Match Report: Grantham Town vs. Stamford, 26th Dec 2011

Stamford travelled to Grantham on Boxing Day on the back of a good win against Lincoln United but faced an in form Grantham who had dropped only seven points from their last 19 games. With Grantham top, and Stamford fourth, this was a game both teams needed to win. Just over 500 watched the game, the best crowd at The Meres for five years.

As always, there was a strong breeze blowing down the pitch and Grantham started with the wind behind them and they started strongly. Ben Saunders created their first chance after only 5 minutes with a cross to Paul Grimes but his shot was blocked. Two minutes later Sam Saunders delivered a free kick which went right through the Stamford defence but fortunately passed the Grantham players in the box as well.

Ross Whalin showed he can move quickly for a big man and he had to rush out of his area to clear the ball with his head with Grimes bearing down. A minute later Gio Carchedi headed a Lee Potts cross straight at Whalin. Then Ben Saunders wasted another good chance shooting straight at Whalin.

It was one way traffic and on the rare occasions Stamford got the ball a wayward pass gave it straight back to Grantham. With 27 minutes gone, a pass from Luke Garton went astray and was quickly played forward to Paul Grimes. His shot was blocked but the ball fell to Ben Saunders who chipped the ball over Whalin to give Grantham the lead.

It looked as if a 25 yard shot from Potts was curling into the top corner but Whalin stretched to palm the ball over the bar. With five minutes left in the half another stinging shot from Saunders beat Whalin but came back off the bar.

The vast majority of first half play had been in the Stamford half but somehow Grantham led only 1-0 at half time which gave Stamford a real chance to get back in the game. Just two minutes into the second half that looked unlikely as a poor clearance went straight to Ben Saunders. He tried to pick his spot past Whalin but managed to hit the far post.

Finally Stamford started to get into the game and Bruno Holden first had a shot blocked and then the follow up turned away by Rob Murray.

Just after the hour mark Stamford made a double substitution bringing on Jake Gibson and Andy Toyne. Almost straightaway Nick Ghislanzoni had Stamford’s best chance of the game but his first shot, and the follow up were blocked, before Murray stuck out a leg to hook the ball away.

With ten minutes to go Grantham went down to ten men when Sam Purcicoe, already booked, kicked the ball away after Grantham conceded a free kick.

Stamford were now having much more of the play and a huge clearance from Whalin was carried by the wind over the Grantham defence but Nathan Watson couldn’t control the ball and it ran through to Murray. Into stoppage time and Adam Hewitt looked to be going to get his head to a superb Watson cross but Murray stretched to fist the ball away. With just seconds left, Hewitt turned provider crossing with the ball going right through to Harry Deane coming in at the far post but his header came back off the post.

Stamford did lift their game in the second half and had the majority of second half play. Had that final chance gone in Stamford supporters could have argued a draw was a fair result based on their second half possession but that would be to forget Grantham could have won the game in the first half such was their dominance in the first period.

Manager Tommy Brookbanks still has to solve the Jekyll and Hyde Stamford performances which sees them poor in one half but a totally different team in the other.

Stamford: Ross Whalin, Luke Garton, Adam Hewitt, Wayne Diuk, Joe Pheasant, David Staff, Nathan Watson, Alex Flett (Andy Toyne 62), Bruno Holden, Nick Ghislanzoni (Harry Deane 75), Danny Brooks (Jake Gibson 62).

Subs not used: Miles Chamberlain, Mark Harvey

Grantham: Rob Murray, Sam Purcicoe, Lee Potts, Grant Brindley, Sam Saunders, Phil Watt, Rhys Lewis, Martin Ball, Paul Grimes (Tony Battersby 93), Ben Saunders (Damian Magee 83), Gio Carchedi (Jamie Magee 83).

Subs not used: Sean Cann, Steve Melton