Lge ( H)
Won 5-0
(H/T 2-0)
Moulton welcomed FC Stratford on their first ever visit to Bruntng Rd hoping to keep up the decent run of form and manager Gary Petts kept faith with the same starting 11 that won impressively at Eynesbury 7 days previous. The visitors had the first shot on goal, but it went wide of the mark and not long after Moulton replied but Tyson Aluko’s effort was blocked.

The Magpies looked the more comfortable and were moving the ball around well, but it was a route one move that saw them take the lead after 18 minutes.

Adam North advanced from his goal to clear a through ball and his 60 yard “pass” cleared the Stratford defence and MO KHAN pounced and beat keeper Liam Coyne from just inside the box.

Not long after Dan White had a chance to double the lead, but his header went wide following a Terry Falcini corner, but only a couple of minutes later White was adjudged to have fouled a Bears forward in the box and the referee awarded a penalty.

Toby Nichol stepped up to take the kick but North saved brilliantly to his left and the ball was cleared.

Moulton were still the more dominant team and increased their lead a minute into stoppage time at the end of the half. Damian Osoimoeijokhian found Luke Stevens with a quick throw in high up in the visitor’s half, his first time cross saw Kobi Bivens sneak in and his flick hit the base of the near post, however Bivens recovered the ball and laid it back to the edge of the box where LEWIS ISOM arrived to fire left footed past Coyne.

HALF TIME MOULTON 2 FC STRATFORD 0

Moulton started the second half on top and from an Isom free kick White had a header saved by Coyne and from the resultant corner Osoimoeijokhian headed a decent chance over the bar. Little was seen of the visitors as an attacking threat and when Aluko and Adam Dicks combined down the right Khan stole in but couldn’t force the rebound in after Coyne fumbled his original effort, and a minute or so later Isom put Aluko in down the right channel and when the cross came in Dicks shot was blocked and Bivens fired over the rebound. The constant pressure finally paid dividends after 60 minutes, Falcini collected a headed clearance from Stevens halfway inside the Bears half and then went past Thomas Williams on the outside before crossing into the six-yard box where KHAN had a simple tap in to make it 3-0.

The Magpies were in total control by now and a 4th goal arrived on 72 minutes, a Lewis Fisher corner was cleared out to Isom, he returned it cross field back to the corner taker who exchanged passes with Bivens before crossing into the box where DANTE GREY stole in between defenders to put the result beyond doubt.

Stratford won’t be the only side to suffer when the Magpies are in this type of mood and a 5th goal was not long coming, Jamal Hyatt and William Cooke dallied with the ball at the back and when Moulton suddenly pressed in numbers keeper Coyne’s poor clearance went straight to sub LACHI CODRINGTON and he advanced before slipping it past the prone keeper.

With the bit between the teeth Moulton continued to dominate and when Stevens played a straight ball down the middle Fisher found himself in the clear, but his weak shot was saved by Coyne. Right at the death the Magpies produced the move of the match, Khan won a challenge in the centre circle, Justin Mensah picked up the loose ball and found Isom, his reverse pass saw Khan running into space and he then involved Bivens, who moved it quickly on to Codrington but his shot was brilliantly tipped over by Coyne. A terrific all-round performance by the whole team (and subs) that extended the unbeaten run to 9 games and sets us up nicely for the midweek trip to St Neots before we are back at Brunting Rd next Saturday October 10th when AFC Bridgenorth are the visitors in the FA Isuzu Vase.

FINAL SCORE MOULTON 5 FC STRATFORD 0

TEAM North, Dicks, Osoinoiejokhian (Andrews 65), Grey, Stevens, Bivens, Falcini (Codrington 62), Aluko (Fisher 62), Khan, White (Mensah 73) Isom.

Editor - Steve Alibone