Team rounds off the year with a seven-goal victory
CLINICAL was how FC Stratford boss John Hill described his side’s performance as they finished 2023 on a goalscoring high with a 7-3 demolition on Hellenic League Division One rivals Stonehouse Town.
And with seven different players on the score-sheet, he was delighted with the all-round team effort that steered the side to their biggest tally of the season.
Hill said: “I thought we were really clinical from front to back. I didn’t think we started that well but once we got the one goal it built the confidence. We need to be more clinical and ruthless in games.
“It has been coming for a long time and the players have been working really hard. Recently things haven’t been going our way but I have total trust in these lads and know that when it clicks then results like this can happen.
“It is nice that we have had a range of different goal-scorers showing that it’s a bit more of a team performance rather than having to rely on one person. We have needed that, everyone contributing to the collective of winning the game.”
FC had managed just one league win from their previous eight outings going into Saturday’s game, a run that had also seen them unable to field a first choice side according to Hill.
He explained: “We have had injuries to quite a few of our key players which has affected how we want to play and it meant we haven’t really played the same team for a period of games which has made it difficult to get a flow. Even though we’ve not been playing badly, it has been down to fine margins that haven’t gone our way. Hopefully a result like this will help us build and kick on. This group of players responds well to adversity.
“The goal is to stay in touch with what’s going on ahead of us, take things one game at a time and not get too carried away. I’m sure we’ll be there or thereabouts and we are still involved in a couple of cups – there are a lot of things to look forward to with this time.”
One of the players returning to the side was midfielder Dan Atkins while Joe Sykes was playing his first game after missing the past three months.
Hill added: “That was Dan’s first 90 minutes for a while. He is very versatile and can play in a number of positions and is one who I think can progress. It was nice to see him back out there because we have missed him, the physical presence he brings to the middle and the ability to score the odd goal or two.
“That was something I challenged him at the start of the season, to add more goals and assists.”
See this week’s Herald for a full match report.
