LANE HEAD 2-3 FC STRATFORD: THE MATCH REPORT & IMAGES...

 Lane Head Self-Destruct & Spur Stratford To Victory…

Lane Head 2-3 FC Stratford

It would be fair to write that the unyielding, bobbly surface on Lane Head's sloping pitch was tough to both pass the ball upon comfortably and indeed keep control of it. The first-time kicking of back-passes for FC’s goalie Jack Hartopp was certainly awkward and a few went awry, which of course also led to some panicky humps upfield by central defenders Jamie Hatfield and Abdul Muhammed during a first period of struggles for the visitors. Hatfield was clearly hurt from the start but somehow he stayed the course and near the end, when his team was defending a 2-3 lead, he made several headed clearances which proved invaluable.

THE TOSS...

The hosts had deserved their lead by the break, for skipper Ash Southall was as strong as an ox, as devilish as a pro-wrestler and as argumentative as the kid in your class you always hope leaves the area. He was excellent for Lane Head and scored a superb goal, as well as defending like a stalwart and bossing midfield, where Stratford were rather weak, until replacement Ryan Reeves added some second period energy, as well as the all-important third and winning goal. FC were rarely able to get wide with full-backs Ben Johns and skipper James Robbins and thus much of the passing by the busy Tez Morton and Nick Cox seemed to be attempted through a crowd as thick as a market in central Cairo. 

THE START...

Lane Head took advantage and seemed comfortable until Tom Daccus was adjudged to have been fouled after the recess by one of three Lanemen challenging him some 21 yards from goal. Ash Wilkes’ curling left-booted free-kick found the net via a bizarre intervention at the left stick by Lane Head winger Jammeh Alhagie Ebrima (known as Junior) and within moments, a crazy miscue by FC forward Tom Parnaby wrong-footed the whole home defence at the same left upright and Wilkes shoved a gentle effort into goal for a complete turnaround of Stratford’s fortunes. Reeves then livened up proceedings to score goal three, due to an error of judgement by Head’s Ben Storey and really, the guests ought to have netted further goals. However, once home replacement Craig Tuckley scored with an acrobatic overhead-kick, FC were pressured for the final minutes, with Callum Phillips squandering a free-kick opportunity to equalise as time ran out.

HARTOPP: VOCIFEROUS...

GOALIE BUTLER: GOOD PERFORMANCE...

Thanks to Lane Head for the great welcome, even by the ‘nice lady’ on the pay desk (she told me to refer to her in that manner) and fair play to the club, for hand sanitiser had been left in the porch upon entrance and unbelievably a programme had been printed… The weather was pleasant, Southall led his squad with grim determination and Stratford were rattled from the start.

PARNABY & HALL...

JUNIOR HURT...

JOHN TRAVOLTA... OOPS, SORRY, IT'S WILKES...

An early back-pass by Muhammed was too short and Hartopp was forced to take evasive action, then more hesitancy led to a superb 30 yard strike by robust home midfielder Haydn Hall which struck Parnaby’s skull, bounced upwards and there was Southall to back-head the ball downwards, only for Hartopp to drop right and save smartly at his right post. The goal was worth anyone’s entrance fee and stemmed from a Brandon Herkes corner on the left which Hartopp thumped away with a gloved fist. The ball dropped onto Southall’s right instep on the 18 yard line and his volley scorched head-high into the net just inside the right stick, leaving Morton twisting like a Morris Dancer with little chance of preventing a goal. The corner had been conceded cheaply by FC, for Hartopp’s clearing kick hadn’t gone far and Johns’ attempted back-pass had drifted out of play… 

1-0: SOUTHALL...

As for FC during the opening half, only the nimble Petar Tonchev and one effort by Wilkes had threatened home goalie Alfie Butler. Tonchev’s first low shot was deflected to the ‘keeper, his next flew harder at the gloveman, who did well to beat it away, whilst Wilkes’ low drive was dealt with comfortably by Butler. Hatfield headed Parnaby’s free-kick too high but essentially that was all the visitors had mustered, as moves broke down due to the hustling, hassling and harrying of the Headhunters.

2ND HALF...

TOLLEY WANTS THE BALL...

PARNABY & NIXON...

THE PAIN...

The players took a break to sanitise hands and language, then they reappeared to continue in the way the game had been rumbling during the opening half, albeit with Stratford kicking down the slope. Two efforts at goal by the Headhunting skipper could have ended the contest but neither was successful. First, colleague Dan Martin couldn’t reach with a header from Herkes’ right-flank corner and the ball dropped onto Southall’s right boot but it then rose over the bar from a good position. Soon afterwards he leapt with Cox at a similar set-piece by Herkes and his header looped upwards, forcing Hartopp to back-pedal and turn the effort over the crossbeam. And then the Head destructed…

WILKES FINDS NO TAKERS FOR LEAP-FROG...

Wilkes curled his free-kick towards the left upright, Junior attempted to clear but somehow managed only to lift the ball past a surprised Butler and into the net. What the Butler saw was horror…

1-1: WILKES...

Almost immediately, Robbins, who was in a fierce battle with Junior and not only took knocks but distributed a few too, finally made a run towards the left byeline and Parnaby swung his left boot at it but totally miscued. What the Butler saw was comical… However, Wilkes shoved the loose ball past a shocked Butler and just inside the left stick from 4 yards, with the home defenders wrong-footed and in disarray. Perhaps both Robbins and Parnaby should register assists… 

1-2: WILKES...

Parnaby, as lively as ever for FC, sent Daccus away for a shot from an angle on the right but, er, he unselfishly passed the ball across the 6 yard area and home defender Jack Nixon, whose overall performance was laudable, lashed the cross to safety. Subsequently, FC really pressed forward with Daccus’ near post corner bouncing off Wilkes’ knees for a goal-kick, Tonchev having a drive deflected wide and Cox nodding another Daccus corner wide of the far post, after which the midfielder was withdrawn and Reeves arrived like a revelation to win the match for his troop.

MESSY FC DEFENCE...

A long left-to- right free-kick by Robbins drifted over the jumping Storey’s head (he must have wished he was an extra storey taller) and that set Reeves free to run at goal, right of centre. His finish was unerring and low into the far left corner of the net, leaving the unfortunate Butler helpless and blameless. 

1-3: REEVES...

Another low free-kick by Wilkes was cleared from the goal-line at the left upright by the alert Martin and immediately the ball fell for Tonchev to fire in a nasty drive from 17 yards which Butler dived right for and saved splendidly. Daccus’ shot from a very narrow angle cannoned off the crossbar, struck Wilkes 1 yard out and bounced over the target and in truth, by this point the Lanemen’s Heads had dropped further. Soon though, Nixon’s lobbed header at the left stick caused bother, he and Southall then shot way too high from downtown and suddenly, they pulled a goal back. A challenge at a set piece saw the ball drop 6 yards out and Tuckley overhead-shot it high past a startled Hartopp into the right side of goal.

2-3: TUCKLEY...

Typically, trouble ensued as the hosts wanted retrieve the ball and Robbins looked rather angry as tempers became frayed. Certainly Robbins was cautioned, I believe Martin might have been too, adding to Parnaby’s booking for a pull and Storey’s yellow card for an earlier wild foul. Southall escaped punishment all afternoon, despite some angry verbal moments devoted to the main official…

CAUTION FOR PARNABY...

STOREY IN TROUBLE...

Replacement James Gifford finally offered an aerial threat for FC and his nod-on freed Wilkes, who was denied sharply by the advancing Butler, before neat play by Reeves led to a shot by the limping Hatfield rising well over the target from 17 yards. And then a lines-person flagged for a defensive foul right on the edge of FC’s penalty-box with a minute or so remaining. The referee acquiesced and the left-boot of Phillips looked certain to at least trouble Hartopp. Amid silent tension however, Phillips lifted his free-kick well over the goal-frame and handed victory to Stratford.    

PLAYGROUND ANGER...

GIFFORD (CENTRE): USEFUL IN THE AIR...

This was a good event to watch, with some hard and mostly fair tackling emanating from Lane Head’s Nixon, Storey, Martin and central defender Liam Brehany. Hall and Southall too were strong in the trenches, whilst central striker Josh Tolley was a workhorse, although he would rue his lack of service as the main striker. 

"SHUT UP, YOU'RE BOTH IN DETENTION, SOCIALLY DISTANCED OF COURSE..."

FC were served better after the break by their central defenders, Robbins led his team with gusto, Morton did what Morton does, Parnaby popped up all round the advanced midfield area, Tonchev was impish at wide-left and Wilkes scored a useful brace. Reeves though was the catalyst to energising the midfield area, just when the hosts were reeling…

Sadly for FC’s starter Ryan Palmer, he was hurt in the warm-up. The referee though made two interesting decisions in the match… Both were rough fouls on FC players but both times the official waved play on for, er, ‘advantage’ to the visitors but there was none in each case. So two home players escaped punishment and FC were denied two free-kicks… Tough job, refereeing…

TEAMS:

LANE HEAD:

ALFIE BUTLER, JACK NIXON, BEN STOREY, DAN MARTIN, LIAM BREHANY, HAYDN HALL, JAMMEH ALHAGIE EBRIMA, ASH SOUTHALL (CAPT), JOSH TOLLEY, BRANDON HERKES, CALLUM PHILLIPS.

SUBS:

RICH TILL, MITCH BRADFORD, BEN GARDNER, CRAIG TUCKLEY, REAGAN WARDLE.

FC STRATFORD:

JACK HARTOPP, BEN JOHNS, JAMES ROBBINS (CAPT), NICK COX, JAMIE HATFIELD, ABDUL MUHAMMED, PETAR TONCHEV, TEZ MORTON, ASH WILKES, TOM PARNABY, TOM DACCUS.

SUBS:

MATT NUTT, RYAN REEVES, LEWIS LUDFORD, JAMES GIFFORD.