Landell’s first goal for Bards secures vital win for Stratford
Stratford Town 3
Long Eaton United 2
Southern Premier Central
GAVIN Hurren hailed the character within his promotion-chasing Stratford squad after an outstanding first goal for the Bards from Andre Landell in the final minutes sealed a crucial victory.
The result relegated opponents Long Eaton but they had left the Arden Garages Stadium on tenterhooks after recovering a 2-0 deficit to draw level before recent signing Landell pounced three minutes from time with the winner to keep the Bards within one point of the play-offs.
It was a goal to remember too after the former Rushall and Alvechurch forward raced away down the right to capitalise on a miscued clearance from Jamie Hanson following a flick-on. Landell’s strength and power took him on a 40 metre run into the penalty area before his dancing feet took the ball past keeper Ross Durrant, deceiving him with a right-footed flick and left-footed finish.
Hurren, though, insisted he never felt nervous, despite Long Eaton’s comeback.
“From minute one, we were brilliant,” he said. “We stuck to our game plan, created chances and took two of them. But at this level if you switch off you get punished and credit to Long Eaton for seizing their chances when we made a couple of errors.
“But the character in this Stratford squad is something special. We kept going, we didn’t panic and it ended up with Landell scoring a cracking goal.
“We were worthy winners in what was a really important game. We needed to get the points to hold onto the coat tails of the teams above us.”
The result leaves Stratford sixth, one point behind Leamington and Redditch United, with all three having six games left.
Goals from skipper Paul McCone and top scorer Callum Ebanks, back after injury, had seemed to have wrapped up the points for the hosts five minutes into the second half.
Ebanks nodded wide from a Callum Coyle cross early on but McCone found the net on 12 minutes, the defender rising at the far post with a thumping header from Chris Hussey’s left-wing corner.
Long Eaton came within a couple of inches of levelling when Joe Nyahwema cut inside and rattled the crossbar with his effort from the edge of the area but Stratford might have doubled the lead, only for Lewis Ison to head straight at keeper Durrant and Coyle’s ferocious shot striking the inside of the post but somehow rebounding to safety.
There would be no escape for Long Eaton two minutes into the second half. Hussey took control five metres inside the visitors half and burst through down the left before pulling the ball back for the unmarked Ebanks to tap in his 21st goal of the season from point-blank range.
Long Eaton, though, were not finished and two goals in a five-minute spell around the hour mark stunned the majority of the 817-strong crowd for the Non-League Day fixture.
Owen Betts’ first effort from the inside right channel was blocked but he connected with the loose ball to send his shot looping into the top corner to half the deficit.
And moments later it was 2-2. Nyahwema attempted to cross the ball but was flattened by keeper Callum Smith for a penalty and Andrew Wright’s right-footed spot-kick sent Smith the wrong way to level.
Bards threw on Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton for his debut as they pushed for a winner and Landell duly delivered.
STRATFORD: Smith, Vann (Wilson 87), Worley, Hussey, McCone (c), Coyle (Barkers 90+1), Landell, Hawker (Hamilton 73), Ebanks, Ison, Lafferty. Substitutes not used: Clutterbuck, Daly
LONG EATON: Durrant (c), Betts, Cocks (Hewlett 78), Keane, Martin, Hanson, Manjoba (Rogers 52), Wright, Tyson, Nyahwema, Atwal (Loughlan 56). Substitutes not used: Campbell Gordon, Bertram.
