Stroud United Firsts travelled to Meadowbank, Shortwood, on 20 September 2025 for their league away fixture against Shortwood United Reserves, kicking off at 2:30pm. The match concluded with a 2-1 victory for Stroud United Firsts in a closely contested 90-minute encounter.
Stroud United lined up in a 4-2-1-3 formation, deploying a solid back four comprising Jake Gardiner at right back, Curt Florek and Malique Cooke as central defenders, and Josh Fisher on the left. The midfield double pivot featured Nathan Green and Luke Bartlett, with Marshall Stokes playing just ahead of them as the attacking midfielder. Up front, the trio consisted of Jordan Measures on the right, Casey Carter as the central striker, and Nathan Beachus on the left. The substitutes available were Josh Butler, Jamie Snell, and Ollie Osbourne-Shill.
From the outset, Stroud United showed defensive resilience. Within the first minute, Josh Fisher was alert to clear a header, setting the tone for a robust defensive display. Early attacking intent was evident when Nathan Beachus tested the opposition keeper with a shot saved in the fourth minute. The defence remained busy, with Malique Cooke making a crucial header at five minutes and following up with an interception three minutes later. Cooke’s clearance and Luke Bartlett’s timely tackle at ten minutes helped quell Shortwood’s early pressure.
Josh Fisher continued his defensive duties with a clearance at thirteen minutes, while Nathan Beachus intercepted a threat moments later. Cooke was again instrumental, intercepting and clearing danger at fourteen minutes, and Fisher contributed with a headed clearance. However, on the 10th minute Nathan Green was sent to the sin-bin. With the extra man, Shortwood broke the deadlock in the 15th minute, taking the lead on home soil.
Stroud’s backline continued to be resilient, Curt Florek cleared a header at sixteen minutes, and Nathan Beachus made two crucial tackles in quick succession. Fisher cleared another danger at seventeen minutes, with Florek also clearing to keep the scoreline intact. At this point, Casey Carter was substituted off for Josh Butler, signalling a tactical shift.
Stroud’s attacking efforts intensified, with Jordan Measures firing wide at nineteen minutes and then hitting the crossbar at twenty-three minutes. Marshall Stokes also went close but missed the target. Josh Butler’s wide attempt followed, and goalkeeper Adam Masson was forced into a clearance at twenty-five minutes. Cooke’s defensive presence remained strong with a headed clearance, while Nathan Beachus struck the crossbar at twenty-seven minutes, narrowly missing an equaliser. Measures’ subsequent attempt sailed high, and Luke Bartlett’s shot went wide shortly after.
Nathan Green’s effort was saved at twenty-nine minutes, and Curt Florek intercepted a threat at thirty-one minutes. Butler’s shot was saved, and Masson cleared danger at thirty-two minutes. Gardiner and Fisher continued their defensive work with a header and tackle respectively, while Butler made a vital tackle at thirty-five minutes. Masson’s goalkeeping prowess was on display with a parry at thirty-six minutes and a dive at the feet of an attacker a minute later. Butler’s headed clearance and Cooke’s clearance at thirty-eight minutes kept the visitors in the game.
Stokes’ wide shot at thirty-nine minutes was followed by Cooke’s headed clearance and a wide attempt of his own at forty minutes. Florek intercepted and blocked attempts in the early forties, with Masson catching a cross at forty-three minutes. The first half ended with Stroud United trailing by a single goal but showing signs of growing into the match.
The second half began with Jamie Snell replacing Luke Bartlett. Florek continued to dominate defensively with headers at forty-seven and forty-nine minutes. Snell made an interception at fifty-one minutes, while Green’s shot was saved at fifty-two. Florek cleared and intercepted multiple times in quick succession, and Masson caught a cross to maintain the clean sheet in the second half so far.
Cooke intercepted again at sixty minutes, and Masson produced a full-stretch save at sixty-one. Snell cleared danger and Masson tipped a shot over the bar shortly after. At sixty-two minutes, a substitution saw Casey Carter return to the pitch, replacing Nathan Beachus. Green headed clear at sixty-three, and Masson punched away danger. Carter’s shot was saved at sixty-four minutes before Josh Fisher equalised with a screamer for Stroud in the sixty-fifth minute, finishing from a Nathan Green assist.
Florek cleared at sixty-nine minutes, with Snell also heading clear. Masson caught a cross at seventy-one minutes as Jordan Measures fired a high shot at seventy-two. Green intercepted at seventy-three, and Stokes had two attempts in quick succession, the latter saved at seventy-six. Snell’s wide shot was followed by two headers clearing danger at seventy-seven and seventy-nine minutes.
The decisive moment came in the eightieth minute when an own goal by a Shortwood player, assisted by Casey Carter, put Stroud ahead for the first time. Snell made a crucial tackle at eighty-one minutes, and Stokes’ high shot at eighty-five was followed by Cooke’s headed clearance at eighty-seven, the same minute Butler received a yellow card.
In the closing stages, Fisher returned to the field for Bartlett, after falling badly on his shoulder at eighty-eight minutes. Ollie Osbourne-Shill came on for Stokes at eighty-nine minutes as Stroud held firm to secure a vital 2-1 victory.
Josh Fisher’s consistent defensive work and timely interventions earned him the player of the match accolade, a fitting reward for his influential performance at left back. Stroud United’s resilience and determination on the road ultimately paid off with three valuable points at Meadowbank.
