Stamford Strollers 65s @ Derby Padel 8/10/26

Strollers 65s kicked off season 26/27 in the Derbyshire Walking Football League @ Derby Padel, opposite Pride Park, as Cup holders, with the following squad:

• Kevin Chadwick

• Paul Humphries

• Alan Cook

• Taff Lovesey

• Jez Norris

• Steve Bones

• Tim Marsden Cap

Game 1 V Ashbourne, last seasons League Champions. Strollers enjoyed a majority of possession in this first match of the day. As a result Kev Chadwick was largely untroubled in the Stamford goal and it was Taff Lovesey who turned Strollers possession into goals finishing confidently past the Ashbourne keeper. W1 - 0

Game 2 V Heanor, Strollers dominated this fixture, but Heanor defended resolutely in numbers and it took a special sweet strike from Steve Bones into the far corner of the goal to give Stamford the lead. Jez Norris, played in by Alan Cook making his League debut, finished clinically into the corner of the goal to give Strollers a 2 – 0 win.

Game 3 V Derby County, County on home turf gave Strollers more of a game, but Tim Marsden and Paul Humphries in the Stamford defence ensured another clean sheet for Chadwick in the Strollers goal. England keeper, Vic Handley, in the County goal was equal to everything that Stamford threw at him and the match ended goalless, D0 - 0

Game 4 V Matlock, Strollers got back to winning ways with a dominant performance and another goal from Steve Bones to give Stamford a 1 – 0 win.

Game 5 V Post Mill, PM new boys to the DWFL were determined to give Strollers a tough game, nonetheless Stamford created a series of half chances and Bones popped up again to give Strollers a 1 – 0 win with his third goal of the day.

Game 6 V Etwall, despite being last game of the day Strollers were still full of movement and penned Etwall back in their own half and created a series of chances which the Etwall defenders managed to block or the keeper save. With time running out, a quick free kick from Lovesey fed in Humphries who popped up to strike low and hard past the keeper to give Stamford a 1 – 0 win.

Overall a great day for Strollers 65s, 6 great team performances, 5 wins, 1 draw, 6 clean sheets, top of the League!