Thanks to Phil Johnson for his match report from the Stone Old Alleynians vs Stourport Swifts match on Saturday 30th October.
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This was a tremendously exciting game that saw Alleynians go a goal down before holding a 3-1 lead with 20 minutes to go. The Old Boys had chances to extend their lead but Stourport refused to give up and managed to score a last-minute equaliser to take a deserved point from the game.
Despite missing two key players Alleynians started the game brightly with Jack Tomlinson going very close with an early half chance. On 10 minutes Jack Bowater dribbled through the visitors’ defence and looked like he was going to score but he was denied just as he was going around Stourport keeper Dominic Richard, and the ball was cleared.
Stourport were now having more possession with Mason Birch, their skilful No.11, dribbling and spraying the ball around. In the 24th minute a good passing move put Birch in on goal and although he was forced wide by Alleynians keeper Adam Alcock, he managed to slot the ball home to give the away team a 1-0 lead.
Within 5 minutes the Old Boys were level when Sam Wilson finished a slick move with a dink over the despairing Stourport keeper to make the score 1-1. The visitors came straight back at Alleynians and only two tremendous saves from Alcock, one from the attack and one from the resulting corner, kept the score at 1-1.
In the 38th minute, Alleynians scored their second goal when Jack Bowater received the ball in the Stourport penalty area and he finished decisively from 10 yards out to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. Once again the away team responded and only a last-ditch tackle by Ollie Davies prevented their No.9, Matty Gardener, from getting an equaliser just before half-time.
Half time: Stone Old Alleynians 2-1 Stourport Swifts
The 2nd half started with Stourport on the front foot looking for the goal to bring the scores level. They had brought on substitute Edilson Antonio to add pace to their forward line. Within 5 minutes he broke through the Alleynians defence and rounded keeper Alcock. Fortunately for the Old Boys, Ryan Goodwin got back on the goal line and he was on hand to clear the danger.
The 55th minute saw the Alleynians defence being stretched again by the extra pace in the Stourport attack. The home goal was being peppered with shots and only desperate blocks and tackles prevented the visitors from drawing level. However, during one such attack in the 64th minute, the referee ignored appeals from Stourport for a freekick and in the fuss that followed, Alleynians broke quickly and put Jack Bowater through to finish superbly, giving the hosts a 3-1 lead.
Within 5 minutes, Stourport pulled one back. With Alleynians appealing for offside, Stourport’s winger cut in from the left and passed to Matty Gardener, who placed the ball past Alcock in the home goal, making the score 3-2.
In the 72nd minute, Alleynians should have put the game to bed after a massive scramble in the Stourport penalty area. They had at least 4 clear opportunities to score. Only heroic and frantic defending kept the ball out of the away goal and this gave them the chance to salvage a point.
Stourport pushed men up and in the last minute of the game with a home defender looking to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal kick, the ball was nicked away from him and crossed into the box for Edilson Antonio to shoot home from close range and make the score 3-3.
It was a good game to watch for the spectators with plenty of goalmouth action at both ends of the pitch. Alleynians will feel hard done to, conceding a goal so late, but overall a draw was a fair result. The next league match for the Old Boys is on Saturday 6th November against unbeaten Lichfield City.
Full time: Stone Old Alleynians 3-3 Stourport Swifts
Stone OA: Alcock, Baxter, Ablewhite, Goodwin, Davies, Bradbury, Bailey, Wilson, Jack Bowater, Tomlinson, Sam Bowater.
Subs: Walklate, Harrison, Sutton, Moody, Sinclair
