Lack of cutting edge costs Stratford Town in Lowestoft defeat

TWO late goals condemned Stratford Town to a 3-1 defeat to Lowestoft on a day to forget at the Arden Garages Stadium.

Darren Byfield's side looked to be heading for a hard-earned point, but two goals in the last seven minutes handed the Trawler Boys victory in the first ever meeting between the sides.

Ultimately, it was lack of quality in the final third that cost Stratford in a game they grew into after a rocky start.

Town found themselves behind after just four minutes when striker Shaun Bammant turned his marker before firing a sweet shot from 20 yards past Nathan Vaughan.

Lowestoft continued to press and Stratford supporters breathed a huge sigh of relief three minutes later.

Jacek Zielonka launched a near-perfect free-kick into the box towards the unmarked Ross Jarvis at the back post, but the centre back was inches away from making a connection and the ball went out for a goal-kick.

Bammant was continuing to cause problems and in the 32nd minute he attempted a dipping, curling shot from all of 20 yards that had Vaughan beaten, but it sailed just over the bar.

Town's chances up until that point were at a premium, but as Town began to get a grip on things, new signing man-of-the-match Albi Skendi showed his quality.

With the half coming to a close, the Albanian behemoth used his size and strength to get the better of two defenders before hitting a low drive from 18 yards that was well saved by Elvijs Putnins.

Byfield's side kept plugging away and their persistence was rewarded two minutes later as Claudio Dias' thunderous effort from 30 yards beat Putnins to make it 1-1.

That was to be Putnins' last action of the game, with the Latvian goalkeeper suffering an injury, to be replaced in goal by Lowestoft's assistant manager Andy Reynolds at half-time.

It was Reynolds' first game since retiring five years ago, but there was little opportunity to see what he was capable of as Town failed to any show any sort of clinical edge in the second half.

Stratford began brightly enough, with the lively Wilson Carvalho producing a peach of a cross from the right that was just missed by Nabil Shariff, who would have surely scored if there was a connection.

Carvalho continued to pose more problems and another cross from the former Kettering Town man in the 53rd minute was met by the bustling Mike Taylor, but the striker's bullet header sailed over the bar.

Five minutes later, Lowestoft dodged a bullet when Mike Taylor was taken down when through on goal. The striker ran on to a Dias long ball from inside his own half, only to pulled back by Connor Deeks.

Town supporters screamed to the referee he was the last man, but the official thought otherwise and Deeks was lucky to only see yellow. The resulting free-kick on the edge of the area from Will Grocott was comfortably gathered by Reynolds.

Ten minutes later and it was Stratford who were let off the hook when a calamity of errors saw Adam Smith's free-kick deflected in the path of Bammant, who shot wide from seven yards with the goal gaping.

Byfield's men failed to carve out any further chances of note and they were made to pay seven minutes from time when substitute Ben Fowkes drilled a low shot into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Lowestoft added insult to injury with two minutes to go as Zielonka slotted home past Vaughan after a nifty one-two with Kieran Higgs.

Town almost had the final say in added time when Wilson Carvalho's fierce strike was expertly gathered by the veteran Reynolds with Edwin Ahenkorah lurking for the rebound.

Stratford Town: Nathan Vaughan, Lewis Wilson, Jordan Williams, Will Grocott (Edwin Ahenkorah 83) Jamie McAteer, James Fry (c), Wilson Carvalho, Albi Skendi, Mike Taylor, Nabil Shariff, Claudio Dias (Christopher Cox 73). Subs not used: James Behan, Eli Bako, Bradley Maslen-Jones.

Lowestoft Town: Elvijs Putnins (Andrew Reynolds 46), Josh Curry, Kieran Higgs, Adam Smith (c), Ross Jarvis, Connor Deeks, Jacek Zielonka, Henry Pollock (Reiss Awuah 83), Shaun Bammant, Andrew Fisk (Ben Fowkes 75), Armani Schaar. Subs not used: Adam Tann, Cion Wren.