Waders dig deep to triumph in seven-goal thriller with Stratford

The game did not have the best of starts, with a serious head injury nearly from the off; There was a six-minute delay while a Stratford player was treated and he played the rest of the match with a head bandage.

The Waders’ first meaningful attempt came after 14 minutes as a dangerous deflection from a Craig Daniel shot wrong-footed the keeper only to go frustratingly wide, before Inih Effoing and King had shots but were both wide of the mark.

At the other end, Richard Gregory latched on to a through-ball to put Stratford in front, before Tyrone Fagan increased the lead in first half stoppage time by outpacing the defence to put the ball low to Gary Malone’s left.

That’s when it all turned, however, as a determined Ian Rees picked up a loose ball and smashed it into the net to make the break a very different affair as the teams separated by just one goal.

Biggleswade were a different side in the second half as a rampaging Effiong was on fire, Chris Marsh was jinking and jiving, and Daniel was showing his pace, all backed up by Rees and returnee Evan Key.

It was that man Key who had a major part in the equalising goal as the ball came across from King, and Key chested it down into the path of captain Daniel to shoot and level things up at 2-2.

It was all one end now as the Waders could smell victory. On 70 minutes Effiong got his just rewards for the afternoon as Daniel put the ball into the far post for the striker to sweep in.

Stratford were hurt, a two-goal lead squandered, and still the boys in green went at them. But with replacements being made, Stratford’s Dior Angus had obviously not read the script as his crisp shot drew the teams level again.

Not to be denied, however, Waders set to the task, and a simple ball over the top on 89 minutes saw the ever-willing Effiong outmuscle the defender to put the green boys back in the driving seat.

An anxious few minutes remained as Stratford tried to spoil the party, but there were celebrations all round at the final whistle as another three points lifted the Waders to 10th in the table.

Biggleswade head to Poole on Tuesday, while it’s Cambridge City away next Saturday.