Stratford 2,

Worcester Norton 2

STRATFORD'S promotion battle in the DTZ West Midlands Premier League on Saturday produced a tight and competitively fought game in which honours were eventually shared.

Worcester started much the stronger and took the lead when one of their many attacks was not cleared allowing a close range shot against which gave returning keeper Dudley little chance.

Stout defence from Miles and another fine performance from Fitzpatrick at the back kept Stratford in the game through the period of further pressure that ensued.

But, as the game progressed, Strat-ford's midfield found their confidence and form and an intelligently taken early free hit by captain Stuart Guise set Grigg free to drive in to the D.

Having slipped round the keeper he was just able to reach the ball to turn it in to the empty goal off his reverse stick.

The equaliser gave Stratford the boost they needed and they came out of the interval in the ascendancy.

Attacking now down both flanks, Stratford soon went ahead as Rey-nolds's sharp cross from the right was cleverly deflected by Grigg to set Leary up for a chance that he coolly converted.

Nick Turner on the left hand side, meanwhile, was proving a constant threat as he controlled the ball well out of defence to link up well with Snoddy in attacks.

Grigg so nearly made it three to seal the game as he got on the end of a well judged pass from Black following a neat build-up on the right between and Reynolds, Steve Gray and the cool headed Hazell.

However, the shot slid just wide and, just a few minutes later, Gray had an opportunity himself when one of his surging runs forward found him in unfamiliar territory in the Worcester D. He too was unable to convert.

As Stratford made the fatal mistake of defending their slender lead, Worcester finished strongly and managed to turn in a short corner at the near post despite the best efforts of Dudley and his defensive team.

A rare yellow card for Stratford's captain Guise reduced them to ten men for the closing minutes but Grigg still broke away with just seconds left on the clock in a move that looked like it might give the visitors the points.

He slipped the ball to Snoddy who was kept out by the Worcester keeper to ensure that the spoils were shared and that Worcester preserved their league advantage just above their opponents.

Stratford's strong comeback from a tentative start against a well drilled team playing in front of a sizeable home crowd provides much encouragement for their remaining league programme.

All other club games were cancelled.

DTZ League

West Midlands Premier

P W D L F A Pts

Wolverhampton 10 10 0 0 49 12 30

Worcester Norton 11 8 2 1 33 20 26

Stratford 11 5 2 4 32 25 17

Kingswinford 10 45 1 4 27 20 16

Aldridge 11 4 4 3 36 32 16

Handsworth Eagles 11 4 1 6 29 40 13

Wombourne 11 4 0 7 27 31 12

Bromsgrove 10 3 2 5 18 28 11

Walsall 11 3 2 6 22 33 11

Evesham 10 3 1 6 20 32 10

Yardley 10 1 1 8 9 29 4