Taylor earns Town a draw in final friendly

FOOTBALL

Stratford Town 1

Sutton Coldfield Town 1

Pre-season friendly

Report by Bryan Hale

STRATFORD wound up their pre-season programme with a hard-fought draw against Northern Premier League opponents Sutton Coldfield on Saturday.

The visitors had led at half-time through Zak Martin but Town’s half=time substitute Mike Taylor levelled matters just before the hour mark.

Carl Adams’ side made a lively start and went close to taking the lead in the fifth minute. James Fry released James Hancocks down the left to pick out Edwin Ahenkorah with a pinpoint cross only for the striker’s shot to come back off the Royals keeper Curtis Hall.

As Stratford kept up the pressure Hall punched away a teasing corner from Ben Stephens and Justin Marsden surged into the penalty area down the inside right channel before being crowded out.

Stratford keeper Louis Connor had hardly been troubled until he pulled off as tremendous double save on 25 minutes firstly from Gurjit Singh’s well-struck right-footer and then from David Haworth’s close-range follow-up.

But Connor was left helpless three minutes later when the Royals went in front. Singh slipped the ball to left back Zak Martin who sprinted down the left before lashing a thunderous shot into the net from the edge of the penalty area.

Stratford looked for an immediate equaliser, but Ahenkorah’s powerful free kick was safely held by Hall while in the closing minutes of the half Stephens wasn’t far away from distance before hitting another free-kick straight into the Sutton wall.

Town boss Adams made five changes at the interval as he made full use of his squad, and five minutes into the second half there was a moment of controversy when Jazz Luckie was flattened by the Royals substitute keeper Sam Arnold who had rashly charged well outside his area.

In any normal match this would surely be a red card offence, but given that this was only a pre-season game the keeper escaped with only a telling-off.

Stratford were now looking the better side and levelled on 58 minutes when Charlie Evans’ cross from the right was headed in by Taylor from six yards out.

Ex-youth team player Evans continued to impress with his enterprise down the right as Stratford went for a winner, but an Ahenkorah cross flew across the face of the goal with no-one able to get the decisive touch and a Fry shot was deflected behind before the best chance fell to Evans ten minutes from time.

Exchanging passes with Will Grocott, he only had Arnold to beat but his effort was beaten away and from then on the end result was inevitable.

Town open the Evo-Stik South Premier season next Saturday when they travel to Royston Town.

TOWN: Connor, Summerfield (Evans 46), Hancocks (Thomas 46), Gallinagh (Clark 46), Francis (Florin 60), Recci, Marsden (Grocott 46), Fry, Ahenkorah, Stephens (Taylor 46), Luckie.