Match Reports - November 2007
24 November 2007 Oldbury United 0 Stratford Town 2
OLDBURY OUTBATTLED AS TOWN SECURE VITAL WIN
Town went a long way towards getting their season back on track with a performance full of determination and commitment as they saw off a combative Oldbury side to record only their second win in the last six MFA matches.
After the disappointment at Shawbury last week changes were expected, and Micky Moore made five to the starting line-up although two were injury enforced as Craig Johnson and Ashley Pringle were still carrying knocks from the Vase encounter. Johnson’s place in goal was taken by Simon Lynn who played for Town Youth two or three seasons ago and has since been at Rugby United before recently moving to Solihull Moors and now having signed MFA forms for Town, while Player/Coach John Snape took over in the centre of defence from Pringle.
In at left back came Harry Donaghey who has made a welcome return to Town after his unfortunate spell at Tamworth, with the other changes being the recall of Mark Faulds and Jerome Grandison in place of Paddy Connolly and Leigh Downing who both dropped to the subs bench.
In spite of their off-field problems which have resulted in them having to groundshare at Pe;lsall Villla this season Oldbury were an in-form team having lost only one of their last eight MFA games and having reached the Third Round of the F A Vase in midweek with a replay victory over Nottinghamshire side Dunkirk. In contrast Town had something to prove after some recent dismal efforts which culminated in their Vase exit at Shawbury, but they set out to dominate from the word go here and were well worth their win which keeps well in touch at the top of the table.
Town had the advantage of kicking down the pronounced Pelsall slope in the first half and could have gone ahead in the first minute when the ball was worked out to Richard Adams in the inside left channel but from 10 yards out he put his shot well wide and in doing so sustained a pulled thigh muscle. Despite physic Steve Wood‘s best efforts he could not continue and was replaced by Steve Ruck.
This apparent setback hardly troubled Town as they pushed Oldbury back and much of the action took place in the Oldbury half. Their best chance came in the 15th minute when a well worked free kick between Donaghey and Lawrence Rawlings resulted in Rory May getting on the end of Rawlings’ cross only to direct his header off-target when Richard Munday was better placed behind him. Barely a minute later another chance fell to May when Rawlings hit a long ball over from the right to Ruck who returned it first time into the penalty but this time May’s effort was high and wide.
Little was being seen of Oldbury as an attacking force with Snape’s experience and positional sense being invaluable in the Town backline and with Donaghey giving his typical wholeheated display so familiar to Town supporters last season.
In the 20th minute Town came the closest yet to breaking the deadlock when a left wing corner caused total mayhem in the Oldbury six yard box with Faulds having a shot blocked on the line and May then hitting the bar with a close range header before the ball was claimed by the relieved keeper Luke Tilt. Shortly after a Ruck shot from distance was comfortably held by Tilt and then on the half hour mark May was again wide with a header from another Rawlings’ free kick.
It was beginning to look as if it might be one of those games when a side totally dominated play with nothing to show for it at the end, but with the interval fast approaching Town struck twice in quick succession. Firstly Donaghey was fouled some 10 yards outside the penalty area towards the left corner flag and when Rawlings floated the free kick over it deceived Tilt and went in off the inside of the far post. With Oldbury still in disarray after going behind Town then doubled their advantage in stoppage time with May threading a pass through the centre of Oldbury’s defence for Grandison to run on to and slip the ball past the advancing keeper.
Half Time - Oldbury United 0 Stratford Town 2
A two goal lead was the least that Town deserved after their first half dominance but clearly it was not going to be the same in the second period as Oldbury came out determined to use their turn with the slope in their favour to put pressure on the Town defence for the first time in the match.
Nevertheless Town should have gone three up in the 55th minute. Another perceptive pass from May sent Grandison sprinting into the penalty are where he was brought down by the onrush Tilt. The penalty decision was straightforward and Tilt must have feared the worst having been red-carded for an identical offence in the midweek Vase replay. This time however the referee kept both his cards firmly in his pocket and when Grandison took the spot kick himself Tilt made the most of his good fortune to go full length low to his right to push the ball away to safety.
Encouraged by this let-off Oldbury looked to increase the tempo and some beefy tackles went in , but unlike at Shawbury Town were very much up for it and urged on by the influential Snape the defence, in which Munday was having his most assured game for some time. made sure that Lynn was never really tested.
Then with 20 minutes to go Town suddenly made it more difficult for themselves. Jack Byrne and Scott Moore tangled in the Oldbury penalty area and the referee issued yellow cards to both, but just a few minutes earlier Byrne had also been yellow carded for kicking the ball away and so Town were now down to ten men.
Micky Moore responded by replacing Rawlings with the more defensively minded Michael Crawford, but for a time the game threatened to boil over. Grandison was elbowed off the ball unseen by the referee and a number of fouls appeared to go unpunished, but time was on Town’s side and they were able to hang on without too many alarms until the final whistle.
This was a much needed win, but perhaps the most pleasing aspect was the manner in which the result was achieved. There was total effort from everyone throughout the 90 minutes, and if that continues Town’s recent reversals will surely not be repeated.
TOWN : Lynn,, Robinson, Donaghey, Byrne, Snape,, Munday,, Rawlings (Crawford 72), Faulds (Connolly 83), May, Adams (Ruck 5),Grandison. Subs Not Used - Downing and Alborough
OLDBURY : Tilt, Perrott, Dimmock, Price, Moore, Whitehouse, Hemmings, Nicholls (Draisey 81), Johns, Morris (Grant 62), Pugh. Subs Not Used - Wilkhoo and Maclaren.
Town Yellow Cards - Robinson Red Cards - Byrne
Oldbury Yellow Cards - Nicholls and Moore
Attendance - 45
Town Man of Match - John Snape - a huge influence in the centre of Town’s defence - his experience and organisation were vital in ensuring a welcome clean sheet and an important three points.
Match Stats :
Town - GA 18 OT 10 HW 1 CW 9 FC 14 OS 3 YC 3 RC 1
Oldbury - GA 6 OT 1 HW 0 CW 1 FC 13 OS 3 YC 2 RC 0
Saturday 17 November 2007
Shawbury United 1 Stratford Town 0 F A Vase sponsored by Carlsberg
IT'S A SHOCKER AT SHAWBURY
Any hopes that Town may have entertained of a decent run in this season's F A Vase disappeared in the Shropshire countryside on Saturday as Shawbury United from the West Midlands League took an early lead in ths Second Round Tie and then hung on tenaciously to eventually run out deserving winners.
Micky Moore had to make two changes to the starting line-up with Andy Penny and Jerome Grandison both being out injured, and they were replaced by Richard Munday and Lawrence Rawlings, while Nic Oakley and new player/coach John Snape came onto the subs bench.
This was Town's first visit to the Butler Sports Centre in Wem which Shawbury share with Wem Town with its neat little stand and level playing surface, and they set out to take an early grip on the game. In only the fifth minute they came close to going in front when Leigh Downing fed Lawrence Rawlings down the right and when he crossed it low to Rory May it needed a fine saving tackle from Adam Smith to clear the danger. Yet just four minutes later Town added yet another to the ever lengthening list of totally avoidable goals that they have conceded this season.
Shawbury were awarded a free kick halfway inside Town's half and when Martin Giles floated it into the Town penalty area it was not properly cleared and the loose ball fell to Tom Reynolds unmarked on the right who easily beat Craig Johnson from 10 yards out with a firm shot into the bottom corner. This gave Shawbury just the confidence booster that they needed and although Town played the neater football they were unable to trouble Shawbury keeper Damien Stevens while Shawbury's more direct style gave the Town backline plenty of problems.
In the 24th minute Giles hit a teasing cross in from the left which was just out of Mike Brown's reach and shortly after Dave Walbyoff was not far away with a useful effort after Munday had carelessly lost possession. Town continued to make it difficult for themselves with uncertainty in defence and lack of penetration up front where May too often tried to take on the entire defence on his own, and on the half hour mark it required a brave save by Johnson at the feet of Pete Smith after a searching through ball from Adam Smith to prevent Shawbury going further ahead.
With the travelling support now becoming restless Town attempted to raise their game as the half drew to a close. Typical persistence down the left by Rawlings won a corner in the 42nd minute and when it came across May's header was only cleared with some difficulty by the desperate Shawbury defence, while more good work by Rawlings won another left wing corner on the stroke of half time but this time it was hit too close to Stevens who gathered easily.
Half Time - Shawbury United 1 Stratford Town 0
Clearly words had been said in the Town dressing room at the interval as they were far more positive straight from the restart. Barely a minute had been played before Stevens had to hold a lobbed effort from Richard Robinson under his crossbar, and with Richard Adams beginning to look something like the player he was at Leamington an equaliser would surely not be long in coming.
Yet in the 54th minute Town were fortunate not to go two behind when more sloppy play at the back led to Walbyoff gaining possession ion the edge of the penalty area. He unselfishly slipped it across to Reynolds whose shot hit the bar and Johnson was luckily in the right position to grab the rebound. Neveretheless Town were at last getting into their stride and in the 56th minute a fine flowing move involving Jack Byrne and Paddy Connolly led to Adams letting fly with a fierce right footer from the edge of the penalty area which brought a full stretch save from Stevens as he arched to push the ball away for a corner. Shortly after Brown tested Johnson with a low shot from the right as the game switched from end to end, and then a cross from Rawlings found May at the far post but the angle was too tight and his effort hit the angle of post and bar and went behind for a goal kick.
With the game now entering it last 20 minutes Shawbury sensed that they could somehow hang on for a famous victory and redoubled their efforts while Town in contrast seemed to falter and were second to everything that mattered.
Micky Moore rather surprisingly withdrew Adams and sent on Steve Ruck, but Walbyoff had a chance to clinch the win for Shawbury in the 73rd minute when he seized on a loose pass from Robinson but Johnson was quickly out to block at his feet
It was now becoming desperate for Town and with nine minutes left Moore made a double substitution sending on Snape for Robinson at the back and Mark Faulds for Downing in midfield while at the same time pushing Ashley Pringle into the attack in search of the elusive leveller. That almost arrived in the 83rd minute when a shot from Ruck was deflected for a corner. Ruck took it himself and May climbed superbly to beat his marker only for his header to cannon against the bar and be hooked clear.
Although Rawlings continued to chase everything to try and get his side back into the match that was Town's last real chance, and three times in the remaining minutes Johnson had to deal with one-on -one situations as his defenders all pushed up twice denying Brown and once Reynolds.
Sadly this was another limp display from Town against a side who won simply because they wanted it more, and after such a promising start Town's season is nearing now crunch time. The next four MFA matches against Oldbury, Cradley, Shifnal and Causeway - all away - have become "must win" affairs as otherwise Town will find sides getting away from them in the League as well and then it will be merely a matter of just playing for pride when Tiddington finally comes on stream in the New Year.
TOWN : Johnson, Robinson (Faulds 82), Alborough,, Downing (Snape 82), Pringle, Minday, Rawlings, Connolly, May, Byrne, Adams (Ruck 68). Subs Not Used - Crawford and Oakley
SHAWBURY : Stevens, A Smith, M Giles, Stallard, Ellis, McGarvey, Brown, Stuart, Walbyoff, P Smith, Reynolds. Subs Not Used - S.Giles, Hodson, Davies and Blocksidge
Town Yellow Cards - Rawlings Shawbury Yellow Cards - None
Attendance - 80
Town Man of Match - Lawrence Rawlings - kept battling away from the first minute to the last and was one of the few Town players to show the necessary spirit and determination that is required in matches like this.
Match Stats : Town - GA 10 OT 4 HW 2 CW 6 FC 15 OS 3 YC 1 RC 0
Shawbury - GA 8 OT 5 HW 1 CW 4 FC 14 OS 1 YC 0 RC 0
Saturday 10th November
TOWN HELD AT HOME BY THE RESOLUTE ROMANS
Stratford Town 1 - May 57
Rocester 1 - McMahon 39
Town maintained their unbeaten home record in the MFA this season when a second half equaliser from leading scorer Rory May, which was worth the price of admission on its own, earned them a hard fought point against a determined and well organised Rocester side who were lying third in the table one point behind Town although with two games in hand.
With Micky Moore away coaching in Hong Kong John Reeves was in charge aided by Terry Angus, while John Snape who has just joined the Town back room staff after leaving Bromsgrove Rovers this week held a watching brief from the stand.
The two new signings announced by Micky Moore earlier in the week - Andy Penny who has arrived from Hinckley and who previously had made 194 appearances for Solihull Borough and ex-Leamington hotshot Richard Adams - both made the starting line-up in place of Angus and Jae Martin. Martin incidentally has moved to Woodford where he will link up with another ex-Town striker of recent memory - Avun Jephcott - who also left Leamington this week.
Other changes were Gareth Alborough coming in at left back in place of Michael Crawford and Jerome Grandison replacing Lawrence Rawlings on the left of midfield.
Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of the four firefighters who had died in dreadful incident at Atherstone-on-Stour which was impeccably observed by everyone in the ground.
When the game got underway Town were first to threaten when Dan Smith hauled down Grandison in only the third minute but from Alborough’s well flighted free kick May was disappointingly off target with a close range header.
Rocester were slower into their stride but the tricky Ishmael Reid out on the left was showing some neat touches, and in the 10th minute he made a jinking run from midfield into the Town penalty area beating three defenders in the process and it needed a brave block at his feet from Craig Johnson to avert the danger.
Town responded with a header from Grandison from a Richard Robinson cross which was high and then a right foot shot by Grandison from the edge of the penalty area which was pushed round the post with some difficulty by keeper Dean Latham. From the resulting corner May had a shot blocked and from another corner a Paddy Connolly effort went over the bar as Town had the better of the possession.
However they were almost caught napping in the 21st minute when a free kick from Reid out on the left found David Shaw 8 yards out and his looping header beat Johnson but bounced to safety off the crossbar.
At times Town were playing some decent football and on the half hour mark a neat move involving Grandison and Alborough set up the first chance of the match for Adams but the Romans were saved by the offside flag. At the other end Reid was continuing to prove a real handful and in the 35th minute he let fly from fully 30 yards out only for his effort to dip too late and land on top of the net rather than in it.
Nevertheless it was probably against the run of play when Rocester took the lead in the 39th minute and once more in this season of sloppy goals it was a poor one to concede. May carelessly lost possession halfway inside the Town half and his lack of challenge then allowed David Brown to float a cross over to Adam McMahon on the right of Town’s penalty area. He all too easily sidestepped Alborough’s weak attempt to tackle and slipped the ball past Johnson from 8 yards out.
In reply Grandison went on a tricky run to the edge of Rocester’s area but then elected to pass to Leigh Downing instead of shooting and the chance was gone and then Adams got away down the right and hit a low centre just beyond the reach of May and Grandison.
Neverthelss with half time imminent Town could easily have gone two down when the defence struggled to cope with a routine long pass into the penalty area but when the loose ball fell to McMahon he wastefully blazed it high and wide.
Half Time - Stratford Town 0 Rocester 1
Town made a spirited start to the second half with the hardworking Jack Byrne having a go from 25 yards which was fumbled by Latham before being cleared and Grandison having an effort from a similar distance out on the left being pushed aside at full stretch by the busy Rocester keeper
Shaw hit a left footer past the post for the Romans but Town were again having the majority of the possession although the final ball often seemed to lack quality, and when their equaliser arrived in the 57th minute it was all down to a moment of magic from the talismanic May.
Receiving a long clearance from Johnson on his chest some 20 yards out his control was instant and he then expertly turned his marker before unleashing an unstoppable shot which flew past Latham’s right hand into the far corner. A tremendous piece of skill and an assist in the stats for Johnson.!!
Not surprisingly this goal temporarily knocked Rocester out of their stride and three minutes later Town could have gone in front. A May shot from a free kick taken by Richard Munday - on for Penny who had taken a knock - was deflected away for a corner and when it came across Alborough’s effort was also blocked. The ball fell loose to Downing 25 yards out and his first time attempt beat Latham and clipped the top of the bar.
Rawlings replaced the tiring Adams and immediately added some impetus and with Munday impressing in his first appearance since the Market Drayton debacle Town looked the more likely winners. Rawlings put a header from a Downing cross straight at Latham, Grandison hit a shot over and Rawlings was then narrowly wide as Town cranked up the pressure and with ten minutes to go they came agonisingly close to a second goal. Rawlings took a corner on the left which he hit long and when Munday returned the ball into the Rocester six yard box May’s shot hit Carl Allen right on the line and was then hacked away by the desperate Brown.
Town continued to press as the Romans held on grimly and their final chance came in the 88th minute. Downing was brought down by Brown just outside the penalty area in a central position and Byrne’s free kick was arrowing under the bar until Latham got across to turn it over.
So ended Town’s seventh draw of their MFA campaign to date. Two more points have drifted away, and Town were still not totally convincing but at least the overall performance was an improvement over some in recent weeks. Next Saturday it is Vase action against Shawbury from the West Midlands League and Shawbury will undoubtedly be “up for it. Town will need to be too !!
TOWN : Johnson, Robinson, Alborough,, Byrne, Pringle, Penny (Minday 49),, Downing (Faulds 81), Connolly, May, Adams (Rawlings 68), Grandison (Faulds 85). Subs Not Used - Crawford and Ruck
ROCESTER : Latham, Smith, Allen, Heath, Ruddock, Brown, McMahon (Beardsley 58), Gadsby, Shaw, Bagley ( Sheridan 75), Reid. Subs Not Used - Maxwell and Henderson
Town Yellow Cards - Alborough
Rocester Yellow Cards - Smith
Attendance - 121
Town Man of Match - Jack Byrne - another hardworking performance in midfield and came close to winning the game for Town with his sweetly struck free kick in the closing minutes
Match Stats :
Town - GA 18 OT 6 HW 1 CW 8 FC 10 OS 2 YC 1 RC 0
Rocester - GA 9 OT 4 HW 2 CW 2 FC 9 OS 2 YC 1 RC 0
Saturday 3rd November
WASTEFUL TOWN FALL TO LAST GASP WINNER
Alvechurch 2 - Gittings 45 Ball 90
Stratford Town 1 - Connolly 36
Town slipped to their third defeat in four games at Alvechurch on Saturday when a stoppage time goal gave the Lye Meadow men all three points when a point apiece would probably have been a fairer result. Town though had only themselves to blame as they had created the better chances in the second half but failed to take them and then conceded the winner when their marking from a corner again let them down.
After last week’s more resolute display against Tipton Micky Moore relied on the same starting line-up, but on the subs bench Gareth Alborough replaced Ian Wood who has gone on loan to Highgate. Unusually both sides included a player over 40 with Town’s Terry Angus vying with Alvechurch keeper Tim Clarke for the status of elder statesman !!.
Alvechurch kicked off down the notorious Lye Meadow slope as both sides made a tentative start. The uneven surface made smooth flowing football almost an impossibility and it was 12 minutes before there was a worthwhile goal attempt when Rory May and Lawrence Rawlings exchanged passes to allow May a shot which drifted narrowly wide of Clarke’ right hand post, while it was not until the 20 minute mark before Alvechurch threatened when Callum Gittings should have done better than blaze high and wide after being put in by a quickly taken Lee Chilton free kick.
With the first period reaching its halfway point Town were dealt a blow when the Alvechurch right back Steffano Abonandi clattered late and hard into Michael Crawford resulting in Crawford sustaining a severe eye injury which was later to require hospital treatment. Steve Ruck came on to replace him but Abonandi received only a yellow card when on another day it might have been red.
As the half hour mark approached Alvechurch at last put a reasonable move together resulting in the troublesome Ravi Sangha setting up a chance for Lee Chilton but his effort was high, and then shortly after May used his strength to beat off two challenges and allow Rawlings a shooting chance but he too was well off target.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 36th minute when Town took the lead. May’s close control from a throw-in allowed him to slip the ball inside to Leigh Downing whose shot from the edge of the penalty area was charged down. The loose ball fell to Rawlings whose first time effort was also blocked, and as the Alvechurch defence struggled to clear Paddy Connolly showed his trademark alertness and determination to react the quickest and bundle the ball over the line from close range.
Jack Byrne then went close after being played in by Rawlings, and Downing sent in an effort from 20 yards after a free kick had been touched to him which was only held by Clarke at the second attempt, but on the stroke of half time some casual Town defensive play allowed Alvechurch to equalise. The hosts won a corner on the left and when it was hit to the near post Gittings was unchallenged as he beat Craig Johnson to the ball and headed it across him into the far corner.
And it could have been worse for Town as in the time added on for Crawford’s injury Alvechurch had another left wing corner which this time was hit long allowing tall defender Simon Redhead a free header which to Town’s relief he put well over.
Half Time - Alvechurch 1 Stratford Town 1
Town had a scare early in the second half when Johnson misjudged a long pass hit into the penalty area but Ashley Pringle was on hand to hack the ball away from the open goal. By now though Town were getting to grips with the individual demands of the pitch and with Byrne and Connolly beavering away to good effect in midfield openings began to come Town’s way.
Rawlings had Town’s first chance of the half in the 52nd minute when Ruck pulled the ball back to him from near the left corner flag but his shot from 10 yards out flashed past the near post, and shortly after a long pass from Downing found Rawlings out on the right who squared it inside to Connolly only for him to be deceived by the unpredictable bounce and scoop his effort over the bar.
With Town now looking the more likely winners Micky Moore sent on the pacy Jerome Grandison to add an extra dimension to the attack in place of Jae Martin who had had another ineffective afternoon but in the 70th minute Town were probably fortunate not to concede a penalty when Richard Robinson appeared to handle just inside the area but to Alvechurch’s disbelief the referee waved play on.
Another chance fell to Town in the 75th minute when May fed Downing but the midfielder was well away with his effort, and Town had a warning of what was to come barely a minute later when Johnson had to make a brave save at Lee Chilton’s feet following good build up work from Sanhga
Neveretheless it was still Town who were pressing as the game headed towards the final whistle, and in the 88th minute they had probably the best chance of the half to win the game. Alvechurch substitute Ian Millward was penalised for handball some three yards outside the penalty area, but Ruck’s free kick was weak and hardly troubled the defensive wall when the essential was at least to force Clarke into action, and Town were to pay the price in stoppage time.
A long ball was hit into the Town penalty area and Johnson was beaten to it by Lee Chilton only for Ruck to tidy up at the expense of a corner. The corner was taken short to Craig Ball unmarked 20 yards out ad he unleashed a screamer which flew over Johnson and dipped under the bar - virtually a carbon copy of the decisive goal conceded by Town at Coalville three weeks ago.
So Town’s disappointing run of from continues and particularly worrying is the fact that they are not playing with anything like the fluency and flair of earlier in the season. Rocester at home next week will be another tough one but it is one that Town desperately need to win if they are to keep in touch with the other teams challenging at the top.
TOWN : Johnson, Robinson, Crawford (Ruck 26), Byrne, Pringle, Angus,, Downing (Faulds 81), Connolly, May, Martin (Grandison 66),Rawlings. Subs Not Used - Munday and Alborough
ALVECHURCH : Clarke, Abonandi, Kelly, Richards, Redhead, Ball, Gittings (Ferran 74), Lee Chilton, Sangha, Rostill, Jason Chilton (Millward 70). Subs Not Used - Clayton, Kyle Richards and Coney
Town Yellow Cards - None
Alvechurch Yellow Cards - Abonandi and Lee Chilton
Attendance - 111
Town Man of Match - Jack Byrne - after a couple of quiet matches he was back to his normal enthusiastic and hard working self with some intelligent distribution particularly in the second half when Town enjoyed their best spell of the game.
Match Stats :
Town - GA 10 OT 4 HW 0 CW 3 FC 11 OS 1 YC 0 RC 0
Alvechurch - GA 12 OT 5 HW 0 CW 10 FC 13 OS 1 YC 2 RC 0
