Thanks to Phil Johnson for his match report for last nights Stone Old Allenians report, there are video highlights at the end of the report.
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MATCH REPORT: STONE OLD ALLEYNIANS v HEDNESFORD TOWN
Staffs FA Senior Cup Round 2 – Tuesday 1st February 2022
Stone Old Alleynians produced one of the best wins in their 60-year history by beating Hednesford Town 2-0 in this Staffs FA Senior Cup match. Hednesford, who play at a couple of steps above the Old Boys, found it difficult to cope with Alleynians’ busy team, who ran and harassed their opponents for the whole of the 90 minutes.
The opening exchanges were quite even with both teams probing from midfield without creating any real chances. However, in the 15thminute, Alleynians had a couple of corners in quick succession and it was from the second of these that the ball bounced around in the Hednesford box before being bundled home by Ryan Goodwin to give the hosts a vital 1-0 lead.
With Alleynians in the ascendancy, they were looking to take advantage of the sluggish Hednesford midfield. Sam Bradbury almost put Old Boys’ striker Tomlinson through with a fine pass but it was just cut out by a defender’s toe. In the 35th minute, skipper Matt Thomas headed wide when well placed to score.
Just before the end of the half, Hednesford stirred themselves into action. From a corner, Alleynians keeper, Andrew Walklate pulled off a good save as a shot came in, and then, in the last attack before half time one of the visiting strikers got into a good position to shoot at the home goal but he could only pull it wide.
Half time: Stone Old Alleynians 1-0 Hednesford Town
Straight from the 2nd half kick-off Alleynians almost doubled their lead. Jack Tomlinson worked his way through the Hednesford defence to get a clear opportunity on goal, but he was thwarted by a fine save from keeper Joe O’Shaughnessy.
Alleynians didn’t have to wait long for the second goal though when a good move from a throw-in saw Tomlinson with another great chance. This time he managed to get clear and push the ball home to make it 2-0 to the Old Boys.
Matt Thomas was next with an effort on goal as Hednesford struggled to make any headway against the resilient home defence. In an attempt to shake things up, the visitors made substitutions to try and boost their attacking options. In the 62nd minute though, Alleynians winger Jack Bowater looked as though he was going to add to the Old Boys tally, but his shot, from a wide-angle, just went past the post.
The last ten minutes saw Hednesford dominating possession and in the 83rd minute, they should have scored. One of their midfield players got past the last line of the Old Boys defence and squared the ball back to his striker. It just summed up the visitors’ evening when the forward blasted the ball over an open goal from 6 yards out. Old Alleynians managed to see the last few minutes out to record one of the most famous wins in the 60-year history of Stone Old Alleynians.
The next match for the Old Boys in the Staffs FA Senior Cup will be an away game to high flying Kidsgrove Athletic in the quarter-final. The date of this match is yet to be arranged.
The next two league games for Old Alleynians are at home to Worcester City on Saturday 5th February, KO at 3.00pm and then away to Highgate United on Saturday 12th February, KO at 3.00pm.
Full time: Stone Old Alleynians 2-0 Hednesford Town
Stone OA: Walklate, Baxter, Davies, Bradbury, Askey, Goodwin, Ablewhite, Wilson, Thomas (C), Tomlinson, Bowater J
Subs: Sinclair, Alcock, Cimino, Harrison
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Highlights video courtesy of Hednesford Town TV YouTube Channel
