Stratford Town 4 - 1 Kettering Town

IN A NUTSHELL:
Stratford must like playing the Poppies as they completed the double in the league today- winning both games by three clear goals. Today’s win was courtesy of two unchallenged headers from free kicks with Kidderminster loanees, George Forsyth and Wayne Thomas scoring in the 3rd and 57th minutes respectively. Ben Baker had scored for Kettering on the half hour, but further second half goals from Jamie Spencer on 80 minutes and a Will Grocott penalty in added time completed the scoring.

THE KETTERING SQUAD:
A depleted squad greeted the visiting supporters. Brett Solkhon was on the bench but not fully fit. Liam Canavan is out for the remaining games with broken ribs after a car crash. Jack Kelly was ill and James Hall injured and neither travelled.
Dom Langdon and Liam Bateman were rested. In came Lewis Hornby, Ben Baker,Jorrin John, Jack O’Connor and Ethan Lee was called onto the four man substitutes bench.

HOW THE GAME UNFOLDED:

A pleasant day in Will Shakespeare country saw four ex Poppies line up for Stratford- Niall Cooper, Will Grocott, Ben Stephens and Justin Marsden.

Kettering were a goal down in just three minutes. An unnecessary foul was conceded and Will Grocott’s free kick found an unmarked George Forsyth who headed past Paul White.

The Poppies then gained a free kick in a great position but Lewis Hornby’s kick was poor into the wall and he sent the rebound sailing over the bar.

Jorrin John’s 9th minute shot was easy for Niall Cooper and a couple of minutes later a good move saw Ben Baker hit the post- but James Brighton, who crossed, was given offside.

Paul White held Justin Marsden’s looping header and from another free kick, Forsyth – again unmarked - this time headed well wide.

It was a very patchy game with a lot of interruptions from the Referee’s whistle. On the half hour Ben Stephens spotted White off his line and his cheeky 40 yarded was well over the bar.

Kettering equalised from the goal kick. Hornby took a pass and threaded the ball down the right for Aaron O’Connor and Ben Baker. Baker won the chase and slotted the ball under Cooper.

John saw another low shot saved by Cooper and, at the other end, Simeon Tulloch glanced a header well wide from Justin Marsden’s cross.

A flowing Kettering move created a good shooting chance for Aaron O’Connor but an equally good block from a home defender prevented the keeper having to make a save.

Whilst Kettering now had a lot of possession they could not make it pay and in fact Stratford should have re-taken the lead in the 37th minute. Tulloch was put through and was tackled. The loose ball fell to Jamie Spencer, but he placed his shot wide of the right post from 18 yards.

Kettering then had a great chance to take the lead on 43 minutes. Hornby’s cross from the right found Aaron O’Connor. His first effort was blocked by Cooper and the follow up was kicked off the line by Dan Summerfield with a great clearance.

Finally in the half, Hornby’s overhit free kick went straight through to Cooper.

Half Time:

Stratford Town 1 - 1 Kettering Town

The second period took a while to get going. After five minutes of the half, Ben Baker made a good run into the box- but his delivery was rather fired at John, rather than passed, and the ball rebounded kindly for Cooper.

Then the ball was again worked from the right – but John skewed a left foot shot wide as he over-balanced. On 53 minutes Baker had a good chance 12 yards out but fired wide of the left upright.

Stratford re-took the lead on 58 minutes. James Haran was yellow carded for a poor challenge and from the kick, Wayne Thomas rose unchallenged to head in.

The game deteriorated. The Referee still had plenty of whistle and as one spectator shouted- he was ruining a poor game!

Not a lot happened for 20 minutes apart from substitutions, with Liam Bateman and Dom Langdon replacing Jack O’Connor and Jorrin John and Mike Taylor replacing Ben Stephens for the home team at the same time.

White took a good cross from the right before disaster nearly struck on 77 minutes. Gary Mulligan’s mis-kick gave Taylor a great chance – and his mis-kick was even worse with only White to beat.

Stratford needn’t have worried though as their third goal came on 80 minutes. Hornby lost possession and, as the ball was played through, Mulligan missed his tackle- allowing Spencer a free run on goal to score.

Ethan Lee joined the fray- only soon to be yellow carded and then to escape a sending off as another ill-timed challenge tested the Referee’s patience.

The Poppies forced a couple of corners without result before conceding a fourth goal in added time. Taylor went down under the lightest of touches fro Mulligan and the Assistant signalled the penalty- coolly dispatched by Grocott.

The Players were in for a roasting as the Manager stormed off the pitch at the final whistle, and better is certainly needed against Cambridge City on Monday at Latimer Park against a team fighting to keep its place in the division- and again next Saturday away against promotion chasing Banbury.

Full Time:

Stratford Town 4 - 1 Kettering Town

Attendance: 309 (Poppies fans estimated at 100)

Poppies Man of the Match: Not awarded.

Team Line-ups:

Stratford Town:
1 Niall Cooper
2 James Fry (Captain)
3 Daniel Summerfield
4 George Forsyth (12 Barry Fitzharris, 53)
5 Guy Clark
6 Wayne Thomas
7 Simeon Tulloch
8 Will Grocott
9 Jamie Spencer
10 Ben Stephens (14 Mike Taylor,65)
11 Justin Marsden

Unused Subs:
13 Scott Martin
15 Edwin Ahenkorah
16 Emmit Delfouneso

Yellow Cards: Forsyth,40:Cooper,63:

Kettering Town:
1 Paul White
2 Jack O’Connor (12 Liam Bateman,65)
3 James Brighton
4 Lewis Hornby
5 James Haran
6 Gary Mulligan (Captain)
7 Ben Baker
8 Aaron O’Connor
9 Rene Howe
10 Nathan Hicks (15 Ethan Lee,76)
11 Jorrin John (14 Dom Langdon,65)

Unused Sub:
16 Brett Solkhon

Yellow Cards: Howe,21;Haran,57;Lee,85;Bateman,90.