Cradley Town V Gornal Athletic (Division One)

​Cradley Town were looking to continue their momentum against local rivals Gornal Athletic. The Hammers were coming off back-to-back wins going into yesterday’s match and had a five-point gap over Smethwick Rangers in 6th. It’s been a brilliant season for the club so far under manager Stuart How who was appointed during the summer.

The Hammers are also in the final of the mid-week Floodlit challenge cup at the Bescot Stadium where they will play Nuneaton Town on Wednesday 30th April. It’s an exciting time for the supporters with the club challenging in both division one and the midweek floodlit cup over the next few months.   

It’s been a tough couple of months for Gornal Athletic in division one who were struggling for form coming into yesterday’s match. The Peacocks got off to a strong start this season with four wins from their first five matches in division one following promotion from the West Midlands Regional League, but it’s been a bit of a struggle since.  

There’s been a change of manager with Jamie Oliver coming in for former Tividale manager Dave King who was sacked last month. Their last win in division one came on Boxing Day against Wednesfield at Garden Walk Stadium. None the less, Gornal have a chance to build for next season over their remaining games and were comfortably in midtable coming into this match.  

The Peacocks were looking to cause a huge upset against play off chasing Cradley to give them some momentum for the rest of the season. 

​Starting line ups

Cradley’s starting line up included Reece Francis starting in goal and captaining the team. The formation looked like a 4-3-3 with Traevay Wright playing up front and being supported by Callum North and Brad Ward on the wings.

There were three changes from their match against Nuneaton Griff in mid-week with Nathaniel Hewett coming into the team and playing at centre back alongside Charlie Aston.

Gornal’s starting line up included Louis Connor starting in goal and captaining the team. The formation looked like a 5-3-2 with Luke Sidaway and Henry Ikeije playing up front and being supported by Charlie Bache in attacking midfield.

There were two changes from their match against Coton Green last weekend with Ibrahim Almane coming into the team and playing at left back. 

First Half

Gornal settled into the match well and held their own against a Cradley side coming off four wins from their last six league matches. They had a good chance to take the lead when a free kick into the box found Charlie Bache who headed over the cross bar in the 10th minute.

Louis Connor was reading the danger well in the Gornal goal and coming for long balls into the box to take the pressure off the visitors. Harry Higginson was also playing well at centre back and heading away dangerous balls into the box.
The visitors were well organised off the ball and doing a good job of limiting the chances for Cradley throughout the first half.

Cradley had a good chance to make it 1-0 when Brad Ward found some space in the box before having his shot instinctively saved by Louis Connor who managed to tip it over the bar in the 25th minute.

Gornal showed character in the first half and didn’t look like a side coming off six straight losses in division one. They stepped up yesterday in a local derby and took a surprise lead in the 31st minute.   

A good free kick into the box found Harry Higginson in the box who produced a quality finish into the bottom right corner to make it 1-0 to the Peacocks.

It looked like the visitors were going to see the first half out for a 1-0 lead before a moment of quality made it 1-1 in the closing stages. Luke Carter played an intricate ball to Callum North in the box who produced a composed finish across Louis Connor into the bottom left corner for the equaliser.

Second Half

Cradley stepped it up in the second half and had the momentum in the early stages. Joe Fitzpatrick was building up the play from midfield and driving them on in the final third.   

​Callum North capitalised on a second ball from a corner delivered into the box and produced a quality low finish into the bottom right corner to make it 2-1 in the 52nd minute. He’s been brilliant since joining from Smethwick Rangers and took his chances well yesterday.   

Cradley were looking to make it 3-1 to pull clear and had some decent chances for a third goal. Luke Carter had a shot from the edge of the box well saved by Louis Connor in the Gornal goal to keep the visitors in the game.

Gornal showed character and took the game to Cradley at 2-1 down in the second half. They found an equaliser when a brilliant free kick into the box found Luke Sidaway who produced a quality header into the bottom right corner to make it 2-2 on the hour mark.

Luke Sidaway was a real attacking threat for Gornal yesterday and impressed up front as the main target man. He was holding up the play well and looked dangerous from set pieces into the box.

He found some space from a long throw into the box before putting his header wide of the far post in the 66th minute.

The visitors were building some momentum in front of goal at 2-2 and Cradley were doing a good job of not letting the match get away from them. Nathaniel Hewett was playing well at centre back and breaking up promising Gornal attacks to keep the visitors at bay.  

Cradley rallied late on and were looking to re-take the lead in the closing stages of the second half. The back three of Gornal were defending well with Josh Godwin and Jyon Ebo impressing and helping to clear the ball away from danger.

The hammers had to work hard to find openings in front of goal and found the breakthrough late on to make it 3-2 with a few minutes left. A brilliant corner found Charlie Aston who headed into the top right corner for Cradley’s third.

The quality off the bench made a difference for Cradley yesterday and helped them pull clear late on to make it 4-2. Jordan Crump made an inspired run down the right where he beat a few players before squaring it to Callum Powell who finished at the near post to seal the match.  

There was a late chance to add a bit of gloss to the scoreline when Jordan Crump made a brilliant run off the shoulder to go through one on one with just Louis Connor to beat. He went for a chipped finish which just looped over the crossbar.

Not long after the referee blew for the full-time whistle for Cradley’s third straight win in division one.

Full Time

Cradley had to work hard for the win yesterday and produced the quality when it mattered to get the result. It’s a huge boost for the Hammers’ play-off hopes and gives them a six-point lead over Kirby Muxloe who climbed to 6th with a 2-0 win at Smethwick Rangers yesterday.    

They have a tough run of fixtures coming up in division one with upcoming matches against Heather St John’s, Bilston Town and Coton Green over the next few weeks. The win yesterday could be huge in their hunt for the play offs and keeps up their momentum in the league.

Beeches View Avenue has been a fortress this season for Cradley with fourteen wins from seventeen matches in division one so far.  

Gornal played well yesterday and showed fight and resiliency to give Cradley a good match. They were a lot of positive signs to build on with the back three playing well and Luke Sidaway offering a threat up front.

If they play like they did against Cradley they will eventually break that winless streak in the league.

​Credit to the away supporters as well with the Peacocks bringing along a good following to cheer the team on.               

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FT score: Cradley Town 4-2 Gornal Athletic

Man of the match: Callum North (Cradley Town)

Attendance: 170

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League