Walsall 2, Stratford 1

STRATFORD'S recent winning run came to an abrupt halt on Saturday at the Bescot Stadium in Walsall.

While retaining third place in the DTZ West Midlands Premier League, their promotion place ambitions will only be realised with a return to more composed and thoughtful hockey in the two remaining key games before Christmas.

Stratford started confidently with Snoddy once again proving their talisman as he added a cutting edge to the Stratford attack with his introduction with just ten minutes gone.

Snoddy's goal made it his third in as many games and Leary's own tally should have been increased as he made a fine solo run and cracked a clean shot into the bottom corner.

The strike was controversially ruled out with Leary having been adjudged to have shot outside the dee.

Despite further forays into the Walsall area, Stratford could not increase their lead and resumed after half time just one in front.

The home team came out fighting. They won a number of loose balls to mount pressure, and soon won a penalty stroke after a collision which saw goalkeeper Hart perhaps a little lucky to stay on the pitch.

Making his senior league debut, Hart made amends for the incident with a fine save to keep the visitors in front,

Walsall, though, were still not to be denied and an equaliser soon followed leaving Stratford to chase the game in the last 20 minutes in trying to salvage the points.

Yet another goal was disallowed from a Grigg short corner and with both Leary and Black missing the target by a whisker and the realisation grew among the visitors that they might have to settle for a draw.

However, in the dying minutes a breakaway Walsall attack resulted in a short corner being awarded in gloomy conditions and the hosts successfully converted in the half-light as seconds later the final whistle blew.

Although Stratford could count themselves unlucky on several fronts, they knew that the quality of their possession and passion must improve considerably to win matches such as these.

Stratford Hockey Club is sponsored by Coleman's Office Supplies.

West Midlands Premier

P W D L F A Pts

Wolverhampton 8 8 0 0 40 10 24

Worcester Norton 8 6 1 1 24 14 19

Stratford 8 5 1 2 27 14 16

Kingswinford 8 5 1 2 24 14 16

Aldridge 8 3 2 3 26 25 11

Evesham 8 3 1 4 17 23 10 Wombourne 8 3 0 5 22 25 9

Handsworth Eagles 7 2 1 4 22 31 7

Yardley 8 2 0 6 14 29 6

Walsall 9 1 1 7 7 25 4

Bromsgrove 6 1 0 5 8 21 3