BEWDLEY TOWN 1-4 FC STRATFORD: THE MOWDOG'S INDEPENDENT REPORT + IMAGES WITH CAPTIONS...

 Early Errors Cost The Riversiders As Stratford Grab The Points…

Bewdley Town 1-4 FC Stratford

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

So, I walked slowly around the pitch at around 14.06 hours, taking the occasional photograph, until I reached a floodlight pylon beyond the away dugout. I glanced left at the ominous River Severn just below the Ribbesford Meadows touchline and then, like Buster Keaton in a silent comedy sketch, my left foot slipped on the only patch of mud anywhere nearby. Arms, legs, bag, arse and camera flew spectacularly into the air, as I scrambled to keep my balance but I landed in a muddy heap. I could hear long dead 1920s movie goers laughing helplessly in packed cinema aisles, as I pulled myself upright but the only spectator to my demise was Wendy, the mum of Bewdley right-back Alex Clarke, who told me that before she had laughed, she had waited until I became vertical again… 

THE MIRE RESPONSIBLE FOR MY STUPIDITY...

Nice of her, to be fair but I really wouldn’t have minded the laughter being instantaneous… Even a family of mallards on the far bank of the Severn were squawking in merriment… Anyway, Wendy, don’t forget to check the songs about your name by the Beach Boys and more recently by the excellent Maisie Peters…

THE MALLARDS REMAIN UNIMPRESSED...

So, I was mud stained, yet cheerful, as I was regarded quizzically by spectators who had managed to enter the ground without succumbing to slapstick comedy…

THE VIEW FOR THE ACROBAT...

The game! Ah, the game… Yes, FC won deservedly, despite a spirited second-period display by Bewdley, who eliminated the defensive errors of the opening 45 and made a game of it, although a 1-4 deficit at the interval was never really something that might have been overcome, in truth. Indeed, two fine saves by home goalie Kai Lloyd prevented a worse scoreline, while the hosts did manage a Jack Bailey free-kick which struck a post. Both Charlie Foley & Bailey were foiled in a goalmouth scramble too, as FC's Joe Waterfield and gloveman Ethan Pheasey blocked their low shots. 

BAILEY: A STRONG GAME...

The first period goals scored by FC were clinically taken but were presented to them too easily by some careless Town defending, leaving ‘keeper Lloyd badly exposed.

Certainly Stratford passed the ball neatly at times but the game often deteriorated into scuffling challenges in midfield, hurried kicks and untidiness. Certainly the encounter was watchable, as the light waned, the temperature dropped and the mallard family came ashore to check what all the noise was about…

THE MALLARDS DUCKED PAYING TO GET IN...

The opening half-hour or so…

The visitors shook off the early rushed exchanges when Robbie Sone took possession and although his neat, short pass forward for Jamie Robinson led to the FC forward being knocked over by Town’s Dan Sutton, striker Sam Rodber was onto the ball in a flash, veered past Lloyd to the left and netted into an empty goal from an angle. 

If that had been easy, goal two was, er, soft… 

A low centre by Robinson fed Rodber and his low shot from inside-right seemed scuffed but as it rolled across the goal-face, Jacob Williams swung a boot and maybe nudged the ball past a couple of defenders and the helpless Lloyd, into the bottom left corner of the net. 

The third goal was very preventable as a cross from the right by Cian Hodson looked to be hacked clear by Charlie Foley at the near post but he miscued, wrong-footing both the helpless Lloyd and defender Clarke, allowing the unmarked Dan Chaundy to convert at the far stick. 

Strangely, the next goalmouth action brought a goal from the hosts, as the effervescent Bewdley forward Elliott Lees chased hard as a Chaundy header back towards his goalie Ethan Pheasey didn’t quite reach the outrushing goalminder and Lees nipped in, forced the ball past the gloveman at 18 yards and converted easily.

LEES SHOWED FINE ANTICIPATION TO NAB HIS GOAL...

However, almost immediately, Pheasey booted a long ball forward, Foley was unable to prevent Rodber from getting past him and the forward struck a low, first-time shot smartly past the advancing and exposed Lloyd into the bottom left corner of goal.

As half-time approached, Sone got clear at inside-left but Lloyd advanced to save well, home skipper Michael Bridges curled a free-kick from 24 yards just off target and finally, Sone drove in a great effort from downtown, which was superbly turned over the goal-frame by the leaping Lloyd. 

SONE LOOKED GOOD ON THE DAY BUT ALSO STRUGGLED TO TIE UP HIS SHORTS...

The mallards really enjoyed that save…

After the interval…

Replacements Alex Price and Ryan Glenister bolstered Town’s resolve and with Dan Sutton taking a commanding role, Lees running some decent channels and central striker Bailey working really hard and often very effectively, FC were certainly having to knuckle down and graft harder. 

FUSSING ABOUT AT A FREE-KICK...

In writing that, however, few chances were created by the two teams, although a fine 25 yard free-kick by Bailey, as mentioned above, struck the left upright, as Pheasey leapt to cover. One of the best moments of the game arrived soon afterwards, when visiting skipper Kian Hamer who performed strongly for his team, ran from his own 18 yard box with the ball, passing a number of Riversiders but what would have been a brilliant goal was denied him by the advancing Lloyd, who saved bravely.

Pheasey fielded a long drive by Glenister, FC replacement Josh Newbold drove in a low effort which Lloyd saved and then the ‘keeper dived and touched another fine effort from distance by Sone onto the crossbar…

RODBER: A BRACE & A LIVELY PERFORMANCE...

The final words…

Hamer and Joe Waterfield coped with the danger caused by Town’s Lees and Bailey well enough, whilst Clarke made several decent sorties along the right flank for the hosts but in the end, the effort just wasn’t enough against Stratford, who showed glimpses of some neat possession-based play. 

The easy style of Sone was evident throughout the contest and he was of course denied three times by home goaltender Lloyd but he likely deserved a goal for his all-round performance.

LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER...

THE SHADED FACILITIES...

Williams, Robinson, the industrious Harry Budd and Chaundy liked to move the ball quickly and Rodber was a menace, taking his two goals with confidence and ease. 

Replacement Josh Going looked cool in possession and passed the ball carefully when he was introduced but in reality, the game had been won by half-time.

Decent work by Bewdley’s Ben Espley and Jake Hollylee should be mentioned in a real fightback by the team, whilst Price and Glenister featured strongly after the break…

I sloped back to my car after the game and tucked myself wearing mud-caked shoes, jeans and hooded jacket into the driver’s seat, wondering how different it had been at Ribbesford Meadows. No match programme, no-one on the microphone, thus no announcement of the teams and general information as usual… In fact, I would have been happy to oblige… 

I did wonder what the mallards thought of the match though…