STRATFORD TOWN 4-1 HEDNESFORD TOWN: THE MATCH REPORT...

The Pitmen Scratch Their Heads In Disbelief At The 4-1 Loss To Stratford…

Stratford Town 4-1 Hednesford Town

OK, so the danger on the Bards’ right, where Chris Wreh (no relation, though our surnames sound the same) twice caused early havoc on the break for Stratford, was eventually nullified by Hednesford but after the interval danger at inside-left twice by the Blues on the break brought two further goals, leaving the Pitmen’s defence creaking like damaged pit props. Yes, Ravin Shamsi took his brace of goals well, as did Wreh and replacement Kyle McFarlane but in direct contrast, Hednesford’s offense looked untidy, inaccurate and was profligate in the extreme. Skipper Ben Bailey stabbed a goal back right on the recess but the Pitmen were unable to shake off their malaise and the two second-period strikes by Stratford must have been real killers for Bailey and his Miners. 

THE UNIFORMS: 1 EASY TO SEE, 1 EASY TO MISS...

Another contrast between the two teams was that of uniforms, for whilst Hednesford were regaled in high-visibility yellow, Stratford’s apparel was dull and dark blue, making them tough to pick out on a very dark evening. However, the game began with a pair of goals which in truth the Pitmen failed to recover from, despite a lot of possession and a succession of offensive plays. Bailey and fellow central defender Kieran Morris moved left to attempt containment of Wreh but he wriggled free towards the byeline, before his low cross evaded goalie Andrew Wycherley and rolled past Shamsi’s marker Mathias Curley to where the Bards’ striker had dropped away from the right-back, two yards from goal, central position. Shamisi could not miss. He didn’t…

SHAMSI CELEBRATES...

The second goal was roughly similar, same combatants on the same flank and a similar low delivery into the goalmouth but this time a deflection from a defender took the ball into the net as home midfielder Lewis Wilson slid forth. Wreh was given the goal…

WREH GETS CREDIT...

Oddly, only one other shot was attempted by Stratford before the break for Noilly Prat and biscuits, which was hit from 24 yards by the industrious and effective Courtney Richards but the ball skidded quite wide of the left upright. The visitors looked stunned for much of that opening half and their supporters must have wondered what had been secretly sneaked into their pre-match mugs of tea. Twice the Pitmen were accused of pushing in crowded goalmouths, home skipper Ross Oulton deflected one effort over his own crossbar, Dan Vann somehow knocked another dangerous ball across his own goalmouth and at times the pressure on Stratford was persistent. Home central defenders Kyle Rowley and particularly the basketball-tall Matt Bower were outstanding though and neither Dan Glover nor Tom Elliott for the Pitmen was able to cause much of a threat to ‘keeper Sam Lomax.

THE BARDS WAIT TO KICK OFF...

Certainly left-sided attacker Osebi Abadaki looked dangerous but his two efforts at goal were wasted, one rolling to Lomax and the other slicing way off target. Vann scrambled away a flicked header by Morris, Elliott Hodge drove just too high and volleyed another effort inaccurately, Reece King was unable to get any purchase with a good opportunity which rolled to the grateful gloves of Lomax and James Hurst fluffed one miscued shot wide, before heading a decent chance off target. Two free-kicks from promising positions also brought no reward for Hednesford, Ben O’Hanlon’s shot deflecting wide off Wilson and Elliott’s attempt was hacked away by the splendid Bower in front of his goal. 

WHEN YOU DEFEND IN NUMBERS...

Thus the interval closed in and from a corner, another goalmouth tangle saw the ball fall just right for Bailey to prod the ball shoulder high into the home net through a crowd of players from inside the 6 yard box. This really ought to have been a fine time to reduce the arrears for the Pitmen but they were unable to capitalise upon their late first period high and continued to mess up in attack as the second-half panned out.

GLOVER (9): NO REAL CHANCES AT ALL...

Elliott was unable to get to a low centre by Abadaki, who had made it to the left byeline, Hurst missed a great opportunity from 8 yards, shooting too high following a corner, then he drove a 23 yard effort wide later in the half. Bailey moved forward but shot wide from downtown, yet in all honesty, Lomax must have been expecting more work than merely grabbing loose balls inside his 18 yard box then clutching them on the ground to waste valuable seconds. However, finally, the Pitmen began to strike coal, but not goal, for Lomax would finally make his contribution later in the match when the Hednesford shooting was actually heading for the 8 yard by 8 feet rectangle that is called the goal-frame. 

SUBBUTEO?

He dived low to push aside a flicked header by Morris, beat out a 19 yard free-kick by Elliott, who also fired another set-piece into the car-park, then Lomax saved really well from substitute Andre Brown’s clipped shot. Brown had already seen another clipped effort from a similar spot superbly blocked by Rowley but he had lifted the acceptable rebound too high. Indeed, Brown had been brought on for the Pitmen, along with Izak Reid just a moment or two before Stratford raced away like greyhounds chasing a hare to net goal three. 

THE PITMEN LINE UP A FREE-KICK...

Wilson made the initial move at inside-right and passed the ball left for the speedy Shamsi to race onto and beat the advancing Wycherley with some ease. Standing to the left of the Hednesford dugout was interesting, for the incumbents, just like the visiting fans and also the beleaguered players, simply looked on in disbelief. Goal four arrived with 5 minutes and a good deal of added time remaining and this time Pitman Bailey’s pass from defence was intercepted by the battling Richards and he threaded McFarlane clear at, er, inside-left again, from whence he beat the advancing Wycherley with, er, ease, again…

OH DEAR...

OH DEAR, OH DEAR...

Despite his surname, home left-back Kai Woollard-Innocent was found guilty of a misdemeanour and he was cautioned, alongside Richards, whose sheer effort deserved some kind of a reward, although not of the yellow kind… 

LOMAX: LOTS OF BANTER WITH THE PITMEN...

The home fans applauded the victors from the field, lauding their four strikes and a battling defence, whereas the Hednesford contingent could not hide their incredulity, losing 4-1 in a match they dominated, albeit with some disappointing offense. Elliott looked brighter during the second period though and Abedaki was a threat, although he was involved in a fine tussle throughout with Vann. Curley, wearing gloves, was often prominent but subsequently the guests failed to spoil the party.

WHEN THE SECOND PERIOD BEGAN...

Bower was really good for Stratford, Rowley too, whilst Wilson, Richards and the often elusive Foday Nabay contributed strongly. Wreh and Shamsi did enough on the night with little real service but without doubt Lomax impressed between the sticks when it really mattered… 

BAILEY, CENTRE OF IMAGE: SCORED ON A FRUSTRATING NIGHT FOR THE MINERS...

TEAMS:

STRATFORD TOWN:

SAM LOMAX, DAN VANN, KAI WOOLLARD-INNOCENT, COURTNEY RICHARDS, MATT BOWER, KYLE ROWLEY, LEWIS WILSON, ROSS OULTON (CAPT), CHRIS WREH, RAVIN SHAMSI, FODAY NABAY.

SUBS:

KAIRO EDWARDS-JOHN, KYLE MCFARLANE, KYLE AMBRIS, JARRELL HYLTON, JACK BENNETT (GK).  

HEDNESFORD TOWN:

ANDREW WYCHERLEY, MATT CURLEY, BEN O’HANLON, BEN BAILEY (CAPT), KIERAN MORRIS, JAMES HURST, ELLIOT HODGE, REECE KING, DAN GLOVER, TOM ELLIOTT, OSEBI ABADAKI.

SUBS:

ANDRE BROWN, CHARLIE GATTER, IZAK REID, TOM FRY, JACK HALLAHAN.