Racing Redditch Scupper Stratford’s Start…

Stratford Town 2-4 Redditch United

Like sprinters from the blocks in Rio, Redditch seared into Town early and were 0-2 up in no time at all but could have been three ahead, if Clinton Morrison’s instinctive shot hadn’t struck the foot of a post and with Danico Johnson in lively form in attack, United completely rattled their hosts. It took a while for Will Grocott to assert some confidence into the home ranks and a headed goal by Jordan Cullinane-Liburd reduced the arrears, only for the visitors to increase their lead almost at the interval, when left wing-back Javi Roberts struck. Stratford fought hard to make the game a contest after the break and skipper Rich Gregory did net once but Redditch ‘keeper Brad Catlow made some saves and more importantly displayed fine handling, so that when Johnson’s bludgeoning run to the byeline set up Liam Spink to whack a very late goal four, Town looked shattered. Interesting that Bromsgrove Sporting manager Paul ‘Smudger’ Smith was there to see two of his ex-players, Reece Hewitt and Spink not only play for Redditch, but score too. This was an impressive result for the visitors, who now lead Stratford by five points, after only two games played…

WHEN ASKED TO TUCK IN HIS SHIRT, CLAYTON McDONALD PLEADS:
"I CAN'T MATE, THERE ISN'T ONE LONG ENOUGH..."

Redditch had already looked quick and incisive, using their wing-backs and the pace of Eli Bako and Johnson, backed by the neat passing of Max Loveridge, before the opening goal was gifted to them. A long ball forward was mis-controlled, I think by Liam Francis and Johnson needed no invitation to mug him and slip the ball past Niall Cooper, who could not have expected the error. Within moments, it was 0-2 and this time, Hewitt benefited from space on the left side of the penalty-box, Cullinane-Liburd and Jamie Sheldon were too late to cover and the ex-Rousler took Loveridge’s pass to steer a low cross-shot into the bottom corner of the net past the helpless Cooper. Two goals scored and a third almost arrived too, when fine play between Loveridge (again) and Roberts, set up Morrison at the near post, who had lost marker Guy Clark but the experienced ex-Blues forward shot right-footed against a post…

0-1: DANICO JOHNSON...

0-2: REECE HEWITT...

Stratford did manage to avoid further calamities for a while and steadied their resolve, which led to Redditch’s dominance waning somewhat but a sliding challenge between Bako and home left-back Kieran Westwood saw the United man cautioned, although in fairness, both players appeared to skid into each other. After the hosts had snaffled a goal back, Bako left the field hurt, as a result of the above incident and was replaced by Reece Hales, whose free running was a good option for Redditch. He shot over the home crossbar, following a good run to the byeline by Johnson but then was instrumental in the creation of goal three, which came just before half-time, to Stratford’s chagrin. He shovelled the ball left to Roberts, whose right foot shot from the left side of the penalty-box was unerring as it rolled into the right corner of the net. Johnson had set Hales moving and taken a late tackle by Simeon Tulloch for his trouble but the Town man wasn’t admonished for the foul.

REF: "OK, TIME TO GET UP, SON..."

0-3: JAVI ROBERTS...

LOOKS HAPPY ENOUGH...

Stratford’s game response to going a couple of goals behind so very early in the match was admirable once it got going. Roberts’ defensive header dropped past his own left stick, Emmitt Delfouneso’s shot was blocked and Gregory skied the rebound, Mike Taylor couldn’t get a positive header to Gregory’s deep delivery but following a right-flank corner, Town scored and it stemmed from a fine Grocott run past Bako before the United man was replaced. The cross from the right byeline was headed downwards and into goal at the far upright by the leaping Cullinane-Liburd. Following that strike, more was asked of the Redditch defence, in which the gigantic Clayton McDonald held firm alongside Duane Courtney and Cameron Young, although Grocott shot wide and Mike Taylor, dwarfed by McDonald, might have done a little better with his two opportunities. First his turn was fine but after battling into the penalty-area, he was thwarted by Catlow, then very late in the half, his shot into the ground from the right edge of the 6 yard box bounced behind that upright, following Grocott’s intuitive long pass and McDonald’s miscued low header.

THE CLASH...

RICH GREGORY, THIRD FROM THE RIGHT, IS EITHER DEMONSTRATING WHAT HE THOUGHT HAPPENED, OR HE'S GOT A LUMP OF FOX SHIT ON HIS BOOT...

CAUTION FOR BAKO ANYWAY...

CULLINANE-LIBURD HAS MADE IT 1-2 BUT DOESN'T LIKE THE HUGS...

So, two goals adrift again at the interval, it needed a huge effort by Town to haul themselves back into the game and it was interesting to see how involved in the encounter Morrison was. He was intense. Very intense. No taking it easy at this level for an ex-pro’ but a real soldier, exemplified by his tirades at Darren Byfield, who managed these moments well but when an old chap next to me shouted to Morrison that his team should be four goals ahead, during a drinks break, the player responded with, “Don’t talk to me. Watch the game, don’t talk to me…” The man retorted and reiterated that Redditch should be 0-4 up and that he could talk to Morrison if he wanted to. The player reacted again: “Don’t talk to me, right?” The old bloke, now relishing the limelight, shouted: “But you ARE talking to me…” Morrison sensibly walked away. I might have gone nose to nose with the interfering, irritating veteran…

McDONALD & YOUNG: UNCOMPROMISING...

DARREN BYFIELD: A GOOD ATTITUDE FOR A MANAGER ON A SIDELINE...

MIKE TAYLOR HAS MISSED...

THOUGHTFUL...

Delfouneso did look more creative in the Town midfield, alongside the influential Grocott in the second period but the hosts found it hard to be incisive at the beginning of the half, only a Gregory shot, which was blocked and a skied Delfouneso effort causing any worry at all. A Taylor header, a Grocott shot, which was well saved falling right by Catlow had threatened at all, before Taylor’s hold-up play offered Delfouneso a good and clear shooting opportunity but he pulled it wide of the left upright. Edwin Ahenkorah replaced Cullinane-Liburd and the hosts managed a goal from their skipper. Smart close passing involving Grocott and Sheldon resulted in the corner's pass to Westwood being moved on to Gregory, whose low shot, from the same position as Hewitt’s and Roberts’ earlier goals, rolled into the bottom right corner of the net.

2-3 & A GOAL FOR RICH GREGORY...

Gregory curled a shot well wide, Ahenkorah’s rising drive was splendidly turned over the crossbar by Catlow, who then caught two really awkward crosses with fine ability, leaving only another errant Gregory shot and a glancing header wide by Delfouneso to concern Redditch before the final whistle. The guests did have their offensive moments too, for after Jazz Luckie replaced Morrison, Stratford switched off at a short left-wing corner, allowing the always available Loveridge to clip in a centre, which Young headed upwards and too high. Cooper dived left to keep out a 22 yard drive by Hales and Jordan Jones lifted the rebound over the target but after Spink replaced Loveridge, another fine Hales run at inside-right, saw him pass for Luckie inside him but the striker miscued unluckily, although luckily, Luckie had been flagged offside.

MORRISON TEES UP A COLLEAGUE...

HALES DOING WHAT HE DID WELL...

JOHNSON: A DANGER...

After Spink was cautioned for a rough tackle on Westwood, he then reaped the reward for a fine piece of late work by Johnson, who simply refused to waste the remaining ebbing time in a corner of the field. The forward collected possession on the left touchline, somehow shrugged off Delfouneso and Tulloch, beat the challenge of Francis and reached the byeline, from where he passed across the helpless Cooper and into the 6 yard box, where Hales couldn’t reach the ball but the unmarked Spink could and his rising right-booter bulged the roof of the net. Game over, as the saying goes…  

GOAL FOR LIAM SPINK...

THE EX-ROUSLERS CELEBRATE...

2-4 & GAME WON...

BYFIELD: MEASURED COMMENTS UNTIL THE END...

Certainly Redditch’s power and pace were integral to victory and the forward play of Johnson, the experience of Morrison and the calmness in midfield shown by Loveridge contributed to the success, but ‘keeper Catlow sprang into action when needed, especially in the final twenty minutes, when Loveridge had been substituted and was standing, looking a trifle concerned at the edge of the dugout. The home defence found the going tough at times and certainly in the opening fifteen minutes, there was some disarray but with Grocott pulling the strings in midfield, Delfouneso becoming more involved and Sheldon, as always, working hard, the hosts gave a fair account of themselves, I guess. Maybe a little more might have been expected from Tulloch on the right but in truth, Taylor was always going to find it a slog beneath the imposing shadow of McDonald. Gregory was in and out of the game but once again he pilfered a goal.

WILL GROCOTT: ALWAYS CREATIVE...

BRAD CATLOW TAKES A BREATHER FROM CATCHING WITH SAFE PAWS...

NIALL COOPER BENEATH A FINE SKY...

This was decent entertainment and both teams might just be challenging near the top of the division this term. Maybe…

Me? Returned home to find out that Oxford had won a League Cup tie at St Andrews, Small Heath in the 120th minute… 

How sad…  

WE LIKES THIS...

TEAMS:

STRATFORD TOWN:

NIALL COOPER, JORDAN CULLINANE-LIBURD, KIERAN WESTWOOD, GUY CLARK, LIAM FRANCIS, EMMITT DELFOUNESO, SIMEON TULLOCH, WILL GROCOTT, MIKE TAYLOR, RICH GREGORY (CAPT), JAMIE SHELDON.

SUBS:

EDWIN AHENKORAH, TREY BRATHWAITE, WARREN BROOKS, CHARLIE EVANS.

REDDITCH UNITED:

BRAD CATLOW, JORDAN JONES, JAVI ROBERTS, DUANE COURTNEY, CLAYTON McDONALD (CAPT), CAMERON YOUNG, REECE HEWITT, MAX MOVERIDGE, DANICO JOHNSON, CLINTON MORRISON, ELI BAKO.

SUBS:

JAZZ LUCKIE, JASON COWLEY, REECE HALES, LIAM SPINK, RICARDO DUDLEY.