Alternative Report by Stour Grapes

[Greenfinch]

Last week at St Ives their artificial pitch looked akin to playing indoor bowling, yesterday Top Field looked immaculate where you could play proper football.Unfortunately, Hitchin were ok for the first ten minutes,then for the rest of the half were content in playing the long ball.We got three talented forwards, and they reminded me of wild salmon, darting here there and every where but getting no reward, oh for a fit Steve Cawley, just to hold the ball up.But to be fair we were up against a well organised side, with a determination and a confidence mind set.
So, the second half started goaless, but it seemed that we would eventually succumb to Stourbridge pressure,but wait, there is a young man in the name of Daniel Idakhoa, who dribbled into the box, avoiding tackles and sent a ball across the penalty area to Jack Snelus who smashed the ball into the net,the Glassboys looked shattered.From then on Hitchin started to play football,playing some sweet attacking moves, which lasted ten minutes,spoilt by a harsh penalty decision by the referee, I think the word around Top Field was 'He fell for it'.
Now we had to endure fifteen minutes of pure anxiety, but there was no need to worry,our young defenders stood firm, and with a fine one handed save by Lewis Barker, we made it through with sheer guts and determination.It was definitely a point won though and not two lost.

[Brian]

Glassboys looked shattered.

Loved that

[MichaelD]

Both produce good reports

[KEITH]

A great spectacle for the neutral in the 2nd half. I thought their keeper was a bit of a pane all game constantly complaining to the ref who saw through him & gave him a frosted reception &, despite his gob-let the game flow. The Stourbridge defense was a jar when Daniel Idiekhoa weaved his way past 3 of them to set up Jack Snelus for the opener. When we were reduced to 10 men & they equalised from the resulting penalty with 20 mins plus added time to go Stourbridge must have expected to win-dow they hadn't reckoned on our resilient defence, showing a lot of bottle, mirroring every Stourbridge effort. Although many of us saw Charlie's sending off & the penalty as harsh when questioned after the game the ref was crystal clear in his decision. And so a point a piece. .