Stratford Town let two-goal lead slip in draw with Cambridge

STRATFORD Town let a two-goal lead slip as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Cambridge City in a pulsating clash at the DCS Stadium on Saturday.

Town looked to be coasting to victory as two goals from Richard Gregory saw Town lead 2-0 after just 15 minutes.

But Cambridge came roaring back and the visitors took a 3-2 lead before Edwin Ahenkorah's equaliser saved Town's blushes.

The Lilywhites came into the game on a miserable run of form, which has seen them pick up just one point from their previous seven games.

And for the opening quarter of an hour, it was clear to see why as Town took full control.

Carl Adams' side went ahead in the sixth minute when Trey Brathwaite's perfect cross from the left was powerfully headed home by Gregory.

The Town striker scored his second eight minutes later, when he directed another header past Enol Ordonez after Kieren Westwood's cross evaded the City defenders.

Cambridge looked dead and buried, but a mistake from James Fry on the half-hour turned the game on its head.

The Town skipper attempted to let a ball go out for a goal kick, only for him to slip, allowing the alert Brad Woods-Garness the opportunity to fire a cross into the box.

Stratford were left outnumbered and Joe Carden took full advantage, slotting home past Niall Cooper from close range.

City were now suddenly in the ascendancy and they were desperately unlucky not to equalise just before the break.

Erkan Okay whipped in a cross from the right and Woods-Garner successfully connected with an overhead kick, forcing Cooper into an excellent save.

The pressure continued at the restart and the visitors were soon level. Simeon Tulloch, playing at right-back, lost Garner in the corner and the substitute's cross headed towards Westwood on the edge of the six-yard box.

The Stratford left-back attempted to control the ball with what appeared to be his shoulder, but the referee was having none of it and pointed to the spot.

Garner converted the penalty and Cambridge were suddenly looking like the favourites to win it.

Woods-Garness continued to cause all sorts of problems and he carved open the Town defence once more on the hour, putting Kieran Bailey into space. Bailey kept his cool before slotting calmly past Cooper as City went ahead for the first time.

That goal could have knocked the stuffing out of Town, but Stratford showed plenty of fighting spirit and were back level within three minutes.

Brathwaite's corner was met by Gregory, whose header hit the post before Ahenkorah knocked in the rebound.

Both sides missed a series of excellent chances to win it in the closing stages, in particular Town substitute Mike Taylor, who could have quite easily bagged a second-half hat-trick after replacing Donnell Benjamin.

A late Town goal would have been harsh on Cambridge though, who fully deserved a share of the points.

Stratford Town: Niall Cooper, Simeon Tulloch, Kieren Westwood, James Fry (c), Liam Francis, Donnell Benjamin (Mike Taylor 64), Jamie Sheldon (Guy Clark 57), Trey Brathwaite, Richard Gregory, Will Grocott, Edwin Ahenkorah. Subs not used: Barry Fitzharris, Charlie Evans, Warren Brooks.

Cambridge City: Enol Ordonez, Paul Cooper, Charlie Day, Harry Norman, Jordan Williams, Jack Uttridge (Joe Carden 27), Ben Robinson, Jon Kaye (c), Brad Woods-Garness, Kieran Bailey (Giovany Lopes 81), Erkan Okay (Dean Mason 79). Subs not used: Tunde Adewunmi, Charlie Woolfe.