Late goal means Town face FA Trophy replay
FOOTBALL
Stratford Town 1-1 Mickleover Sports
FA Trophy, Second Qualifying Round
STRATFORD conceded an 85-minute equaliser to face a Tuesday night replay at Northern Premier side Mickleover.
Town, seeking to reach the third qualifying round for the first time, had led through Jordan Williams’ header on 26 minutes and looked in control for much of the game until the final half an hour.
But they failed to add the killer second goal and paid the price when sub Will Norcross nodded home.
The result meant Town extended their unbeaten run to 12 games they will be hugely disappointed not to have chalked up the victory.
Boss Tom Baillie made two changes to the side which beat Redditch in midweek, with Jamie McAteer and Kieren Westwood coming in for Lewis Wilson and Cody Fisher.
Both sides started with plenty of attacking intent but Town had the better of the early opportunities.
Only the woodwork denied Will Grocott firing Town ahead inside three minutes with his well-struck free-kick smacking the angle of crossbar and post, before another set-piece flattened a Mickleover defender in the wall.
A lively run from Kynan Isaac ended with a one-two with Jimmy Fry on the edge of the box but Isaac’s shot was deflected wide.
Keeper Corry Addai, on loan from Coventry City, kept out a stinging effort from Wilson Carvalho but Mickleover had their threatening moments with Kyle Clamp and Ewan Garnett offering plenty of hustle and bustle.
But the opening goal came on 26 minutes after Town’s pressing reaped reward. Sports lost possession in their left-back channel and Albi Skendi had the time to pick out a far post cross. Williams was already galloping in and his thumping header from eight yards nestled in the net.
It became nip and tuck after that but the combination of McAteer and Williams offered little encouragement to the visitors.
At the other end, Skendi’s header from Grocott’s corner flashed wide and Mike Taylor just couldn’t get onto the end of a Grocottt cross.
Mickleover looked to rally in the second half with Town keeper Richard Walton gathering Clamp’s cross at the second attempt and then diving at the feet of Ben Turner.
But Town always like they could go up a gear.
Taylor almost capitalised on a mix-up on the edge of the Mickleover box and Cox inches away from meeting a Grocott free-kick before Taylor scooped over from a bouncing cross.
But with only single goal separating the sides, Mickleover were still very much in the contest. Garnett’s fierce 20-yarder flashed over and Walton was fully extended to tip over a Pablo Mills header.
They had their tails up and five minutes from time they had the equaliser. Garnett skipped past a defender on the inside left channel and dinked the cross into the edge of the six-yard box for Norcross to nod home.
They might even have snatched victory, but Walton was equal to Turner's low drive to push the ball aside.
Town (4-2-3-1): Richard Walton, Chris Cox, Jamie McAteer, Jordan Williams, Kieren Westwood; James Fry © , Albi Skendi; Kynan Isaac (Lewis Wilson, 73); Will Grocott, Wilson Carvalho; Mike Taylor. Subs. Cody Fisher, James Behan (gk), Ross Oulton, Jazz Luckie.
Mickleover (4-4-2): Corry Addai; Jake Scott (Will Norcross, 74), Tim Burgin ©, Pablo Mills, Ben Turner; Mason Warren (Jack Walsh, 55), Ted Cribley (Nathan Jarman, HT), Ricky Ravenhill, Jimmy Phillips; Ewan Garnett, Kyle Clamp. Subs: Will Norcross, Harley Kozluk (gk).