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Eastwood and Stafford fought out a hard earned draw, in a game neither team deserved to lose.
Manager Paul Cox sprang a surprise, recalling Goalkeeper Ian Deakin in place of Jan Budtz.
Lindon Meikle fired the first shot of the game wide in the opening seconds. Grant Goodhead headed over from a fifth minute corner. While Michael Burns mazey run and shot was only just over Deakin's crossbar.
There were loud appeals for a penalty when Meikle was push off the ball after Matt Bailey headed on Sam Duncum's corner. With Stafford enjoying the lions share of the possession, Eastwood defender Riley produced a good tackle to stop Fabrice Kasiama going through. Levi Reid threatened, his shot taking a deflection for a corner that Goodhead headed over. The Badgers ended the half strongly and Stafford keeper Lee Evans had to be alert to push Holland's goal-bound shot over for a corner.
Eastwood picked up the tempo in the second half. Duncum volleyed over after a good run from Meikle. Jonathan D'Laryea then fired over after Holland chested the ball into his path on the edge of the box.
Man of the Match Lindon Meikle should have broke the deadlock after he out-paced the defence but Evans pulled off a tremendous save on 68 minutes,using his foot to deflect his goal-bound effort. With the Badgers in the ascendency the Stafford defence were performing heroically to deny the Eastwood strikers time and space.
When they did get through, Evans was in fine form. Meikle, surrounded by three Stafford defenders laid a glorious ball into the path of Anton Foster. The Eastwood midfielder burst into the box and fired low and hard but Evans was again there to push the ball around the post.
With the game entering the last five minutes the Eastwood fans started to get a little edgy wondering if lightening was going to strike for the fourth game in succession. As it was, Meikle had a late shot charged down from the edge of the box and Evans pulled off a brilliant save to deny D'Laryea in injury time.
Eastwood
Deakin, Gardner S, Riley, D'Laryea, Bailey, Cooke, Meikle, Foster, Holmes(Smith 50), Holland, Duncum (Brown 77), Subs: Marshall, Nwadike, Gardner R,
Stafford Rangers
Evans, Wooliscroft, Vauls, Thorley, Goodhead, Udoji, Reid, Burns, Merella, Dinning, Kasiama Subs: Holland, Rogers, Brindley, Alexander, Harrison
Referee D Lawrence
Attendance 442 |
