“Overall, it wasn’t the performance we wanted.” Said First Team Coach Greg Young. “It was disappointing to concede again from a set piece. They didn’t really carve us open from open play and we were the better team in the last twenty minutes and looked more likely to get all three points at the end.”

Grantham created the first chance of the game in the second minute what Ash Worsfold and Liam Hardy, starting together for the first time this season, worked the ball through the Stafford defence. Good covering by Muhammad Sebbeh-Njie blocked the Gingerbreads route to goal before a shot could be taken.

The two sides exchanged chances after 10 minutes. Jason Law worked well with Worsfold on the left hand side to square the ball for Hardy. This time he was hustled out of things by three red shirts and Brad Abbott had his shot blocked as he latched on to the loose ball. At the other end, James Berrett lost the ball to Joe Cuff and he played in former Gingerbread Callum Coyle, but Ben Middleton rescued the Gingerbreads with a good block.

The Gingerbreads looked sharp in midfield and created chances for Worsfold. Stafford, however, had a lot of energy themselves and closed Grantham down all round the pitch. After 17 minutes, Worsfold got a shot away, but only hit Stafford goalkeeper Lewis King. Five minutes later, his header almost put Hardy in, but King beat the Gingerbreads striker to the ball.

Stafford came strongly at the Gingerbreads midway through the first half. They forced a series of corners after Joe Cuff was played in down the side of the Grantham central defence. Cuff got off a fierce shot, but Jan Budtz reacted well to make the save. Thomas Thornley also got a good shot in from 25 yards out just before the half hour, but his effort flew across the Grantham goal and wide.

Grantham had the ball in the net after 28 minutes. Berrett played a lovely pass for Nathan Dyer and his low cross was flicked into the net by Worsfold. The effort was ruled out by an offside flag against the Grantham striker.

Stafford started the second half brightly and took the lead after only three minutes of the second period. Their second corner of the half was whipped into the near post. Berrett rose to clear, but the ball flicked off his head and across goal into the far corner of the net with Budtz beaten.

For a while, there was no reaction from Grantham to the goal as Stafford looked more likely to add a second. The Gingerbreads were sloppy with the ball and Tom Ward put Budtz under pressure with a short backpass that almost let Cuff in. The Gingerbread goalkeeper did enough to force the Stafford striker away from goal.

The Gingerbreads defence led the way up front on 66 minutes when Grantham grabbed an equaliser. Ward chased onto a loose ball after a corner and dropped a cross

back into the visitors’ penalty area. Middleton headed the cross goalward and Ryan Holland lashed it into the roof of the net from close range.

The visitors came at Grantham after the goal and Coyle began to get a bit of freedom in front of the Grantham defence. He had three good chances to shoot, but missed the target by a long way twice. His third effort was deflected and fell comfortably for Budtz.

The Gingerbreads finished the game strongly as referee Mr Davie added four minutes of stoppage time. Dyer took on the Stafford defence and fired in a shot, but was off target, while Michael Hollingsworth hit a clean volley that looped wide of the mark.

Match Report by Graham Cowell
Photo courtesy of the Grantham Journal/Toby Roberts Photography