Stratford Town Youth extend unbeaten run after goalless draw against Worcester
STRATFORD Town Youth extended their unbeaten run to seven in all competitions as they fought out a goalless draw with a hard working Worcester City side at the MoodChimp Stadium on Monday evening, writes Bryan Hale.
In spite of the scoreline, both teams played some neat football throughout the 90 minutes, and although they couldn’t find the back of the net it certainly wasn’t for the lack of trying.
Town’s George Dawson had what appeared to be a perfectly good goal ruled out just before half-time, while in the second half Alfie Boylin had a shot cleared off the line and at the other end Worcester’s Mike Elmes saw his effort come back off the bar.
Myles Simpson had an early attempt for Worcester fly narrowly wide but as the game settled down it was Town who looked the more threatening of the two sides.
Town skipper Ben Couki hit his shot straight keeper Sean Davis in the tenth minute and with a quarter-of-an-hour gone Dawson almost caught Davis out when the keeper came a long way out of his area to head away a long ball down the middle.
His clearance was seized on by Dawson close to the centre circle and he immediately tried an audacious lob which had Davis frantically back pedalling towards the empty goal before he was able to retrieve it in his six-yard box.
George Kirby was next to find space for an opening on 25 minutes with his shot not having enough power to trouble Davis, but the evening’s big talking point then arrived three minutes before the break.
The lively Dawson let fly with a stunning strike from 25 yards out which was tipped against the underside of the bar by Davis, with ball then seeming to bounce down over the goal line before the keeper was able to turn round and grab it, but Town’s claims for it to count were frustratingly waved away.
Bradley West had the first chance after the restart with Davis saving well at the foot of his right-hand post and on the hour mark Jordan White’s fiercely-struck drive was deflected behind off a defender and from the resulting corner Dan Atkins’ header fizzed inches wide.
Worcester responded with a decent attempt form Ethan Moran being comfortably held by Archie Donaldson, before a Town counter-attack led to some desperate Worcester defending which ended with Bollin’s low drive beating Davis and being blocked right on the line by the well positioned Ishmael Mahmood.
By now, it was evident that one goal would be enough to win and it was Worcester who went close with ten minutes to go when Elmes looping cross-cum-shot from out on the left drifted over Donaldson only to clip the bar before being cleared.
Donaldson then saved from Christos Gabriel followed by Hassan Shah wildly blazing over from barely eight yards out before Town finished off strongly with Tyrike Richards-Burke seeing his thunderous attempt from the right of the penalty area flash inches the wrong side of the far post.
Then, deep into added time, Town forced the final corner of the game with Josh Aspinall-Smyth’s header being safely held by Davis to ensure that it ended all square with both teams taking a well deserved point.
