Men's 1st XI Vs Stratford 1

Telford travelled to Stratford for a 3pm push back, looking to start their celebrations early before the club Christmas party.

The game was scrappy from the off, with both teams casual in possession and loose on the pass. Stratford had the best of the early chances, with the backline of Cal Stacey, Beefo, and Jack Mallett making a number of crucial interventions, Sunny Sahota running down a penalty corner, and keeper Neil Davies saving well on a 1v1. The pressure eventually told when a fortunate defection from a penalty trickled towards the goal and somehow went through Davies. This seemed to galvanise Telford, who upped the tempo and began to squeeze Stratford. Telford thought that that had a goal back immediately through a Noah Higginson trademark, but the umpires decreed that the had struck a Telford foot in the build up. The ensuing polite discussion with the umpires saw Phillip Bailey asked to take a two minute rest on the sideline. It wasn't long before Telford did get back on even terms, with 'assist king' Tom Mallett finding Ollie Brannan on the back post for a simple finish, and his 2nd goal in as many games. Telford saw another goal disallowed when T. Mallets strick was adjudged to have been a back stick, while Bailey, back on the pitch, worked himself into a great position but couldn't apply the coup de grace.

Telford went into the second half hoping  up their levels and eliminate the mistakes from the first half. They began the better of the two teams, winning a couple of penalty corners and pressuring Stratford, although Stratford themselves had chances as the sloppiness from the first half was not eliminated. Telford did go ahead when, after another attack along the baseline, the ball somehow found its way past the Stratford keeper and defence to gift Higginson the simplest of tap ins. With their noses in front Telford hoped that they could get the next goal and create some breathing room. Unfortunately this was not to be. Another Stratford drag flick was well charged down by Tom Gough, but an unfortunate deflection saw the ball go out wide to the injector outside the post who had an easy opportunity to put the ball in. Shortly after this Telford had the change to really take advantage when Stratford went down to 9 men following 2 yellows. Despite having all the possession, a lack of composure meant that this came now nowt, with the final score finishing 2-2.

After the game there were mixed emotions, one one hand gaining a point in a game that could have gone either way, but also knowing that no- one had given their best performance in a scrappy game from both sides. 

Next week sees the last game before the Christmas break, with Telford hosting Barton at St Geo.