Wedgwood FC Suffer Heavy Defeat To Stoke Town Shamblers

In a disappointing cup home match at the Wedgwood Sports and Social Club on 29 September 2024, Wedgwood FC faced a formidable Stoke Town Shamblers side, who triumphed with a resounding 6-0 victory. The match kicked off at 10:30 am and quickly turned into a challenging encounter for the home team.

Wedgwood FC lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, designed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing for creativity in attack. Tom took his position as the goalkeeper, shielded by a back four consisting of Jay Dewinton on the right, Alex Bayley on the left, and a central defensive partnership of Jordan Coleman and Matt Wooliscroft. In midfield, George Barlow and Henri Royals operated as central midfielders, tasked with both defensive duties and supporting the attack. The attacking trio featured Shane Reaney on the right, Nick Bennet on the left, and Jay Blood in the central attacking midfield role, with Ashley Ibbs leading the line as the striker. The substitutes for this match included Brandyn Williams.

The match began with an early attempt from Shane Reaney, who looked to set the tone for Wedgwood FC just a minute in. However, the home side's momentum was quickly halted when Jordan Coleman committed a late tackle, resulting in a foul in the third minute. The Stoke Town Shamblers capitalised on their growing dominance and opened the scoring in the tenth minute, leaving Wedgwood FC trailing early on.

As the first half progressed, tensions rose, culminating in a yellow card for Shane Reaney in the 23rd minute for violent conduct. This setback further compounded Wedgwood's struggles as they sought to regroup. Nick Bennet managed to create a chance in the 31st minute, but his effort was saved, illustrating the home side's difficulty in finding the back of the net.

Defensively, Jordan Coleman redeemed himself with a crucial tackle in the 32nd minute, preventing a further chance for the visitors. However, the tide turned again in the 38th minute when Stoke Town Shamblers scored their second goal, just moments after Wedgwood made a substitution, bringing on Brandyn Williams for Jay Blood.

As the first half drew to a close, Ashley Ibbs attempted to respond for Wedgwood FC, but the half ended with the score at 2-0 in favour of Stoke Town Shamblers.

The second half commenced with a full-stretch save from Tom just two minutes in, showcasing his determination to keep the scoreline respectable. Unfortunately for the home side, Stoke Town Shamblers struck again in the 50th minute, followed by another goal just two minutes later, extending their lead to 4-0.

The visitors continued to dominate, adding a fifth goal in the 60th minute and a sixth in the 73rd minute, leaving Wedgwood FC reeling. Despite their best efforts, including attempts from Nick Bennet in the 82nd and 91st minutes, the home side could not find a consolation goal. The match concluded with a heavy defeat for Wedgwood FC, who will look to regroup after this challenging cup tie.