Stone Old Alleynians ended their run of six games without a win by beating the Capelli Sport MFL Premier Division leaders Lichfield City 1-0 on their own ground. The Old Boys took an early lead and rode their luck at times in the closely fought encounter. With key players having to go off injured, the team as a whole, and goalkeeper Raajan Gill in particular, stepped up and withstood almost constant pressure throughout the second half. It was an outstanding victory which gave them a well deserved three points.

Lichfield started off with the confidence of a team who had won 13 out of their last 15 league games. Within two minutes, Alleynians keeper, Raajan Gill had to be alert to save a header from the home side’s No.11, Jude Taylor. Three minutes later, the visiting goal was being bombarded with a series of long throws and corners which the Stone side managed to eventually deal with.

In the 10th minute, Alleynians set up an attack with the ball being played out on the left to the speedy winger Kacper Mikulski. After racing down the wing, he played the ball inside the Lichfield penalty area to Jack Tomlinson. He controlled the ball quickly, despite the attention of a home defender, and then he smashed a powerful shot past the despairing dive of home keeper Brendon Bunn to give Alleynians an unlikely 1-0 lead.

Lichfield were straight back onto the attack and Gill had to move quickly in the away goal to cut out a dangerous cross. In the 21st minute, the hosts had a great chance to equalise when Taylor went past Stone defender Joe Baxter to go through on goal. Fortunately for the Old Boys, Gill once again came to the rescue, saving Taylor’s effort on goal, and then catching the resulting corner confidently.

With 30 minutes on the clock, Gill was in action again, pulling off a great save to prevent Lichfield’s Dan Lomas scoring with a shot from 10 yards out. From the resulting corner, a header went towards the visitors’ goal and hit the post before being scrambled safely away.

Five minutes later, Alleynians should have extended their lead. In a rare attack, just outside the centre circle, Tomlinson turned quickly with the ball and slipped it through to put Mikulski in on goal. As he moved inside the penalty area, he saw his shot saved by Bunn. The ball rebounded back to Mikulski but this time he hit the post with his shot and the ball went out for a goal kick.

Alleynians were dealt a big blow just after the break when skipper Matt Thomas went off with an ankle injury and Jack Van Der Laan came on in his place. Lichfield were straight on the attack and it took an acrobatic punch by Gill to send the ball safely out of the away penalty area.

Lichfield were putting the pressure on and went close to scoring in the 54th minute, when Gill, once again was called into action. Two minutes later, from a Lichfield throw in, their No.8, James Wilcock managed to make some space for himself outside the Alleynians’ penalty area. Fortunately for the Old Boys, he hit his shot so high and wide that they are probably still looking for the ball.

There were further injury problems for the Old Boys as reliable defender Josh Sedgley and busy midfielder Sam Bowater had to be replaced by Liam Connolly and Josh Goodwin. With fresh legs on the pitch, Alleynians hoped that they would be more able to contain the home attacks.

Lichfield had other ideas and continued to launch attack after attack at the Stone goal. In the 65th minute, Taylor put a header over the crossbar from inside the 6 yard box and in their next attack, the home side’s No.2, Josh Mansell did exactly the same. With 15 minutes to go, Gill produced another superb save from a header by Lichfield’s No.9, James Spiers which was bound for the top corner. Five minutes later, Spiers had another chance but this time headed well over.

The referee saw fit to play five minutes of injury time and as the clock ran down Lichfield were still creating chances. From a freekick in the 93rd minute, Gill once again had to pull off a good save. A corner, in the next minute, saw a header go towards the Alleynians goal before it was cleared and the final action of the game saw a Lichfield forward hit his shot well over the Alleynians goal.

Stone OA: Gill, Baxter, Minshall S, Bowater S, Thomas (Capt.), Sedgley, Askey, Bowater J, Tomlinson, Wilson, Mikulski
Subs: Van Der Laan, Connolly, Goodwin, Harper

The Old Boys next two league matches are firstly at home to Shifnal Town on Saturday 29th March, KO at 3.00pm and then away to Whitchurch Alport on Tuesday 1st April, KO at 7.45pm.

Stone Old Alleynians Triumph Against the Giants of the League

Stone Old Alleynians shattered their six-game winless streak in breathtaking fashion, delivering a monumental 1-0 victory over league leaders Lichfield City on enemy turf. Against all odds, the Old Boys struck early and, with grit, resilience, and a touch of fortune, defied wave after wave of relentless pressure to claim a well-deserved three points. This was no ordinary win - it was an extraordinary battle for survival.
Lichfield, exuding the confidence of a team with 13 wins in their last 15 matches, came roaring out of the gates. Within moments, their No.11, Jude Taylor, tested the mettle of Alleynians' last line of defence, Raajan Gill. The goalkeeper, destined for glory, made a crucial save, setting the tone for a match that would see him rise to hero status. The Stone side faced an aerial bombardment of long throws and corners but, through sheer determination, emerged unscathed.

Then came the pivotal moment. In the 10th minute, the electrifying Kacper Mikulski blazed down the left wing, leaving defenders in his wake. His perfectly weighted pass found Jack Tomlinson, who, under immense pressure, unleashed a thunderous strike that left home keeper Brendon Bunn grasping at thin air. The ten away fans erupted - Alleynians were ahead!

But the drama was far from over. Lichfield launched an unrelenting assault, with Taylor and Dan Lomas both coming agonisingly close to equalising. At times, the Old Boys seemed destined to buckle under the weight of Lichfield's ferocity, but Gill, a one-man fortress, stood tall. Save after save, he thwarted the league leaders, his reflexes and composure defying belief.

The second half brought fresh challenges as injuries forced captain Matt Thomas and other key players off the pitch. Yet, the Alleynians dug deep, their resolve unshaken. Lichfield, desperate for redemption, squandered chance after chance, with shots soaring high, wide, or into the heroic gloves of Gill. The tension was unbearable as time ticked away.

With minutes remaining, the home side threw everything they had at the Alleynians' goal. Gill produced a stunning save in the 93rd minute, and the Old Boys' defence cleared a last-gasp header off the line. When the final whistle blew, exhausted players collapsed to the ground, and a roar of triumph echoed from the Stone faithful.

This was more than a victory - it was a testament to unyielding spirit and the sheer will to defy the odds. Stone Old Alleynians, against all expectations, had conquered the leaders of the Capelli Sport MFL Premier Division.

The Old Boys next two league matches are firstly at home to Shifnal Town on Saturday 29th March, KO at 3.00pm and then away to Whitchurch Alport on Tuesday 1st April, KO at 7.45pm.