FC STRATFORD 1-4 GNP SPORTS: LIGHTHEARTED REPORT & IMAGES...

GNP Take the Prize, As Stratford Rue Officials’ Decisions

FC Stratford 1-4 GNP Sports

(Challenge Vase Semi-Final)

A considerable amount of fraught banter has been crowding Twitter over recent weeks between and about these two clubs and given the fact that neither of the two league clashes between the pair has yet materialised, something unpleasant was certain to erupt during this eventful tie at the MoodChimp Stadium. Two dismissals for Blues players around the hour mark effectively handed progression to the Challenge Vase Final to visitors GNP Sports. First, effective FC midfielder Dean Poulson was exiled for one, er, reckless challenge then following an unnecessary caution, home striker James Gifford was shown a second yellow card for, in the referee’s opinion, diving to convince the officials that he deserved a spot-kick when challenged by GNP ‘keeper Paul Lawrence. Things deteriorated after that into some cynicism and a considerable amount of lively verbal nastiness between the two clubs, especially at the final whistle. 

"HI MOM..."

Both halves started similarly, for Stratford looked positive from the beginning of each 45 minutes but then conceded a goal each time. It took a while for the Blues to recover from those blows, although they did regain parity as half-time loomed but of course the two sendings-off scuppered any chance of a similar recovery during the second period. Portions of the encounter were played in rather eerie circumstances, partly perhaps due to the small number of spectators attempting to throng a Southern League Premier standard stadium. Some play was a credit to Midland League 3 but at other times, carelessness was very evident too. In truth, GNP’s gloveman Lawrence was rarely taxed, whereas Blues’ custodian Archie Donaldson recovered from a few shaky moments to leave the game with a number of terrific saves to his credit, especially after the introduction of the impressive GNP replacement Scott Hammond. Two very, very late goals sealed the Stratford fate and the only sadness for GNP was the bad injury suffered by their controlling midfielder Joss Holford, who is likely now to miss the remainder of the season. 

HOLFORD WILL FIRE THE FREE-KICK TOO HIGH...

In the opening seconds of the match, a mighty punt by Lawrence was flicked on by Nathan Stoute but in attempting to defend Tom Rawlings, home defender Chris Hill bundled the wiry forward to the ground, close to the 18 yard line. Holford though lifted his free-kick so high, it was like the New England Patriots had scored a point after touchdown. The usually inoffensive Dan Stokes weighed in with an early challenge for Blues, the second of which, minutes later, would lead to a caution and quite obviously meant that a lid needed to be firmly closed on the forward’s eagerness. A one-two between Gifford and Poulson, over quite a distance led to a superb covering tackle by GNP left-back Luke Swinnerton but despite FC settling early, they were undone by a slick opening goal.

NOT MUCH WIDTH HERE...

"BUT I'M SUCH A NICE CHAP..."

"...OK, MAYBE NOT THAT NICE...

A long cross-field pass, right to left by Leigh Phillips towards Charlie Cook, some 22 yards out, led to the winger cleverly volleying a feed for Rawlings to chase into the penalty-box at inside-left and he reached the byeline before squaring a low centre right onto Stoute’s boot and he couldn’t miss from one yard, with the home defence awry.

0-1...

The goal signalled GNP’s becalming, for their opening to the game had been untidy, often hesitant and soon, Cook clipped Phillips’ right-side near post cross into Donaldson’s midriff. Holford then attempted a couple of shots, one from 30 yards which bounced harmlessly past the right upright and then another from 20 yards which maybe nudged against home defender Tom Dyke and made the not well struck effort more difficult to deal with for Donaldson who must have been relieved to see the ball bounce off the base of his right stick. An immediate short corner from the left was swung into the mix by Swinnerton and Donaldson struggled to get it away, before another left-flank flag-kick bounced off Hill over his own goal-frame. Stokes received his yellow card next but smart play then a wicked right-side centre by Rawlings saw Cook’s volley blocked by Blues’ right-back Ash Knights.

STOUTE GETS A CAUTION...

Finally, FC were shaken from their repose and they won a free-kick at inside-right which skipper Ash Wilkes played neatly and short for the alert Poulson to cross towards the 6 yard box from the end-line but a glove from Lawrence turned the ball on to safety, leading to a quick break by Cook but he could only manage to win a corner. The subsequent flag-kick swung in nastily, like a Kansas City Royals’ pitcher’s curve-ball and it then bounced upwards as Corey Jack Brookes so nearly got a telling headed touch to it, before it rose over the right angle of bar and upright. GNP then lost a little concentration and Stokes found the ball at his feet some 35 yards from the Sports goal. He slipped a neat pass into the right side of the penalty-box for striker Jay Tilbury but the number 9’s drive from 16 yards was errant and too high.

Donaldson grabbed a low, deflected Holford shot but as the half ebbed away, the hosts were awarded a right-flank corner which was clipped in left-booted and one of the smallest players in the near post melee, Tilbury, leaned in front of Holford to nod the ball down just between the upright and Phillips, who was likely unsighted by Lawrence’s presence. 

1-1...

Parity at the break then and the Blues must have been relieved, for although they had competed well enough, they had not threatened directly more than a couple of times, as the remarkably calm Manjinder Dhaliwal and the rugged James Bryson held firm in the defensive middle for GNP to protect their goalkeeper. Maybe not enough had been seen of either Phillips or Cook for the visitors as offensive options but there was no doubting the commitment of midfielders Matty Compton, Holford and Brookes. 

SECOND PERIOD...

Following the recess, the rowdy GNP fans were quietened a little by FC’s strong second period start,  but once again the guests began to spoil the garden party, when first Phillips and Brookes combined but Rawlings could not get enough power behind his downward header to Donaldson, then after skipper Compton was warned for his over zealousness, Sports nabbed another goal. The strike stemmed from some decent hold-up play near the right byeline by Stoute against Dyke. Stoute’s low centre rolled towards Phillips who must have seen a rippling net before his eyes, rather than the strange floodlights which had plagued him thus far. His first-time drive from 15 yards though was superbly blocked by the charging Knights (Knights? Charger?) and the ball was deflected upwards for Rawlings to jump for and loop a header goalwards from 7 yards but although Donaldson arched his back like a gymnast on a beam, his desperately reaching hand was able only to help the ball into the vacant net.

1-2: SCORER RAWLINGS...

Lawrence was unchallenged as he collected a Blues free-kick, Cook was replaced by the exciting Scott Hammond and for his sarcasm, Gifford was cautioned by the referee and this would prove to be the start of the decline in relations between the two teams… Two drives at goal by GNP affirmed their ascendancy at this point though and both efforts were saved leaping right by Donaldson. Holford slipped Stoute into the right side of the 18 yard box but the goalie turned away the rising shot then Phillips hammered a low right-footer from a defensive clearance and again the ‘keeper dived right to turn the ball aside, although in chasing the loose ball, Stoute was adjudged offside.

REF: "I MOVE SO FAST, MY FACE GETS ALL DISTORTED..."

SWINNERTON PUTS OFF THE OPPOSITION BY SCRATCHING THE INSIDE OF HIS WRIST...
NASTY...

GLOVES OVER HANDS, SOCKS OVER KNEES...
YES, IT'S HAMMOND...

GIFFORD IS SPOKEN WITH, COX HAS A HEADACHE...

Poulson had been the steadiest home midfielder, unhurried and often astute but he slid into an opponent on the far side of the field to where I stood and with the GNP dugout occupants screaming that it had been a two-footed challenge, the referee decided that a red card was to be the punishment. A sad exit for a good performer…

STOUTE CONGRATULATES DONALDSON ON A SAVE...

A long and high pass by Knights soon triggered the next tricky refereeing decision and when the ball brushed off Bryson’s gelled hair, Gifford was clear on goal. Lawrence ran out to narrow the angle and in fairness, Gifford’s boot did appear to shove the ball a little too hard, as well as away from goal, at which point he tumbled, with Lawrence still on his feet, acting like a matador ushering a bull beneath his red cloak. The referee decided that Gifford had dived and issued a second yellow card for the forward, which basically handed the tie to GNP. As he entered the exit tunnel, Gifford turned and bellowed his frustration by describing the referee as a flipping, not very slim twite… We likes the twites, rather similar to linnets and members of the finch family.

TROUBLE...

"YOU'RE FIRED..."

THE LONG WALK...

So it became 9 v 11 and a Phillips shot was deflected wide for a corner, which was given as a goal-kick, Rawlings got away at inside-right but drove a rising shot across the face of goal, Scott Lindley replaced Stoute and for the Blues, Stokes made way for Tom Daccus. A fine pass by Holford freed the elegant Rawlings to the left byeline where he tricked a defender like he wasn’t there and rapped a narrow angled shot against the torso of Donaldson, who was covering the near post. The rebound saw Rawlings rabona the ball off Knights for a corner. A superb right-side centre by Hammond found Rawlings all alone some 10 yards out but his firm header flew just wide of the right upright and then Phillips showed smart intuition to read a clearance perfectly, fastened onto the ball and his shot brought another fine save from Donaldson.

HOLFORD IS DOWN...

HOLFORD IS SUFFERING...

HOLFORD IS HELPED OFF...

Joe Knight (I believe) replaced Blues’ Wilkes, Brookes fed Rawlings but he instantly shot wide from 10 yards, a Daccus effort at the other end might have just nudged a Phillips knee (possibly the knobble) and from the cleared flag-kick, Knights drove an effort harmlessly high from 28 yards. Clever play by Hammond sent him scurrying away from a fooled defender but his shot from 16 yards was brilliantly charged down by Dyke and then Holford was badly hurt and soon helped from the field in agony.

COMPTON SHOWS A KNEE...

Dan Kirby had substituted for Blues’ Knights and he fed Daccus on the right but when the inviting centre was played across the face of goal, Tilbury was just unable to connect with it. Hammond then made space for himself and slammed a fine shot from 17 yards which Donaldson leapt high for and did so well to deflect over the cross-beam. The game needed finishing for GNP and finally, as time ebbed away, Rawlings assisted Hammond and his low shot was tipped onto his right post by the slithering Donaldson but the ball was spinning and slipped cruelly over the goal-line as the ‘keeper scrambled to get back…

1-3...

Another Daccus cross-shot flew across the face of the Sports goal before Dyke fouled Brookes, 20 yards out, allowing Phillips to end the match with a low right-footed free-kick into the bottom left corner of the net.

PHILLIPS (7) HAS MADE IT 1-4...

Distraught, FC were left with nothing but their bravery in dire circumstances to think about. There was certainly tension between the two sets of dugout occupants and with the GNP fans raucous in the grandstand, I was relieved that trouble was largely averted. GNP were well served in midfield by Compton, Brookes and Holford but in Rawlings they possessed an unusual but truly effective ‘centre-forward’. Cook was always likely to do the unexpected but Hammond looked good when he appeared on the scene. Phillips was again speedy and he always strikes a ball so well but with Swinnerton, Dhaliwal and Bryson mostly in defensive command, the Blues were restricted, never mind the dismissals. 

ALL OVER...

Donaldson ended the game so well for FC, Hill and Dyke defended with some real steel, as did Reece Staley and Knights but their forwards failed to ignite this Vase match…    

Me? Ah, that’s another story… 

Upon arrival at the stadium I was pleased to meet Blues’ Manager Dave Poulson, who promised to find the team-sheets for me, which he succeeded in doing. Then I strolled towards the turnstiles around 7pm, whereupon a small blackboard, leaning against a wall, informed me that the ground would not open until 7.30pm… For a 7.45 kick-off? Hmm… The notice also reasserted the admission prices: £3 for adults, £1 for concessions. I returned to the bar and began to tackle the team sheets…

The officials would have needed honours degrees in Hieroglyphics and Egyptology to decipher some of the FC Stratford names and I was forced to  cross-check with the team list on the reverse of the match programme to crack the code. 

THE ROSETTA MANUSCRIPT...

I retraced my steps to the turnstile at 7.25pm and requested pleasantly: “A concession and two programmes please…” “£5 please…” was the serious response from the chap working the entrance. “Er, sorry? It’s £1 for concessions!” I added lightly. “It says so on the blackboard just behind me…” “And on Twitter…”

No joy. The stoney faced fellow replied something like he didn’t know anything about that and I was forced to pay the full amount. He knew about the entrance time though…

I was confused. Was I being considered stupid, or a liar? 

I Tweeted what had happened during the interval.

I stood near the Boldmere S&S Manager throughout the game and we were surprised that spectators were standing against the surrounding wall on the yellow grid. Signs all along the wall in front of the enclosure read: ‘NO STANDING’. There are exceptions which prove any rule then… 

NO STANDING...

After the excellent Dave Poulson, distraught, left his dressing-room to offer me a fine interview, his assistant, I believe, spoke to me and he had seen my Tweet, confirming that there was a concession entrance fee of £1. He then forced me, despite my protestations and embarrassment to take £2 back… 

He was a decent guy at a decent club… 

Thank you, FC Stratford…    

  TEAMS:

FC STRATFORD:

ARCHIE DONALDSON, ASH KNIGHTS, REECE STALEY, NICK COX, CHRIS HILL, TOM DYKE, JAMES GIFFORD, DEAN POULSON, JAY TILBURY, DAN STOKES, ASH WILCOX (CAPT).

SUBS:

DAN KIRBY, BEN PATTISON, ADAM HEMMING, JOE KNIGHT, TOM DACCUS.

GNP SPORTS:

PAUL LAWRENCE, MANJINDER DHALIWAL, LUKE SWINNERTON, COREY JACK BROOKES, JAMES BRYSON, JOSS HOLFORD, LEIGH PHILLIPS, MATT COMPTON (CAPT), TOM RAWLINGS, NATHAN STOUTE, CHARLIE COOK.

SUBS:

CARUM SAMRA, SCOTT LINDLEY, SCOTT HAMMOND.