STRATFORD TOWN 1-2 HEREFORD FC: FULL REPORT & IMAGES...

Town Fall Foul Of Mills the Bull

Stratford Town 1-2 Hereford FC

This encounter, before an attendance of 707 at the Moodchimp Stadium was never a classic by any stretch of the imagination. That the Bulls won the match was probably fair, although Town certainly threatened on occasions but neither of the duo of dynamism, Ben Stephens nor Will Grocott could find their scoring touches. However, the Bullish John Mills, star of more than 120 movies in a film career of around seven decades, found his goal touch when it really mattered and netted twice within a minute to settle his team’s offense which had been superbly thwarted beforehand by Town’s fine central defenders Loyiso Recci and the brave Liam Francis. Mills won an Oscar for Ryan’s Daughter’ in 1970 but I doubt that was anything to do with his team-mate Ryan Green… Probably, anyway.

BOTH NUMBER TWOS TOSS...

Certainly the hosts would point to a fine stop by Bulls’ goalie Martin Horsell from Edwin Ahenkorah and a blasted rebound too high by Grocott, as well as a few Stephens shots, the best of those coming from a free-kick which shook the underside of the goal-frame, following the dismissal of the impressive Hereford central defender Dara O’Shea. The Bulls though could mention several blocked first period shots, a clearance from his own goal-line by Town replacement Dan Summerfield, two blocked shots by Jamie Bird and a miss into an open net at the end by Mills, who really should have secured a hat-trick with home goalie Louis Connor stranded upfield. In all, then, perhaps the victory for the in-form Bulls was just about deserved. Perhaps…

A sighter by Stephens in the opening moments flew too high, then visiting midfielder Pablo Haysham rose to nod a decent Grocott corner away, before Billy Murphy drove an effort too high for the visitors. Prior to a superb tackle by Francis on ex-Evesham forward Lance Smith, Connor had stopped a low drive by Bulls’ skipper Jimmy Oates then Haysham just couldn’t get any direction behind his leaping header from a high left-flank centre and home left-back Lee Thomas bravely blocked a low shot by Hereford’s lively and often tricky winger Keyon Reffell. Maybe the Bulls’ gradual frustration enabled Grocott and Stephens to capitalise and respond, and the running of striker Mike Taylor began to stretch the Hereford defence as the half wore on. 

OATES WATCHES AHENKORAH...

GROCOTT HAS SHOT TOO HIGH...

...& HIS FORFEIT IS TO DO AN IMPRESSION OF USAIN BOLT...

First a Grocott free-kick brushed off the challenging Taylor for Horsell to fall upon, fine work on the right by Taylor led to a near post shot by Ahenkorah being turned aside with agility by the Bulls’ gloveman but Grocott slammed the rebound much too high from a promising position. After Grocott, I believe, had dived towards his own goal and headed a Hereford centre for a surprised Connor to catch under his crossbeam, Stephens wasted a 27 yard free-kick by lifting it too high and following a sneaky run on the right by Grocott, Stephens had two stabs at scoring again but both times his miscued efforts struck the legs of Green. Before the interval was signalled by the solemn referee, there was just time for O’Shea to get in a weak shot for the guests which was collected 8 yards out by the turning Reffell but his connection wasn’t hard which allowed Connor to scrabble on his goal-line and save with a foot. Smith was cautioned before the players left the field for a cider and a pasty, although home midfielder James Hancocks had taken a knock right at the end of the first-half and he failed to reappear after the break.

BULLS' FANS CROWD BEHIND THE NET...

With Summerfield on as a substitute for Town, during the early stages of the second period Recci tackled Smith superbly, Green was cautioned for the visitors and when a right-wing, right-boot corner swerved inwards over Connor, Summerfield made a fine goal-line clearance with his forehead. In the ensuing counter-attack by Town which followed, Stephens skied his shot. Home skipper James Fry then displayed a penchant for Rugby League by grabbing an opponent round the waist and dragging him to the ground to earn an indisputable booking, before the everlasting old Bull Rob Purdie replaced Murphy for the visitors. 

SPOT-KICK GIVEN...

MILLS WANTS FRANCIS TO SHIFT...

And then Hereford burst forward and Connor appeared to upend Smith in the 6 yard box, the striker dropped like the recipient of a sniper’s bullet on the Somme and Connor leapt up and down in disagreement like an irritated cartoon character. Mills stepped forward to slot a calm penalty past the cautioned goalie and moments later, Hereford led by two goals…

0-1...

Mills bombed onto an error (Mills bomb? World War I again?) and stormed into a shooting position, beating Connor easily. Really, that should have been that for Hereford but O’Shea was dismissed for a challenge around the 18 yard line and Stratford were offered a lifeline. The subsequent free-kick by Stephens was a good one, from inside-left and the ball rapped the underside of the crossbar just near the far upright. Mike Symons then replaced Smith for HFC and his presence, size and hold-up play would prove invaluable to the Bulls’ cause.

0-2...

HUGGIES...

MILLS AGAIN...

Ahenkorah was booked, a Stephens cross was headed onto the roof of the net by Francis, Charlie Evans replaced Justin Marsden for the hosts and Grocott managed to deflect a shot by the efficient Bullish midfielder Jamie Bird (not a winger?) A blocked Town shot led to a pair of corners and a lob by Ahenkorah from the right was scraped away by Horsell but the official had spotted a push anyway and HFC thus survived the scramble. The better chances fell to the Bulls however and when a smart Reffell pass set up Bird, his first shot was well stopped by Connor but his rebound effort was superbly blocked by Thomas.

SHOVING...

STEPHENS LINES UP A FREE-KICK...

O'SHEA IS EXILED...

Andy Gallinagh replaced Summerfield for Stratford, Mills volleyed too high from 20 yards, Bird shot low to Connor and then a corner by Town brought a very, very late goal. A centre from the left was glanced by Taylor, who had shrugged off Green and the ball bounced gently into the right corner of the net. Suddenly the game was open again but after a couple of minutes of keeping the ball in the left corner through Bird and Symons, during which Bird, taking a throw-in, chucked the ball against the back of an unsuspecting defender to win a cheeky flag-kick, Town broke to gain a last corner of their own. Connor had moved forward to add size to the offense, leaving his goal gaping but the ball was headed clear, the influential Bird won possession from Thomas and ran forward, releasing a pass to Mills. Mills looked certain to grab his hat-trick but maybe hurried his shot towards the vacant net and his effort bounced past the left upright.

GROCOTT: NEVER STOPPED...

LATE DRAMA...

The officials decided enough was enough and the Bulls won the match… In a noisy but rather friendly crowd atmosphere, Hereford’s extra strength won through somehow. In truth, Town’s finishing hadn’t been as clinical as Mills’ penalty strike and rampant second goal but certainly the hosts had enjoyed a few periods of attacking to make their guests work. Bird, Haysham and Murphy were all eager for the Bulls in the workhouse, Smith, Mills and Reffell were generally able to offer threats in attack but with the home defence in belligerent mood, Town were kept in the contest right to the end, especially following the exile of O’Shea.

SYMONS: BROUGHT STABILITY TO HEREFORD...

Thomas worked really hard for the hosts, as did the effervescent Grocott, the clever Stephens and the speedy Taylor but Ahenkorah was often unable to influence the offense, nor was Marsden, who in Cam Pring, faced a tough left-sider. The home central defenders though, along with skipper Fry, were mostly in good form although Mills eventually did enough to win this encounter… Interesting that Town had a Bako and a Fry on the team sheet, whereas the Bulls had a Horsell and an Oates…   

John Mills was famous for his 1939 film ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’ and a good many burger-van fries were said goodbye to by Bulls’ fans on this cold night…

JOHN MILLS: 2 GOALS TO WIN IT FOR HEREFORD...

Me? A squash and a squeeze to get any filming or commentary done at all… 

I tried.

It’s what I do…

TEAMS:

STRATFORD TOWN:

LOUIS CONNOR, JAMES FRY (CAPT), LEE THOMAS, JAMES HANCOCKS, LOYISO RECCI, LIAM FRANCIS, JUSTIN MARSDEN, EDWIN AHENKORAH, MIKE TAYLOR, WILL GROCOTT, BEN STEPHENS.

SUBS:

ELI BAKO, DAN SUMMERFIELD, ANDY GALLINAGH, CHARLIE EVANS, CHRISTIAN-FLORIN TUDORACHE.

HEREFORD FC:

MARTIN HORSELL, JIMMY OATES (CAPT), CAMERON PRING, BILLY MURPHY, RYAN GREEN, DARA O’SHEA, KEYON REFFELL, JAMIE BIRD, JOHN MILLS, PABLO HAYSHAM, LANCE SMITH.

SUBS:

ROB PURDIE, MIKE SYMONS, GARY PREEN, ALEX HARRIS.