STRATFORD TOWN 2-1 BROMSGROVE SPORTING: REPORT & IMAGES...

Artistic Stephens’ Finishes Match the Evening Stratford Sky

Stratford Town 2-1 Bromsgrove Sporting

At my Aston school during 1962-63, the dining room was in a basement with no windows and so were the woodwork and metalwork rooms. I feared all three places. The geography teacher, ‘Slasher’ Lazenbury was a terrifying and cruel creature and we suffered his Year 7 humiliations, er, lessons on Tuesday mornings, as well as woodwork or metalwork sessions with ‘Scab’ Ward in the afternoons. All three subjects were made horrific to me by those teachers and my left-handed lack of skill with tools really made my life miserable, especially when the 13th of a month fell upon a Tuesday.

THE TEAMS EMERGE...

This Stratford Town v Bromsgrove Sporting encounter was my 13th game of the season thus far and it was played on a Tuesday. I feared the worst and true enough when the team lists appeared on a white board and then on a team-sheet, I knew that the ‘Tuesday and 13th’ gremlins had struck again. Bromsgrove’s players had been given numbers but only 4 of them were correct, including those on the replacement bench. Goalie Reece Francis was indeed number 1, although his surname had been incorrectly spelt, Jordan Jones was truly 2, Aaron Roberts was 8 and Sam Wills was correctly designated as the number 10 but the others? Oh, dear… Bromsgrove secretary David Stephens would have been apoplectic… Wade Malley was Mallery, Josh Quaynor was Quinnyor and the referee was actually Ravel Cheosiaua… 

THE REF WONDERS IF ANDY GALLINAGH HAS ANY SPARE COINS...

However, the sky was magical throughout the evening, both teams attempted to attack whenever possible and some really smart, quick football was played during a competitive match. Ben Stephens won the game for Town with two superb strikes, both scored with a nonchalance one doesn’t see too often at this level. Working alongside his fellow conjuror, the clever Will Grocott, Stephens had a ‘goal’ disallowed and fluffed a simple hat-trick chance, after unselfish play by Mike Taylor, who, like defensive colleague Loyiso Recci, possessed a physique like a brick shithouse. However, Sporting, missing their manager Smudger Smith, skipper Craig Jones, also Chris Lloyd, Jason Cowley, Reece Hewitt, Duane Courtney, Robbie Bunn, Ahmed Ali, Joe Ward, Liam Spink, Chris Conway and Alfie Bloomer (from the two previous pre-season matches I have seen) put up a good fight and in Max Loveridge, they fielded a playmaker who looked comfortable on the ball alongside the undoubtedly efficient Wills. Those two were very involved on occasions and because both teams were able to boast rapid runners, some of the offensive play was urgent as well as pleasant on the eyes.

TRICKY: STEPHENS & GROCOTT...

Bromsgrove’s early positive start, with Loveridge, and the returning holidaymakers Wills and Jack Wilson, their tans clashing with the glorious sunset sky, moving the ball well, allowed for some fine overlapping play by Josh Quaynor to worry Stratford. Yet after a pass by Stephens had seen the ball nudged against the falling body of Francis by Edwin Ahenkorah’s left boot, Loveridge had taken a pass from the left by Wills and struck a fierce 27 yard drive which was well beaten away by the plunging home ‘keeper Louis Connor. Then Stratford stunned their guests with a surprise goal, the assist by Taylor who held the ball long enough for Stephens to lean back and stroke a 12 yard shot from inside-left into the top right corner of the net. A really good finish… 

1-0...

YELLOW-BOOTED SCORER STEPHENS CHECKS HIS HAIR...

The teams traded attacks and Bromsgrove’s left-siders, Wilson and Quaynor, received some joy, Malley just failing to head a Quaynor centre, Marshall Willock nodding a Wills corner onto the roof of the net and then following a fine Wilson run, John Pykett side footed a gift of a chance wide from 6 yards. Sporting fired two attempts from distance, by Wilson and Wills, one wide and one saved but it was Town who finished the opening half more strongly and really might have been further ahead at the interval. 

STEPHENS HAS A GOAL DISALLOWED...

...GETS ATTENTION THEN LEAVES THE PITCH FOR A PLAY...

WILLS' HOLIDAY IS CATCHING UP ON HIM...

First Francis advanced to save well from Stephens and Willock blocked Taylor’s rebound effort bravely, Ahenkorah cut inside from the right and curled a great shot against the Bromsgrove crossbar, before Francis flapped badly at a corner and then a Grocott centre was bundled into goal by the flying Stephens, maybe with an arm, or perhaps he was offside but the effort was disallowed anyway. A sliced shot by Ahenkorah ended the half and although substitutions were made during the second period the mood of the game itself wasn’t much altered, which was good for the spectators to witness.

QUAYNOR (3): A STRONG GAME FOR THE ROUSLERS...

THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN SWITCHED ON...

Wilson had been replaced by Ben Birch for Bromsgrove when the teams reappeared from their toast and mug of tea and once again, the visitors started the quicker, equalising before Stratford had really energised. The initial pass was by Roberts which allowed Quaynor to run to the left byeline and serve a good low delivery for Malley to convert, leaving Connor helpless on his goal-line. 

1-1...

MALLEY, MISSING A GOOD DEAL OF HAIR, HAS SCORED...

Again though, Town reacted and forced their guests back, netting what would subsequently be the winning goal. Charlie Evans, whose racy sprints along the right flank from full-back had been regular aspects of the hosts’ offensive play, shoved a pass inside to the criminally unmarked Grocott, who was easily able to push a pass towards the edge of the penalty-box where Stephens lurked and he took the feed, swivelled and with superb composure, chipped a lovely goal over the hapless Francis and deep into the left corner of the net. 

2-1...

STEPHENS AGAIN & TAYLOR LOOKS IMPRESSED...

IT REALLY WAS A GREAT FINISH...

Francis and Connor, the two ‘keepers, had been rushed into a few ugly fly-kicks throughout the match and both were guilty of fumbling crosses but at least Francis smashed a huge boot clear as Taylor chased a long kick forward by a colleague. In fact Connor dropped the ball and forced skipper Andy Gallinagh into a hurried clearance from a Bromsgrove cross but then Taylor squared his pass for Stephens’ hat-trick goal at the opposite end but somehow, the Town midfielder failed to strike the ball hard enough and allowed Francis an easy save from 10 yards. Both of the home forwards were replaced then, with Justin Marsden, who flitted about usefully and Jazz Luckie, whose finishing would prove anything but lucky…  

DUSK FALLS...

FRANCIS HAS SAVED FROM STEPHENS...

After Francis flew to palm a Marsden centre aside with some difficulty, Wills left the field hurt, before Pykett who was looking lively in a less restricted attacking role, drove too high for Sporting. Loveridge and Dan Morris were replaced along with Wills and Matt Savage, Brendan Kelly and young Josh Fulford, who looked useful, were the substitutes used. Town had replaced Dan Summerfield with Liam Francis too but Marsden probably made the most attacking contributions of anyone until the end, setting up Stephens for a header which Francis grabbed and generally working the left-flank with some neat footwork.  

AN ASTON VILLA SKY OVER A STADIUM WITH LINKS TO BIRMINGHAM CITY LADIES...

FRANCIS CHECKS OUT THE SUNSET...

GROCOTT: USUALLY INFLUENTIAL... 

Francis snaffled a Grocott delivery from the right byeline although Stephens had expected a better feed, the ‘keeper then caught a bouncing Grocott drive but a poor kick out by the gloveman saw Stephens’ attempted shot at a partially unguarded goal drift wide. The visitors were certainly taking the game to their hosts however but although Malley and Pykett fought so manfully up front, the best shot came from Kelly which flew too high. One final chance in the game fell to Luckie, who capitalised upon an interception by the lively Marsden and an error by Birch, leaving the forward running at Rousler Francis and clear in the inside-right channel but the striker drove his shot disappointingly wide. Maybe he too had been affected by Tuesday… 

AUGUST SKIES ARE UPON US...

MARSDEN: WORKING THE LEFT-SIDE...

This had been a decent spectacle and probably Bromsgrove would feel generally delighted by their efforts. Stratford showed some smart play though and with Grocott and Stephens linking so neatly on many occasions, plus Lee Thomas running riot on the left-flank at times, complementing Evans’ advances on the right, Town appeared to have a real platform to work from this term. 

THE RESULT OF A DELIVERY STRUCK TOO HARD...

JUST WOW...

I drove home through Henley-in-Arden with no geographical problems, made sure my dad’s old woodworking tools lay undisturbed in the garage and prayed for Wednesday to arrive quickly. 

It’s what I do…

SQUADS:

STRATFORD TOWN:

LOUIS CONNOR, CHARLIE EVANS, LEE THOMAS, ANDY GALLINAGH (CAPT), LOYISO RECCI, GUY CLARK, DAN SUMMERFIELD, BEN STEPHENS, MIKE TAYLOR, WILL GROCOTT, EDWIN AHENKORAH.

JUSTIN MARSDEN, JAZZ LUCKIE, GEORGE WASHBOURNE, LIAM FRANCIS, JAMES HANCOCKS, CHRISTIANO FLORIN.

BROMSGROVE SPORTING:

REECE FRANCIS, JORDAN JONES, JOSH QUAYNOR, MAX LOVERIDGE, MARSHALL WILLOCK, DAN MORRIS (CAPT), JOHN PYKETT, AARON ROBERTS, WADE MALLEY, SAM WILLS, JACK WILSON.

MATT SAVAGE, BRENDAN KELLY, JOSH FULFORD, JASON COWLEY.