Spectacular Jack Storer strike helps Stratford Town to victory over Barwell

STRIKER Jack Storer scored one of the goals of the season as Stratford Town put on a strong second-half display to defeat Barwell 2-0.

After a goalless first half, Ashley Sammons opened the scoring in front of the 273-strong crowd at the Arden Garages Stadium just past the hour mark, finishing low into the bottom corner after meeting Will Grocott’s ball from the left.

The crucial second goal arrived twenty minutes later in spectacular fashion, with Storer leaving the Bards fans in awe as his superb long-range strike flew into the top corner, giving Barwell goalkeeper Liam Castle absolutely no chance.

Victory for the Bards moved them up to 11th in the table and was the perfect response to the 4-1 defeat at play-off chasers Rushall Olympic last time out.

Interim boss Ian King made just one change to the team which lost that day, with Harry Higginson coming in for Dan Vann.

Included in the Canaries team was former Bards man Ben Stephens – the league’s current top goalscorer – and he was immediately involved. The former Macclesfield Town striker saw a left-footed shot drift just wide and he then followed that up with a powerful right-footed effort that needed pushing away by Liam O’Brien.

It took a while for the Bards to settle down and in they were causing problems down the left-hand side with Will Dawes and Higginson on the overlap. However, the hosts never really threatened goalkeeper Castle as the half went on.

Barwell – who were forced into an early change with the stricken Elliot Percival replaced by Marcus Painter – always looked the more threatening and in the 22nd minute a smart save from O’Brien prevented William Edjenguele heading in from a corner.

The visitors continued to look dangerous on the counter and it was no surprise that Stephens was proving to be at the heart of everything. Tristan Dunkley found some space on the right-hand and his cutback found the marksman at the back post, but he could only drag his left-footed shot wide from a tight angle.

The Bards, though, ended the first half the stronger and Jack Turner had two chances to put his side in front and both came from Grocott free-kicks.

The first arrived when the skipper’s deep delivery was headed back across goal by Jordan Williams to Turner, whose turn and shot was smartly saved down low by Castle. Moments later Turner then saw his back post header pushed onto the bar by the Barwell shot-stopper.

Five minutes after the break both sides had chances to break the deadlock. Dunkley watched his volley from outside the area fly wide of the mark and immediately up the other end, a Bards counter-attack ended with Dan Lafferty harmlessly curling over.

Lafferty then missed a gilt-edge chance on the hour mark to nose Stratford in front. Dawes did well to find some space on the right and he had all the time in the world to pick out an unmarked Lafferty, however, he could only direct a diving header from six yards out straight at Castle.

Four minutes later, though, the Bards had a deserved lead and the goal came from a fantastic piece of play. Storer did superbly well to hold the ball up and pass it into Grocott, whose low centre of gravity enabled him to dance into the box.

Rather than shoot, the Stratford skipper opted for the pass and when Lafferty allowed the ball to run through, Sammons was on hand to lash home into the bottom corner. Energised by the goal, the Bards started to dominate proceedings and in a strong spell they could have added another, with Storer and Dawes both seeing shots saved by Castle.

Storer, though, would not be denied and eight minutes from time he scored one of the goals of the season. Having beat a couple of defenders with a classic Cruyff turn, he lined up the shot and unleashed a powerful drive that flew into the top corner giving Castle absolutely no chance.

Barwell had a late flurry of chances, with Stephens seeing a couple of efforts go wide, but the Bards comfortably held on to chalk up another three points.

STRATFORD: O’Brien, Wilson, Higginson, Fry, Turner, Williams, Lafferty, Sammons, Storer, Grocott, Dawes (Field 73). Unused subs: Okoro, O’Regan, Denness-Barrett, Aisthorpe.

BARWELL: Castle, Stabana, Edwards, Percival (Painter 21), Edjenguele, Rowland, Brogan, Dunkley, Stephens, Hickey, Haddow. Unused subs: Warren, Bramley, Nisevic, Brown-Hill.

ATTENDANCE: 273