Town up to tenth as Stephens' derby double downs Redditch

STRATFORD Town’s impressive form continued as they added to Redditch’s recent woes with an comfortable 2-0 Boxing Day win at the Trico Stadium, writes Bryan Hale.

Two first-half strikes from leading scorer Ben Stephens proved decisive as Stratford moved up to tenth in the Evo-Stik South Premier.

No doubt eager to impress new boss Tim Harris, the Reds were first to threaten with Lewis Wright shooting over in the fifth minute followed soon after by Tristian Dunkley having a close-range effort blocked by Town skipper James Fry.

Town responded with Reds keeper Ethan Ross making a routine save from Stephens, who was well off target with a free kick from as promising position a few minutes later.

Ashley Sammons cut in from the left to hit his shot against Loyiso Recci, but Town were beginning to get their passing game going on their second game of the festive season on a 3G pitch.

Stephens wasn’t far away with a low drive in the 25th minute and five minutes later saw his teasing effort beat Ross only to clip the bar on its way behind.

But on 34 minutes, the tricky Stephens had better luck as he was played in by Fry on the right of the penalty area and coolly slotted the ball past Ross to put Town ahead.

The Reds went close to an equaliser when Sammons had a fierce effort deflected behind, before Town doubled their lead in added time at the end of the first half thanks to a calamitous error by Ross.

Redditch conceded a free kick all of 30 yards out which was hit well enough by Stephens, but it should have been no problem for Ross to deal with.

Instead, he only flapped at the ball as it bounced in front of him and it trickled beyond him into the net.

Louis Connor had hardly been tested so far, but he kept Town’s lead intact a couple of minutes into the second half with a brilliant save low down to his left from Spencer Weir-Daley.

From then on, the Reds put in plenty of effort but without really looking like scoring.

Orrin Pendley had a looping header drift narrowly over the bar with 15 minutes to go, and Danny Jackman had a rasping right footer blocked, but Town’s grip on the points was seldom threatened.

But the gloss on an otherwise top class away performance was dimmed six minutes from time when Mike Taylor became the sixth Town player to be sent off this season when he picked up his second yellow card of the afternoon for a challenge on the halfway line.

Stratford Town: Louis Connor, James Fry (c), Lee Thomas, Dan Summerfield (Eli Bako 85), Loyiso Recci, Liam Francis, Justin Marsden (Edwin Ahenkorah 73), James Hancocks, Mike Taylor, Will Grocott, Ben Stephens.