Cooper goes from zero to hero as Town settle for point
NIALL Cooper turned from zero to hero as Stratford Town claimed a point in a bad-tempered affair with King's Lynn at the DCS Stadium on Saturday.
With Town leading 1-0, the Stratford goalkeeper badly misjudged Kurtis Revan's cross, allowing Lee Stevenson to bundle home a 65th-minute equaliser.
Cooper redeemed himself with nine minutes to go, as Guy Clark's suicidal back pass put Leon Mettam clear, but the Stratford keeper did magnificently well to deny the striker and earn Town a hard-earned point.
Like against Merthyr on Tuesday, Town started the game brightly and they went close to taking the lead when Dior Angus’s delicately-placed shot was saved by Alexander Street as it appeared to be heading for the top corner.
King’s Lynn were proving a threat themselves as the game progressed, in particular former Lincoln City front man Mettam, who had scored three goals in his last three starts.
And it was Mettam who came closest to a Lynn goal on the half-hour when his free-kick from just outside of the box rattled the bar with Cooper beaten.
Three minutes later, and it was Stratford who were inches away from going ahead.
Youngster Donnell Benjamin, on loan from Solihull Moors, slipped a delightful pass through to Richard Gregory, whose shot was saved by Street.
The ball rebounded to Town defender Liam Francis, who managed to slice it wide with the goal gaping.
The early stages of the second half saw Angus twice denied by Street, but Stratford’s persistence paid off in the 58 minute.
Barry Fitzharris pinged in a cross from the right that seemed to be on a plate for Angus, but the forward misjudged it.
Luckily for Town, the ball fell to Gregory at the far post and the skipper fired the ball home past Street to put Town ahead.
But the lead lasted just seven minutes when King’s Lynn bundled home a deserved equaliser from Stevenson.
Cooper flapped at Revan's cross from the right, leaving Stevenson clear to chest the ball into the net from close range.
The game appeared to be heading for a draw, until substitute Clark's back pass had Town supporters' hearts in their mouths with nine minutes to go.
The lively Mettam swooped on it and looked odds-on to net a late winner, but Cooper was alert and managed to smother out the danger and make amends for his earlier error.
The action didn’t end there though, as Barry Fitzharris was sent off in added time after the referee adjudged him to kick out at a King’s Lynn player in added time.
Town saw the game out with ten men and in the end they were relieved to take a point from a fractious encounter.
Stratford Town: Niall Cooper, Simeon Tulloch, Kieren Westwood (Guy Clark 41), James Fry, Liam Francis, Jean Kalenda, Barry Fitzharris, Will Grocott, Richard Gregory (c), Dior Angus, Donnell Benjamin (Jamie Sheldon 72). Unused subs: Warren Brooks, Trey Brathwaite, Edwin Ahenkorah.
Full report, reaction and pictures in this week's Herald
