Match Report: Stamford vs. Newcastle Town, 15th Oct 2011

Once again Stamford made life difficult at the Premier Kitchens Arena with a 2 0 deficit at half time few thought that a comeback could be on the cards for the second time in a week but once again the Daniels showed they can do things the hard way once again.

Stamford started the game slowly and gave Newcastle plenty of opportunities during the first fifteen minutes of the game and the best chance came from a deep cross from Jack Lane found Kyle Diskin all alone at the far post but his shot was blazed over the bar from 10 yards.

Newcastle took the lead after 21 minutes when a long clearance from defence found Greg Daniels deep in Stamford’s half he managed to make a yard of space and unleashed an unstoppable shot into the top corner leaving Mario Ziccardi with absolutely no chance. Ziccardi then came out for a ball over the top and managed to lose the ball to Daniels but his shot on the turn went wide although Miles Chamberlain looked to have had it covered.

The lead was doubled just before the half hour mark; a deep corner found Dave Whittaker, his header was palmed onto the post by Ziccardi, Greg Daniels follow up was well saved again by Ziccardi only for Leon Ashman to poke the ball home from 5 yards out.

Stamford’s first real chance of the half came from Harry Deane he ran at the Newcastle defence and played a one two with Sam Mullarkey on the edge of the area and his shot was well held by Dave Parton in goal.

It was nearly 3 in the dying moments of the half Ashman crossing for Anthony Malbon but his header was cleared of the line by Chamberlain.

Stamford could only get better in the second half and started the brighter of the two teams, Adam Hewitt run and cross was palmed down by the keeper to David Staff but his shot was well saved by the keeper closing him down and the ball came back once again to Staff but he couldn’t keep this shot down low and cleared the bar.

A short header back to Ziccardi from Robbie Maddox saw Daniels round Mario and he crossed to Curtis Price but his shot was well blocked on the line from Matt Cook. Moments later Stamford had a great chance to get back into the game when a short corner from Lee Beeson to Cook was crossed in wickedly but Dave Harper just managed to clear his own line in time.

Stamford eventually got back into the game on 64 minutes a goal kick by Ziccardi was taken short to Adam Hewitt he played an inch perfect ball over the top to Mullarkey where the little striker beat his man and pulled the ball back to David Staff and he made no mistake in side footing the ball into the bottom corner.

The Daniels equalised on 80 minutes when Lee Beeson crossed in from the left wing and the Keeper spilled the ball straight to David Staff and he smashed the ball in.

The winner came with three minutes to go, Sam Mullarkey found some space in the area and his shot was deflected into Lee Beeson's path and all he had to do was nod the ball into the empty net.

There was still time for a scare in the final moments when Newcastle got a corner and even the keeper came up for it, the ball was played over and was cleared out to Aaron Carter and his low shot through the crowd was well saved by Ziccardi to earn all 3 points.

MOTM David Staff with Vic Couzens of Torney Ltd