Ebanks double sees Bards end year in style
Stratford Town 3, Kettering Town 3
SIX goals, a red card and a penalty save … there was certainly plenty to entertain the bumper crowd for Stratford Town’s final game of 2024.
And they also saw the return of Bards frontman Callum Ebanks, back in the side after serving a two-game ban and marking his return with two goals.
Ebanks was one of a number to impress the 1,664 at the Arden Garages Stadium as Stratford came from behind to earn a draw against the league leaders despite having to play an hour with ten men.
Owen James tormented the visitors’ defence with his pace and keeper Jake Weaver produced another dazzling display with a string of fine saves.
It didn’t take long for the game to come to the boil as James and Ebanks combined inside the opening minute only for the latter to lose control of the ball after rounding Kettering keeper Dan Jezeph.
The visitors opened the scoring in the 13th minute when a corner picked out Gary Stohrer whose header seemed to bamboozle Weaver and the entire Stratford defence before nestling in the back of the net.
The Bards keeper then did well to deny Isiah Noel-Williams and Jonathan Edwards in quick succession before Fin Brennan’s shove on Kettering winger Tyree Wilson six minutes before the break prompted a red card for the defender and a penalty for the visitors. Edwards took the kick but Weaver stood his ground and saved his second spot kick in as many games.
The sending off brought about a change from caretaker boss Paul Davis with winger Will Bapaga making way for replacement left-back Harry Leeson and rather than knock the Bards off their stride, they duly equalised within three minutes of going a man down. Tom Solanke threaded a peach of a pass through to Ebanks and the striker calmly placed his shot beyond Jezeph.
The league leaders were back on level terms five minutes into the second half when a corner was cleared to the edge of the area where Lewis White thundered a shot into the net.
By name the game was flowing end to end and the Bards were level again on 63 minutes when Josh Hawker sent James in on goal., The diminutive speedster held off his defender and finished smartly.
Leeson cleared a a Devon Kelly-Evans off the line moments before Stratford took the lead on 73 minutes. James was the provider this time, beating his marker for pace before crossing low into the area when Ebanks added the perfect finish.
Kettering boss Richard Lavery sent on reinforcements but it was former Stratford winger Callum Powell who made it 3-3 on 78 minutes, scoring from a narrow angle after defenders had blocked two previous efforts.
With the game deep in added time, Weaver was called on to make one final save, a brilliant reflex stop to keep out substitute Kai Fifield’s volley.
Stratford (4-2-3-1): Weaver; Vann, Ison, McCone, Brennan; Solanke (Sammons 90+4), Hawker (Wilson 90); Bapaga (Leeson 41), Lafferty, James (Williams 87); Ebanks (Storer 90+8).
Kettering (4-2-3-1): Jezeph; Hart, White, Johnson (Mbayo 70), A Powell; Kelly-Evans, Stohrer; Wilson (Fifield 46), Noel-Williams (York 74), C Powell; Edwards (Ranger 66). Sub (not used): Miller
Referee: Luke Bowles
Attendance: 1,664
Bards Star Man: Owen James
Opposition Star Man: Devon Kelly-Evans
