Long Stratton Football Club

Long Stratton 5 Hindringham 1  - 28/08/10

A 3rd straight win took us to the top of the table in what was our best performance of the season. James Barnes and Jim Edwards were missing, Stephen Blunt and Shaun Flint came into the starting line-up. The defence deserve credit, the back four is gelling nicely and this was an assured performance across the entire back line. Plenty of on the pitch communication was asked for pre-match by the gaffers and it was clearly evident. Club captain Kaine Challen and player/manager David Robinson drove the team on from the back. Adam Solley and Blunt knitted things together nicely in midfield and Andy Harvey and Flint were a constant threat up top for the Reds. The goals came from Mark Whitmore, David Robinson getting on the end of a Challen free-kick, Flint hit two, one being a penalty and Harvey got on the end of a great pass from Flint to smash the ball home. This was a game we dropped 2 points in last term so it was good to banish that memory on the back of a great team performance. We can now enjoy the cup games over the next few weeks and hopefull make progess in those...something we were unlucky with last season. Man of the Match: Stephen Blunt

April 27th : 

The final game of the season left us needing a very improbable Scole win at Kirkley & Pakefield Res. whilst we had to beat Caister and promotion would be ours. The game was played out in front of another crowd of over 80, and they witnessed another strong perfomance. Goals from strike duo Shaun Flint & Ben Cussons put us 2-0 up before the break, 26 goals between them this season. The second half saw us totally dominate with Chaz Sizeland a virtual spectator. Sam Wilby turned in a Stephen Blunt shot-cum-cross to make it 3-0 and Shaun Moss pressure on a Caister defender ended with an own goal for 4-0. Many chances then went begging and some really good posession in and around the box wasn't turned into goals which could have seen the scoreline look far worse on the visitors. So we were left to wait an hour for the K&P result to filter through.....could Scole grab a point? St. Johns had been crushed by Poringland which all meant that if Scole could take a point off the Royals the Division 1 title would be heading to Manor Road. Alas, it wasn't to be and K&P had ground out a 2-0 win to secure the championship. A sickener to lose out on promotion by mere goal difference but it doesn't retract from what has been a tremendous season of football from the first team, the players had given there all and come so close. MD Bambridge Steel Erecting man of the match went to James Barnes.

April 24th :   Corton 0 - 2  Long Stratton

The sun shone on the Lowestoft coast, the final Saturday of the first team season. We needed a win but also were left praying that Hindringham could stop St. Johns winning. Stephen Blunt was suspended so Adam Solley moved back into midfield alongside James Barnes with Grahame Bartlett comign back into centre-defence to patner Mark Whitmore. Both Sam Giacomelli and Kaine Challen still out injured. Ref Phil South stamped his mark on the game from the 3rd minute, brandishing a yellow card at our top scorer Shaun Flint. Flint had petulantly kicked the ball away after a disputed desicion, this became the pattern of the first 45 with the man in black getting howls of derision from the sizeable away contingent as it seemed every 50/50 desicion went the way of Corton. A Stratton move carved out by our Suffolk players, executed in Suffolk saw us go 1-0 within quarter of an hour. Ben Cussons fed Flint and he fired past the advancing keeper.(below)

Shaun Moss should have made it 2-0 before the break but we went into the break a goal to the good and looking good for it.

Corton are 4th in the table and had thumped us 7-2 at home so a win here was never going to be easy and the home side looked much better in the second period. Chaz Sizeland making a couple of fine saves as we saw out a tough spell of pressure. Moss again had a great chance to seal the points but couldn't find the net. The work-rate of the team was again admirable, Solley and Hipperson putting in big shifts and Flint too was to be commended. Most pleasing for the Reds was a return to form of Grahame Bartlett, the young defender has endured an injury ravaged season but him and the brillaint Whitmore (arguably the signing of the season) palyed a masive part in this clean-sheet. Bartlett making a superb 50 yard run with the ball at one stage, leaving Corton midfielders in his wake. With just under 20 mins remaining a series of corners from Flint ended with Mark Whitmore powering a header goalwards, the keeper made a diving save but the veteran defender reacted quickest and poked in the rebound to make it 2-0 (below).

We saw the game out with a few mild scares but our joy at taking 6 points from two tough trips over the past fortnight was diminished when news filtered thorugh that St. Johns had thrashed Hindringham to secure promotion. Man of the match was Mark Whitmore, a superb defender and his experience shone through here. Let's hope he postpones retirement for a while yet....

Apr 17th::  Hindringham 1  Long Stratton 2

Stratton went into the game without the victims of Tuesday night's bruising draw against Poringland, Kaine Challen & Dave Robinson. Grahame Bartlett was a victim of the Icelandic dust clouds...left rooted in Spain. So a reshuffle saw Adam Solley drop into centre-half, both wingers Ed Hipperson and Shaun Moss started. James Barnes partnering Stevie Blunt in centre-midfield. The Reds' came out slowly and Hindringham were on top early doors. Our engine room of Blunt & Barnes had made in Stratton tattoed all over it and slowly but surely they began to stamp their authority on midfield. Ben Cussons & Shaun Flint bith quite periphial midweek looked fired up for this one and it was Flint who came closest to open the scoring, slamming the Hindringham crossbar. Cussons shoots wide twice before we are denied what appeared for all the world to be a stonewall penalty, a Hindringham defender handling on the line but the ref waved away the resulting Stratton protests.It stayed goaless until the break. The deadlock was broken in the 65th minute when we took the lead, Hipperson crosses, Cusson spins and fires a shot into the bottom corner. Skipper Solley was looking excellent at centre-half, winning everything in the air and Chaz Sizeland was a virtual spectator in the visitors goal as Hindringham struggle to break us down. We then see another blatant penalty waved away, another hand-ball going under the ref's radar. Blunt meanwhile, is running the show in midfield. And then a tiny lapse in concentration is punished with a Hindringham equaliser, a rare effort on goal from a free header and it's 1-1. On 82 minutes Ben Cussons ran through and lobbed the visiting keeper to put us 2-1 up and seal an excellent 3 points. Man of the match was Blunt with Solley very close behind.Other results didn't go for us, leaving us still needing a slip elsewhere if we are to finish in the top 2, however, this was another performance full of character that has been the trademark of our season.

Apr 13th:   Long Stratton 1-1 Poringland Wanderers

At 6:15pm our promotion destiny was in our own hands, 4 wins and we were up. Sounds so simple....but when one of those 4 opponents is a team bent on stopping you it becomes infinitely harder. Poringland played very well indeed, if they'd played with this tenacity all season then surely they'd still be in the top 4, but unfortunately for their manager 7 defeats in 12 games coming into this game had seen their promotion hopes extinguished. The first half belonged mostly to the visitors. The weather turned dramatically during the late afternoon, a cold wind and dark clouds had a clear adverse effect on the attendance, only 88 in the end. We lost David Robinson to a bad injury in the second half, he was clattered  by Ben Cussons' full weight down on his ankle in the first half and despite going thru the pain barrier he could take no more, indications are it could well be the end of Robbo's season as a player. Still Poringland looked the more likely to score.  Their two forwards were a realt threat but Kaine Challen and Mark Whitmore were standing firm. The closest we had come was Cussons flashing a header wide. The pitch was hard and the ball was running away from people but still only Barnes looked like creating an opening for us. Cometh the hour...cometh the man, James Barnes 16th goal of the season and it was a brilliantly taken free-kick that went round the wall and into the corner of the net to put us 1 up. The relief round Manor Road was evident but could we hang on was the next question and within nine minutes Poringland had equalised. A messy goal, keeper Chaz Sizeland, faultless up to that point hesitated just for a moment and it was enough for the visitors to slot the bouncing ball into the empty net. as the game wore on neither side created a clear cut chance to take maximum points apart from a Barnes free-kick from a smilar position that was charged down by team-mate Blunt as it appeard goalbound. Centre-half Challen was forced off with a serious injury and it could well be his season is curtailed too. So in summary it was a deserved point for Poringland. Is it two crucial points dropped for us? Could it be a valuable point against what is a dangerous opponent? We will only know for certain two weeks tonight. There are more points to be won, more points to be dropped in the race for promotion. But we aren't out of it yet. Statton Glass & Windows Man of the Match was Mark Whitmore http://www.strattonglass.co.uk

APR 10th :: LONG STRATTON 5 SOLE BAY 0...

Our final home Saturday game for the first team and the biggest win of the season sent another huge crowd home happy, the sun shone and the goals flowed, Ben Cussons, in great form just when it matters started the goal blitz after 2 minutes. Stephen Blunt playing the ball through for Cussons to finish. Shaun Moss had a storming first half, a livewire down the wing and it was his run in the 29th minute that ended with him chopped down inside the box, Cussons burying the penalty. Shaun Flint made Cussons third goal, a tap-in from close range to complete his hat-trick. In the second half Shaun Flint powered a header home from Kaine Challen's ball and with the Reds rampant in the sunshine Shaun Moss finished off a beautiful move, Blunt's brilliant pass putting Moss through...The Stratton Glass & Windows man of the match was Kaine Challen, again was a total rock at the heart of our defence...Dave Robinson left himself out of the squad and Grahame Bartlett came through 90 minutes unscathed on his return from injury, even the wizard of Wood Green Lloyd Douglas came off the bench to ease himself back from injury and with David Storey also back in the fray the squad looks strong and fit going into the final 4 games now. Only Sam Giacomelli remains on the casualty list. 4 very tough games now stand between us and history, all coming within 14 days..

APR 3rd :: LONG STRATTON 1 STALHAM TOWN 0...

A lot to be said for a 1-0 win at the business end of the season, but another big crowd not put off by last week's mauling by a strong Kirkley side came away wondering how it reamined 1-0. Stalham so often a bogey team of ours were looking to complete a second double in two years over us. The Reds saw a couple of changes, Blunt & Flint making way for Storey and Barnes, Sizeland recalled in goal and Moss enjoying a rare start. The crowd was slow to build up, the Chelsea v Man. United game on TV putting paid to that...and those that were late taking their seats missed an electrifying start, Ben Cussons put through by Daniel Cooke's pass slotted home after just 2 minutes. Shaun Moss had his best outing for a long time threatning Stalham's back four with some trademark runs, he forced a good save from the visitors keeper. Cussons could easily have had a hat-trick before the interval, twice putting the ball wide and an air-shot from Moss's cross, Dave Robinson running through on goal skied an effort over the bar as Stratton really imposed themselves on the game. After the break the crowd swelled to 91 and with us still on top the first rendition of come on your Reds boomed out, with the keeper out of goal Barnes had a chance from wide on the box but casually stroked the ball wide. Skipper Adam Solley spooned over the crossbar on 74. Flint who came on at half-time for an injured Storey slammed the post. The volume cranked up further from the sidlines, the biggest cheer of the day came when club legend Damian Hilton returned the ball from behind the Manor Road goal. The Reds were rampant now with Flint a major threat, he fired wide from an excellent Moss pass. As the game entered the closing stages the realisation that despite our domination Stalham could still nick a point, and a free-kick in the 90th minute threatend to do exactly that but Chaz Sizeland made an excellent stop, his second of the game and the win was secured. Some much improved performances all over the pitch. Daniel Cooke deserves a mention...for those who have watched home and away can testament he has had a fine season at left-back, the Stratton Motor Company man of the match was Chaz Sizeland. No-one in our vast, ever-expanding village has ever counted chickens, when you've spent 20 years in Division 4 it's easy to get a bit excited when your so close to the top of Division 1, when crowds have gone up 85% in a year, when sponsors pile in to take up our corporate packages for 2010/11 irrespective of what divison we are in (more on this soon), when the website recieves a record 206 unique hits in a day (last Sunday), it is clear we are amidst exciting times...This club has been carried forward for 99 years by good people and now it is being forged into an irresistable force on and off the pitch, we have 5 games left and our destiny is back in our hands...come on the Reds!...

Mar 27th :: LONG STRATTON 0 KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD RES 4...

Excuses, i've got a few...our talisman James Barnes suspended, 3 goalkeepers injured and a debutant in the sticks thrown in to the club's most important game in 99 years....I could go on but K&P ran out comfortable winners in the end 4-0. The first two goals coming at killer times in the 44th and 47th minutes. The first a free-kick that crept in the corner, the second an OG by Kaine Challen after he flicked a header over a rooted Ian Edwards in goal direct from a throw-in. Before both goals K&P had hit the woodwork and gone close on a number of occassions, Ben Cussons and Ed Hippserson had our best effort's both sailed harmlessly over the visitors bar. Our only serious effort on goal saw Dave Robinson steal into the box and thump a header against the bar in the 68th minute, the ball bouncing down on the line before being cleared. K&P adding two more goals in the last 15 minutes to complete the drubbing, our first home defeat since September. Fair play to K&P, over both encounters they were much the better side...we struggled to impose our game and we are now left to lick our wounds over the coming few days...This said we still have 6 games left, we are now playing catch-up but we have made big, no...giant strides in the space of a single season, another 3 figure attendance at Manor Road, none of which will stop believing until it's mathematically impossible...Stratton Motor Company man of the match was Mark Whitmore...

Mar 23rd :: KIRKLEY & PAKEFIELD RES 2 LONG STRATTON 0...

So 'the royals' won the first part of the double header, two clinical set-pieces were Stratton's undoing. Nothing keeper Jimmy Last could do about either goal. The opening exchanges in the first half saw us do a lot of chasing but once we began to get a grip we prehaps even finished the first 45 minutes slighlty stronger than the hosts although our only efforts on goal were long range drives from Cussons and Flint comfortably dealt with by the keeper. Before K&P's 23rd minute corner was powerfully headed home we had lost full-back Grahame Bartlett to an ankle injury, replaced by Lloyd Douglas. We recieved a let-off on 39 when the home side thumped the crossbar but it remained 1-0 at the break and the away contingent were still hopeful of at least a share of the spoils. The travelling support from Stratton was tremendous, around 40 making the trip and arguably outnumbering the home support, two ex-chairman and our current chairlady amongst that number...The second goal for the hosts was a brilliant 35 yard free-kick that flew past a helpless Last into the back of the net. With half an hour left a comeback looked unlikely and apart from a scrambled effort that went wide the hosts saw the game out without too many alarms. Sam Giacomelli was man of the match. We can now prepare for the sequel on Saturday at fortress Manor Road, Kaine Challen looks likely to be passed fit for a return, we look forward to seeing another huge scene of Red strength on the sidelines for this 2pm kick-off, and the Reserves then face St. Andrews Res. in a 4pm ko...

Mar 20th :: LONG STRATTON 3 HORSFORD UTD 0...

'Build it and they will come'...We are building it, and they are coming...A home attendance in 3 figures for the first time in years, 102 to be exact, including many former Reds' coming along to see what all the fuss was about were duly rewarded with a powerful second half display to secure a 13th win in 15 games. Giacomelli & Robinson were forced into changes for this game, Kaine Challen and Chaz Sizeland ruled out with injuries, Grahame Bartlett returned to right -back and goalkeeping coach Jimmy Last was called into the number 1 shirt with injuries to 3 of our senior keepers. Last at nearly 34 went on to play a blinder, experience and authority oozed from the back and despite Horsford dominating the first 20 minutes Last and in front of him Sam Giacomelli & Mark Whitmore stood firm. Things began to turn round and Stratton's grip on the game was confirmed when Flint played a good ball across for Barnes to finish. More good work wide from Flint saw him fire a fine ball across goal but a stretching Robinson could only put the ball wide. The second half began well for us when Flint punished a defensive error to make it 2-0 in the 47th minute. A good cross by Cussons was turned over the bar by Robinson and Sam Giacomelli saw an effort sail over the bar before a run by Robinson ended with him fouled for a penalty to the Reds. Shaun Flint slotting it home. A good cross from Robinson was headed wide by sub Folkard and soon after player/gaffer Robinson slammed the foot of the post with a long range drive. The Reds camping in Horsford's half by now and the home crowd lapping it up. 3-0 it ended and the top 3 all locked on 49 points as we enter two massive games against Kirkley & Pakefield Res in the space of 5 days. Away on Tuesday night with a large crowd expected to support the lads, details on the forum. And home next Saturday. This time next week our destiny will be a lot clearer...Hairmale man of the match was Jimmy Last, only a penalty save would have completed the script..

Mar 13th :: WYMONDHAM TOWN 2 LONG STRATTON 3...

Backed by the largest travelling support of the season The Reds went to Wymondham and despite being rocked by conceeding 2 early goals went on to win and win well. The only change to the side that defeated Bungay saw Sam Giacomelli return in place of David Storey. Stratton sporting their yellow away strip were a goal down within 3 minutes, a free-kick went through the wall and was tapped in from close range. 9 minutes later Wymondham were 2-0 to the good, a near post corner was met by a flashing header by Adam Solley and the ball hit the net. That was as good as it got for the home side as Stratton began to assume control. James Barnes buried a superb free-kick to reduce the deficit on 24 minutes. Mark Whitmore made an excellent last-ditch challenge to snuff out a Wymondham attack on the half-hour. Controversially Barnes had a 'goal' dissalowed for offside but it remained 2-1 to the hosts at the break. Stratton put in a powerful second half performance, Ben Cussons was excellent up front yet again, a bullish centre-forward with an obscene work-rate, just before the hour he got on the end of a fine deep cross form David Robinson and crashed his header into the back of the net. 10 minutes later the visitors sealed the points when James Barnes drove forward from the middle of the park fed sub Paul Folkard and he finished well. A 7th win in 8 games and a victory that took us up to 2nd place, only goal difference seperates us from the top. The hoodoo of the away kit was banished with this victory, so many good individual performances to mention them all. Cussons won man of the match, 6 goals in the last 7 games now for the Stratton spear-head. Mark Whitmore had a great game too, his experience is proving invaluable in these big matches...and captain Adam Solley...when Robert the Bruce said of 'braveheart' William Wallace.."he fights with a PASSION, and he INSPIRES..." he could easily have been talking about our Number 8. A warrior midfielder who has settled into the club like he was born to wear the famous Red shirt with the Sexton wheel on the chest. So, 9 big games left now, all to play for but yet another test of character passed with distinction today...

Mar 6th :: LONG STRATTON 2 BUNGAY TOWN 0...

The sign went back up outside Manor Road at 4:15pm and it read'business as usual', a 6th win in 7 games cemented our place in the top 3 and it was the perfect performance to warm the biggest crowd of the season. Stratton were forced into a reshuffle before kick-off with Sam Giacomelli falling ill. David Storey starting at right-back and Mark Whitmore partnering Kaine Challen in centre defence. The first half was an even affair, a couple of penalty shouts turned down and Shaun Flint seeing a few half chances go begging. Stratton looked much better after the break and their untouchable work-rate saw them gain the upper hand for the majority of the 45 minutes. A few tackles not for the feint hearted cranked up the heat and Stratton began to knock o the Black Dogs door with Adam Solley seeing a header flash just over. Just before the hour Ben Cussons was upended in the box and he stepped up to tuck away the spot kick, soon after James Barnes fed Cussons who fired home to seal the win the roar around Manor Road lifted the roof. Stratton looked likely to extend their lead, Robinson seeing an effort blaze over the Skateboard park end stand...Bungay meanwhile could find no way through Stratton's tireless midfield and anything ariel was met by the dominant Kaine Challen, what a signing this big man is proving, a pocket battleship of a stopper and fast becoming a crowd favourite. Another excellent victory and a timely reminder to all our supporters and critics alike of everything that is good about this side, work-rate, relentless desire and a character to go on and win games....Stratton Motor Company man of the match was Kaine Challen.

Feb 27th :: STALHAM TOWN 1 LONG STRATTON 0...

A first defeat for almost 3 months and it tasted all the bitter after a controversial decision from the ref meant we had to play for 80 minutes with 10 men. Ben Cussons recieved his marching orders for an alleged elbow which only the hosts linesman spotted. The referee after lenghty discussions backed his assistant and branished the Red to the stunned Stratton striker. This triggered a good spell of pressure from Stalham as we were trying to clear our heads and twice Chaz Sizeland had to save smartly. But from the 30th minute onwards Stratton, despite the numerical disadvantage began to impose themselves on the game. Shaun Flint shooting straight at the keeper after being put through just before the break. The second half saw Lloyd Douglas substituted through injury, Mark Whitmore on. We continued to play well, forcing Stalham's 11 men back for long periods. David Robinson shooting wide from 25 yards, a goalmouth scramble culminated in Shaun Moss's scuffed effort being hacked off the line and several corners failed to produce a clear header on goal. Then in the 82nd minute came the killer blow, Stalham won a header, the ball looped over both centre-halves and their striker just got the better of Sizeland to slot into an empty net...We strived forward for a point but still some at best 'mysterious' desicions seemed to go against us...We drove on again but our best chance cleared the bar from Flint's right boot...So in summary, Stalham continue to be a thorn in our side, the yellow away kit must be burnt, but no-one died and we are still just 2 points off the top, a great position going into the final 11 games. A banner was unfurled over the front of the top tier in the away section and it's words ring so true...'In Giacomelli & Robinson we trust'.....