Midland Football League Premier Division
Saturday 22nd March 2025
Stone Old Alleynians ended their six-game winless run in style with a gutsy 1-0 away win over table-toppers Lichfield City. An early strike from Jack Tomlinson was enough to secure all three points in a match where the visitors were forced to dig deep, especially during a second half full of defensive resilience and standout goalkeeping from Raajan Gill.
Early breakthrough sets the tone
Lichfield, full of confidence after 13 wins from their last 15 league games, came flying out of the blocks and tested Gill within the opening two minutes. The hosts continued to press with a series of dangerous long throws and corners, but it was Alleynians who struck first.
In the 10th minute, Kacper Mikulski broke down the left and fed Tomlinson in the box. The forward showed quick control before rifling a powerful shot past Lichfield keeper Brendon Bunn to give the visitors a shock 1-0 lead.
Gill keeps Lichfield at bay
Lichfield responded with waves of attacks, but Gill was in inspired form. He saved well from Jude Taylor in the 21st minute, claimed the resulting corner, and followed up with a superb stop from Dan Lomas shortly after.
Just before the break, Alleynians had a golden opportunity to double their lead. Tomlinson released Mikulski again, and though Bunn saved the initial shot, Mikulski’s follow-up effort struck the post.
Half-time: Lichfield City 0-1 Stone Old Alleynians
Second-half pressure and more injury setbacks
Stone suffered a setback just after the restart when skipper Matt Thomas was forced off with an ankle injury, replaced by Jack Van Der Laan. Lichfield quickly resumed their pressure, with Gill called into action once again to punch clear and save from point-blank range.
As the half wore on, Alleynians lost both Josh Sedgley and Sam Bowater to injury, bringing on Liam Connolly and Josh Goodwin to bolster the midfield and defence.
Despite the reshuffle, Lichfield kept the pressure up. Taylor and Josh Mansell both headed over from close range, and in the 75th minute, Gill pulled off another stunning save to deny James Spiers.
Holding firm in added time
Lichfield continued to push as five minutes of added time were signalled. Gill saved again from a late free-kick, and the final few moments saw a header cleared off the line and one last shot fired over the bar.
Alleynians held firm until the final whistle to claim a memorable and hard-earned win against the league leaders.
Full-time: Lichfield City 0-1 Stone Old Alleynians
Match details
Stone OA Starting XI:
Gill, Baxter, Minshall S, Bowater S, Thomas (C), Sedgley, Askey, Bowater J, Tomlinson, Wilson, Mikulski
Substitutes:
Van Der Laan, Connolly, Goodwin, Harper
Upcoming fixtures
- Shifnal Town (H) – Saturday 29th March, 3:00 pm
- Whitchurch Alport (A) – Tuesday 1st April, 7:45 pm
