There is a feeling of contentment that comes when your child’s team achieves a victory.  You go to work just itching for someone to ask how you are so you can regale them with every detail until they are glassy-eyed with boredom.  And when that victory comes against a worthy opponent, that contentment is even greater.  And when the victory comes against a team for which there is a decade old rivalry well …  STRATFORD BEATS SPRING WOODS, STRATFORD BEATS SPRING WOODS, (fist pump emoji) YAAAAAH!  STRATFORD BEATS SPRING WOODS.   That is right soccer fans, you heard it here last, our intrepid Spartans pulled off a heart-thumping, edge of the seat victory against the always tough Spring Woods Tigers 1 – 0.  What was to be a home game at Spring Woods was changed by early day rains, or the soccer gods, to bring play to Tully Stadium.  It was a late 8pm start on a humid night with barely a whiff of wind.

Possession was well balanced in the first half with Spring Woods showing its typical quickness and passing discipline.  But Stratford held its own with good hustle that seemed to keep the bounces going their way.  At 11 minutes in, Nick Hay had a good grab at goal that was enabled by disruptive defensive play by Edmond Ndaye.  Through the half, Spring Woods was not shy about launching shots from 20 to 25 yards out.  Fortunately, launching was the operative word as their shots consistently had the quality of field goals.  At 20 minutes into the game Chris Mandundu was fouled at about 9 yards out from the penalty area.  And with what turned out to be the play of the game, Milan Jokic took the free-kick and launched a perfectly placed missile in the upper left corner of the goal.  With 10 minutes left in the half, Spring Woods made a threatening run, but Milan was there helping the backline for a key defensive play.  This was the theme through the game with Spring Woods seemingly one pass away from scoring.  But that pass never came, as Stratford stood firm with individual and team defensive plays to end the half up 1 - 0.

It was a tale of two halves however, as an inspired Spring Woods team came out in the second half.  Your humble reporter can imagine their coach’s simple message to just play their game.  And play their game they did.  Spring Woods dominated possession with disciplined pinpoint passing, great motion off the ball and unselfish team play as they fed the ball to players coming behind the main action or crashing toward the goal anticipating centering passes.  But the Stratford defense did not yield.  At 15 minutes into the half Nick Hay made a nice save off a deflected Spring Woods shot.  And with 15 left in the half, Stratford got a yellow card on a foul 10 yards out from the penalty area.  Spring Woods was able to get a header on the free-kick, but Nick was there again for the save.  Spring Woods kept the pressure on through the end of the game, but Stratford gave Nick Hay the clean sheet and cruised to that very satisfying 1 – 0 victory.

The second game of the week was a home game vs Cypress Ridge.  It was also moved to Tully with a late start due to the impact the early day rains had on the grass field.  It was a cool night with the wind out of the South.  Stratford kicked off going against the wind.  Neither team had a big edge for most of the half.  The chances that Stratford did have came from the difficulty Cy Ridge had keeping the ball near their feet.  About 5 minutes in, Jack Manke made a nice individual run at the goal, but the goalie made the stop.  A minute later, Cy Ridge threatened, but Nate Siciliano made a nice play break up the threat.  It was like that until just before the half-time when Sam Cohen made an arcing pass from the left side of the field to right in front of the goal.  Yuto Komiya was in perfect position to get the ball into the net for a 1 – 0 Stratford lead.

The second half was interesting in that Stratford’s hustle, combined with the opponent’s loose ball handling, resulted in a greater edge for Stratford possession.  But this did not pay off until 10 minutes left in the game when a well-placed corner kick by Jack Manke found Will Emerson who got a foot on the ball for Stratford’s second score.  And victory was assured three minutes later when a brilliant Stratford pass freed Francies Galdino for a break with only the goalie left in front of the goal.  Soon there was no one between Francies and the goal as he juked the goalie giving him a wide-open shot.  But seconds seemed like hours as Francies moved ever to the goal with no shot forthcoming.  It was as if he was seeking to lower the probabilities of a miss from 0.001% to 0.00001%.  Just as an opposing player was careening in towards Francies, obviously intent on disrupting the statistical calculations, Francies got the shot off for the third Stratford goal.  The game wound down with some nice defense by Patrick Ndaye and Edmond Ndaye contributing to the swarming play by our Spartans.

District play continues with matches against Cypress Creek at home and away at Northbrook.  See you at the pitch!