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Stratford Town Walking Football Club’s under-50s produced arguably their best performance yet as they made it four wins from four with an impressive 3-0 victory over a strong Solihull Moors side featuring a number of international players.
Stratford could hardly have asked for a better start. Inside the opening minute, a beautifully crafted move was finished emphatically by Paul Marsh, giving the Bards an early lead and setting the tone for an excellent performance.
From there, Stratford grew in confidence and, but for a string of superb saves from the Moors goalkeeper, the lead could - and probably should - have been greater.
As the first half progressed, however, Moors began to show their quality and worked their way back into the contest. For the final seven or eight minutes of the half, Stratford were forced deeper and had to defend with real concentration as Solihull applied sustained pressure. Half-time probably arrived at just the right moment for the Bards.
The second half, though, belonged to Stratford. The team maintained its discipline, stayed compact and looked extremely assured in its shape and structure. As Moors pushed forward in search of a way back into the game, Stratford increasingly found space on the break.
The chances began to come, and Stratford were clinical. Paul Marsh produced a superb individual display, adding two more goals to complete his hat-trick and put the game beyond doubt.
Moors created very little in the closing stages and, in fairness, a couple of their players were tiring after playing earlier in the Birmingham League. But that should take nothing away from Stratford’s performance.
This was a team playing as a well-drilled, organised unit, which is huge credit to Keeley and her coaching methods, while also showing plenty of flair, composure and creativity in possession.