CURETON’S LATE STRIKE IS THE KEY
IN THE first ever meeting between the two clubs, Farnborough’s veteran striker Jamie Cureton hit a dramatic late equaliser to deny inform Stratford a fourth successive win.
The 42-year-old is just like a fine wine and seems to be getting better and better with age as the former topflight striker made the key difference in a tight and tense game that could have gone either way after a fierce battle.
Stratford got off to a perfect start, taking the lead in only the second minute when Mike Taylor turned past his marker to fire right footed past the Farnborough keeper Jordan Beeney.
Farnborough struggled to make an impression as Will Grocott and James Hancocks bossed the midfield for Stratford.
But they equalised on 20 minutes when Stratford conceded a freekick right on the edge of the penalty area and Nic Ciardini drilled the ball into the bottom corner.
Stratford could have regained the lead almost immediately after but Taylor planted a free header wide while Farnborough’s best chance before half-time fell to Cureton who blazed over from ten yards out.
Justin Marsden went close for Stratford soon after the restart and they scored what they thought was going to be the decider on 66 minutes. Grocott floated over a left wing corner to the far post where it was turned in by Ben Stephens for his 12th goal of the season.
But in the third of four added minutes Josh Huggins’ shot came back off the post and Cureton thumped in the rebound.