Woodwork Denies Red's In F.A.Cup .....

Saturday 26th September 2009

Redditch United 1 vs 1 Stratford Town - (F.A. Cup 2nd Qualifying Round)

THE REDS were unable to turn possession into goals as visitors Stratford Town produced a

dogged display to earn a replay at Knights Lane.

Gary Whild's side enjoyed huge spells of possession but lacked the killer touch in front of goal

and were indebted to a 40th minute Liam Francis header to earn them a second bite at the

cherry. With £4,500 prize money up for grabs for the victors and the prospect of yet another local

derby in the next round away at Solihull Moors a cup upset looked on the cards after

Danny Lennon had given the visitors a surprise 28th minute lead.

United were quickest out of the blocks and James Dance saw a firm strike from the edge of the

box deflected over the bar in the tenth minute before Francis put a free header over the bar from

the resultant Dave Bridgewater corner.

Five minutes later another excellent centre from Bridgewater set up a headed chance for Joe Clarke but his effort from inside the area was weak and a minute later there was pinball in the Stratford box as the visiting defence found itself in disarray, only for Dance to blaze a good chance over the bar.

Stratford finally gathered themselves and Mark Smith made strong appeals for a penalty in the 17th minute after his header from Tom Warmer's corner appeared to strike a defender's arm, but a spot kick would have been harsh and referee Mr Shilston and the home faithful were unimpressed.

Chris McHale then headed wide from another Warmer corner as Town got a grip in the game but, despite their increasing confidence, it was still a shock to see them take a 28th minute lead, which was gifted to them by the hosts.

A routine long ball looked to be no trouble to centre half Tom Birch but the defender inexplicably dithered in possession and was robbed of the ball by Lennon who went clear to beat home keeper Danny Lewis with a firm strike into the bottom left corner of the net.

Redditch were stunned and it took a late challenge from Warmer on Francis to stir them back into action, eventually leading to the 40th minute equaliser.

The set pieces of the excellent Bridgewater always looked likely to lead to a goal and so it proved as Francis found space in the area to power home a header from Bridgewater's right wing free kick.

Town responded and Lennon broke clear on the left two minutes later but, atfer doing all the hard work, declined to cross to team-mates begging for a cross and was eventually crowded out at the near post before conceding a free kick as a promising position went to waste.

Reds' former Stratford midfielder Jack Byrne had a chance to put the hosts in front just before the break but fired wide when a loose ball fell to him on the edge of the box.

It was all Redditch after the break and they came desperately close to taking a 61st minute lead when skipper Asa Charlton's superb cross from the left was headed on to the right hand upright by Mark Faulds before the rebound hit Town keeper Chris Jay and, fortunately for the stopper, rolled an inch wide of the post for a corner.

Byrne then played an excellent one-two but fired straight at Jay from the edge of the area and Town were hanging on by their fingertips.

Bridgewater's 25-yard free kick was tipped on to a post and behind by Jay in the 86th minute and in stoppage time the same player knew it was not his day when his left wing corner bounced on top of the bar and behind after neat work from the lively substitute Godwill Moraka had won the set piece.

Reds: Lewis, Gill, Charlton, Birch, Francis, Clarke, Byrne, Bridgwater, Sheldon, Dance, Hands.

Subs: Moraka (for Hands), Semper (for Sheldon), Not Used: Cooper, Ashton, Bullimore

Goals: Francis

Referee: A.Shilston

Attendance: 361

Match report provided courtesy of The Redditch Standard

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