FC STRATFORD 4-2 STAPENHILL FC: THE INDEPENDENT GAME REPORT + SCREENSHOTS FROM THE GOAL-CLIPS...

 Bears Progress In The FA Vase, Scoring Four Goals Past Three Goalies…

FC Stratford 4-2 Stapenhill FC…

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This game, played at Highgate United’s ground because Stratford’s pitch is currently being renovated, was a strange affair in some ways.

The guests lost goalie Jake Burkey early in the match to a leg injury as he cleared the ball away, then replacement goalie, outfielder Brad Wright, was subsequently replaced at half-time by another substitute called Brad, this time Brad Rankin but despite that, the third ‘keeper made just one real save after the break, from a shot from downtown in the opening seconds by home midfielder Dan Baldwin.

The damage was done by FC during the first period, when they netted three times, the first arriving within a minute or so of the start by defender Dan Purvin. A second came from skipper Tom Daccus and a third from busy midfielder James Batchelor, both of those assisted by the prominent Jamie Robinson.

Defender Sahad Amir and Daccus were replaced at the interval by forwards Ryley Stubbs-Jeavons and Toby Nicoll, who scored FC’s fourth goal with a spot-kick. However, the Bears failed to repeat their form of the first-half and as the second period wore on, the Swans forced their way back into the match and grabbed a couple of goals themselves, dominating the latter stages, when all of the FC replacements were on the pitch.

Apart from the six goals, there were few other chances created through the 90 minutes, with FC creating the majority of them. Home ‘keeper Charlie McNamara wasn’t really troubled at all, though visiting forward Taylor Molineux lifted a first-half close range effort off target as he stretched and when McNamara wasn’t able to grasp a set-piece delivery, he was fortunate to recover enough to grab visiting skipper Harry Lansdowne’s lobbed header on the goal-line.

The Bears’ first-half showing…

An early free-kick brought the first goal, when left-back Ben Cook’s shot looped over the defensive wall but was spilled by Burkey as he fell right, which allowed Purvin to pounce at the left upright and clip the ball over the recovering gloveman and into the net from an angle.

COOK'S FREE-KICK...

BURKEY SAVES BUT...

...PURVIN NETS THE REBOUND...

New goalminder Wright kicked out a shot by Amir, then plunged left to turn aside a free-kick by Batchelor and from the second phase of attack, he kicked away another Batchelor effort. 

However a second goal arrived when a slick feed left on half-way by Robbie Sone released the elusive Robinson, who neatly passed the ball across the penalty-box between Swans’ right-back Niall Dawkins and central defender Josh Watson for Daccus to run onto and shoot first-time low into the bottom left corner of the net past a helpless Wright.

SONE'S PASS...

ROBINSON SETS UP DACCUS...

...WHO SCORES...

The third FC goal again stemmed from Robinson on the left flank, this time cleverly forcing his way between Molineux and Dawkins to set up Batchelor for a low 16 yard finish into the bottom left corner of the net. 

SMART BY ROBINSON...

 

THE PASS TO BATCHELOR...

...WHO SHOOTS...

...& SCORES...

The strange second period…

The surprise substitutions for FC changed the dynamics of the match somewhat, although it took Stapenhill some time to cause the Bears problems, despite the urgent midfield work of Liam O’Brien and Jack Henchcliffe. The strong and experienced ability of Louis Briscoe was evident as the main attacker but little was created by the Swans, although Molineux and Tommy Large were industrious and wily forward Cam Steele often looked a danger.

The Bears were given a penalty when Watson was adjudged to have knocked Batchelor over and Nicoll dummied, then drove his spot-kick high to Rankin’s left, who was unable to reach the effort and it was 4-0…

NICOLL'S PENALTY...

...& IT'S 4-0...

The two consolation rewards for Stapenhill were scored  by two of their most influential players, first when Steele hooked a smart 15 yard volley inside the left post from replacement Dante Edwards’ right-side centre and then, from one of several corners gained by Stapenhill, Lansdowne reached to head low into the left corner of the net, despite being amongst a crowd of FC defenders.

EDWARDS' ASSIST...

...& STEELE'S VOLLEY FINDS THE NET...

LANSDOWNE LUNGES...

...& HEADS IN FOR 4-2...

The final words…  

FC were getting jittery as the latter stages became awkward but they saw out the tie with some stout defending from Purvin and the dominant Evangelos Empochontsif. McNamara was rarely troubled in truth but Stapenhill, missing a number of players, had redeemed themselves after an untidy first period. Watson and Lansdowne were impressive at the back, in particular. 

FC simply lost their ascendancy after the interval, despite the efforts of the lively Batchelor and Baldwin. Robinson slotted in on the right side after the recess and did so successfully, whilst Jacob Williams’ work in midfield was committed and the tall Cook was well involved both in defence and attack from his left-back berth… 

So, the Bears netted four goals past three goaltenders to progress to the next round of the FA Vase…