BOLDMERE FALCONS 3-3 FC STRATFORD: THE MATCH REPORT & MORE IMAGES...

 Messy Match Marred By A Dismissal, Which Ignites Frenetic Finish  

Boldmere Falcons 3-3 FC Stratford

This was a strange game to watch, not only because some of the first period play was so dire but also due to the Falcons’ almost complete lack of offensive play. That the visiting Blues failed to add to Petar Tonchev’s early goal was critical and was most likely due to the effect of injuries sustained by their clever forward Tom Parnaby and his vice-skipper and defender James Robbins. Both were replaced during the first-half and Stratford’s vague dominance was clearly disrupted and their play sank to Boldmere’s untidy level, allowing Falcons to at least become more of a force. The hosts didn’t threaten visiting goalie Jack Hartopp at all before the players trudged off at the recess for a yogurt and cucumber sandwich. 

HATFIELD: SENT OFF...

HATFIELD HEADS CLEAR FROM ASHFORD...

Home goalie James Wilson had only made one real save, in truth but his weak kicked clearance had led to Tonchev’s goal. However, his fine saves after the interval earned his team an unlikely point. From nothing, home right-back Tom Archer punted a goal from the right touchline which embarrassed Hartopp and then replacement Daniel Campbell converted from close range, following the apparently harsh sending-off of Blues’ bearded central defender Jamie Hatfield, which proved to be another unfortunate blow for the visitors… Yet although Hartopp was forced into one low save, the hosts soon relinquished their lead when Tom Daccus dumped a far post finish past Wilson. Matt Nutt’s lunging header saw FC retake their earlier lead in the closing moments, only for a ridiculous final 30 seconds to enable the hosts to regain parity.

WILSON: TOOK A KNOCK EARLY ON...

MORTON & REEVES...

A throw taken from about 8 yards nearer to the FC penalty-box from where it ought to have been taken, despite the referee and an assistant loitering nearby, caused some aggravation and possibly a loss of concentration. Instantly, Blues’ skipper Wil Beach was adjudged to have handled the ball inside his own penalty-box, whereupon his opposite number Yousef Semlali obliged with his spot-kick. The game ended immediately, leaving rather a silence on the field… And yet Stratford had missed second-half chances to take the victory, despite being short-handed.

PARNABY & ROBBINS IN A&E, ALFRESCO...

ROBBINS REALLY WAS IN SOME PAIN...

Busy home forward Oli Timmis was well tackled inside the FC 18 yard box by the indefatigable Tez Morton but really, bar a couple of free-kick deliveries which drifted well off target, Stratford coped easily with Boldmere’s offense, in which Daniel MacDonald-Taylor was offered scant service and Romano Graham was extremely quiet on the right flank. The visitors took an early lead when Wilson’s clearing kick was deflected into the path of Morton, whose threaded pass for Tonchev was smart and the Bulgarian slipped the ball beneath the advancing ‘keeper and FC were ahead. 

0-1...

A left-side corner was knocked back inside by Daccus but Wilson fielded Hatfield’s back-header, a Ludford free-kick from downtown struck the forearm of Timmis in Falcons’ defensive wall, unnoticed by the officials and Wilson turned an 18 yard Ludford drive over his crossbeam. A challenge by Ludford saw the ball deflect off him and over the target but really, that was as good as it got for the opening period.

TONCHEV HAS BEEN FOULED...

NICE BALL...

Campbell had replaced MacDonald-Taylor at the break but it was FC’s number 7 Ryan Reeves who began to distinguish himself with some resolute defending for his team when it really mattered. After James Gifford, Parnaby’s replacement, had shot inaccurately from Tonchev’s astute pass across the 18 yard box, the hosts equalised in bizarre fashion. Timmis passed back to Archer and his ballooned cross was seemingly blessed with no danger at all. However, Hartopp was unable to catch it beneath his crossbar and the ball appeared to bounce off the back of his baseball cap and drop apologetically over the goal-line.

ARCHER, AFTER EQUALISING...

Spurred on by this, Semlali raced through the middle chased by Hatfield and as the FC defender attempted to cover, there could well have been contact as the pair raced almost side by side, yet after seeing the incident on film, a dismissal seemed harsh, although a foul and a caution might just have been a more acceptable outcome. Still, Semlali lashed his free-kick onto the head of Nutt in FC's defensive-wall but it wasn’t long before the influential skipper used his ability and pace to get past Nutt towards the left byeline and his low, short pass beat Hartopp at the near post, allowing Campbell to side foot a simple but well constructed goal.

CAMPBELL HAS MADE IT 2-1...

Nutt was cautioned and would be joined by Morton and home goalscorer Archer too, as well as prowling Boldmere midfielder Brown, although surprisingly Semlali escaped punishment, despite two or three biting challenges…

MORTON GETS A BOOKING, BUT NOT FOR A HAIRCUT...

"I JUST LOVE DISPLAYING MY YELLOWS..."

Incredibly, FC bounced back and when a long Reeves free-kick was missed in the air by the unchallenged central defender Josh Nash, the ball then appeared to bounce off Archer’s leg and wrong-foot his defence as the ball rolled towards the right stick, where Daccus sniped a low shot inside the upright. Soon, Tonchev poked the ball past Wilson from an angle but Matt O’Beirne hacked the ball away from his goal-line, whereupon the clearance struck Gifford but deflected away from, not into goal… Gifford was unable to get onto the loose ball moments later either when a decent shot from inside-right by Tonchev was well saved diving low and right by Wilson, whose touch sent the ball skidding across the 6 yard box.

DACCUS HAS MADE IT 2-2...

Another Tonchev effort was deflected into the side-netting off home defender Shane Smith, before the hosts finally tested Hartopp, who saved low to his left from Aaron Ashford at his near post. Mention of Smith and Ashford leads me to write that Smith was impressive, with his smart ball skills and sharp pace, whilst Ashford was always eager to receive the ball and his industry was admirable. A Morton pass freed Gifford at inside-left but his attempted right-booted lob rose wastefully high, before a lashed first-time volley by Reeves from 25 yards brought a fine save from Wilson, who dived full-length left to turn the ball away, although to be fair, Gifford was loitering in the goalie’s eye-line and whether Reeves would have seen his strike chalked off had it bulged the net is something to wonder about.

LUDFORD PREPARES TO TAKE A FREE-KICK...

THE REF PULLS GIFFORD BY THE EAR...

After Nutt headed way over the home crossbar, Reeves headed away a Boldmere cross superbly, then cleared his own clearance at 18 yards, before making a fine tackle on home substitute James Hancox seconds later. Tonchev’s right-flank corner saw Nutt lunge to hip height and send a header rising into the left side of the net to surely win the match for the ten men, who in all honesty had looked the more likely team to score, following the exile of Hatfield. 

2-3, AFTER NUTT'S HEADER...

Then Falcons took a throw on the right several metres further forward than they should have done, Beach handled and Semlali smashed a great penalty into the top left corner of the net past a helpless and hapless Hartopp.

SEMLALI'S PENALTY HAS BEATEN HARTOPP...

The game ended and when one considers that it was Stratford which was the more disappointed of the two outfits, then that says a lot about how the second period had played out, post-dismissal. Yes, Boldmere were more involved as an offensive team but their goal chances were certainly fewer than their guests’ opportunities. Six goals were scored however and for the spectator, that’s what entertainment ought to involve, even though one had to wait for 75% of the game to pass by before the end-to-end end arrived.

Subsequently though, FC would likely take the draw, due to the injuries suffered and Hatfield’s dismissal, whereas Falcons would likely take parity after such a dismal showing earlier and then going behind with only moments remaining…

GIFFORD & GRAHAM...

THROW BY BEACH...

Plaudits especially for Boldmere’s O’Beirne in defence, whose commitment for Falcons was clear, Smith was excellent at times, Ashford was unselfish in attack, Timmis battled and Archer was decent at right-back but skipper Semlali clearly showed why he wears the armband… For the guests, Beach was decent, Morton was always available and snaffling loose midfield balls, Reeves defended well late on, Tonchev was lively at times and Daccus took his goal smartly but substitute Dean Poulson was instrumental in FC’s later revival and his presence was integral to coping with Hatfield’s dismissal…

DACCUS WINS A VERY LATE FREE-KICK BUT FALCONS SOON EQUALISED...

TEAMS:

BOLDMERE FALCONS:

JAMES WILSON, TOM ARCHER, SHANE SMITH, MATT O’BEIRNE, JOSH NASH, MYLES BROWN, ROMANO GRAHAM,YOUSEF SEMLALI (CAPT), DANIEL MACDONALD-TAYLOR, AARON ASHFORD, OLI TIMMIS.

SUBS:

JAMES HANCOX, CALUM DWYER, DANIEL CAMPBELL.

FC STRATFORD:

JACK HARTOPP, JAMES ROBBINS, WIL BEACH (CAPT), TEZ MORTON, JAMIE HATFIELD, MATT NUTT, RYAN REEVES, LEWIS LUDFORD, PETAR TONCHEV, TOM PARNABY, TOM DACCUS.

SUBS:

BEN JOHNS, COURTNEY SOWE, DEAN POULSON, ASH WILKES, JAMES GIFFORD.