Dwyer Night In The Cold

Barwell 5-2 Stratford Town (Southern League Central Division)

Formed in 1992 as a merger between Barwell Athletic and Hinckley, Barwell FC became Founder members of the Midland Alliance in 1994 where they joined Stratford Town in the division, and the two teams would play each other, at least twice, every season, until 2009/10 when the Leicestershire side would become champions, thus moving to the Northern Premier League Division One South.

That same year, Stratford finished third, and they themselves would gain promotion after winning the title in 2012/13, formed in 1941 as Stratford Rangers, they have been in the Southern Premier League since 2015, and like Barwell, who played briefly in the Northern Premier League between 2013-2018, have both been in the Southern League Central Premier Division since the beginning, after the inclusion of a fourth ‘division’ of step 3 on the pyramid eight seasons ago.

So, you could say the two teams are familiar with each other? A quick look on Flashscore at the pairs head to head record says in 13 games since 2018 Barwell have won six, Stratford four, with three draws, and funny enough my first game ever at Barwell, as recently as 2022, was a match between the two, which ended 2-1 to the Canaries, thanks to goals from Beck Ray Enoru and Brady Hickey. Andre Wright netting for the Bards.

All three have since moved on and these days it’s the likes of Anthony Dwyer, Charlie Dowd and Zayn Hakeem who Barwell look to for goalscoring answers under Jimmy Ginnelly who has formerly managed the likes of Nuneaton and Atherstone. Stratford more dependent on the likes of Ty Deacon and Owen James but they still have Dan Lafferty from that match three years ago, they still have Dan Vann, Josh Hawker, Jack Storer, their Manager Paul Davis has been at the helm exactly a year since November 2024.

I'm out the door for 5:30pm, Barwell is only 25 miles away but an hours drive, down many quiet, awkward, winding and pot hole plentiful narrow single track country roads, it's probably easier to get to Glasgow or Taunton from where I live in the Midlands but I'm here in good time, the smell of burning coal in the air as outdoor temperatures read just 3 degrees. It's cold, fresh, dark, real winter weather is incoming with snow predicted for later this week.

The Venue

The village of Barwell itself feels like it really is in the middle of nowhere, it's certainly about as middle as you can get in England. I've parked up on Kirkby Road and you wouldn't even know there's a football match on tonight, the ground known as the Crown Skip Hire Stadium these days is set well back off the road, behind a darkened cricket pitch, the dimly lit floodlights perhaps the only giveaway as I walk through the half full car park towards the turnstile alone.

It's £12 to get in, I pay on card before walking past the Golden Goal girl, I sit immediately up on the top row of the stand and open a packet of Vimto bonbons which I begin to chew.

There's a few sat in the stand as the players warm up below, the synthetic surface in good condition as you hear the crisp thud of the ball, to my left behind the goal there's been a name change since I was last here. The Brady Hickey End is in homage to one of Barwell's finest ever players who left for Harborough Town in the summer.

As kick off nears I'm joined by a brummie accented Scout I know, he's brought with him a solar powered power unit and a plug in electric blanket, he's smiling because he's not had chance to use it this season but tonight is the night.

The Game

Chatting away, we hardly notice the teams come out, but in bright lime green the Canaries appear, Barwell in their usual hi-vis kit, Stratford equally bright in burnt orange.

It's a fast start for the home side who immediately apply pressure on their opponents defence, Anthony Dwyer is sent through and dinks the ball over a defender before shooting hard and low an opener, the scout beside me says "it's like Gazza's goal in Euro 96".

The goal is brilliant, and deserving for the better team and Barwell make it two as they continue to play on the front foot, Dwyer again from inside the area after Dowd's shot is blocked by a defender.

The Score

I've had a real good chinwag tonight and hardly notice the game going by but Barwell have been the better team having dominated the first half, and even though Stratford make a couple of half time subs, the home side explode into life in the second half too, Dwyer we think, nipping in at the front post after good wing work by Zayn Hakeem, despite the PA announcer giving Dwyer his hat trick goal, the actual scorer we find out after, is Kane Richards.

But Dwyer doesn't have long to wait until his third goal of the night arrives, a penalty awarded on 54 when goalkeeper Weaver is slow to react to a ball bouncing inside his area, he brings down an attacker and Dwyer does the rest from the spot.

On a busy night of goal action, Cyrus Bruce nods home what looks like a consolation, before Dwyer makes it five, four for the striker nicknamed Neelo by team-mates after the goalkeeper again makes an error, dropping what looks a routine cross at the feet of Barwell's number fifteen.

Man of the match Dwyer is then immediately subbed to slightly subdued warming applause by the few hundred here, to perhaps save Stratford further punishment, and a late rally sees them end the game with something of little positive. A last minute blockbuster by Dan Lafferty flies into the net from twenty yards, the game ending 5-2 to Barwell who move above Stratford in the table to twelfth.

The Stars

No doubt who the best player of the night was, former Mansfield Town forward Anthony Dwyer is a bit of a non league journeyman having played for over 20 clubs in his career, still only 28, he does know where the net is though and his four goals, largely the difference, his first of the game a magnificent solo bit of magic.

I was impressed with Barwell who pressed hard in the cold, a defence marshalled by Rashaan Frances a midfield which had energy, led by Prince Mancinelli and Ethan Hill centrally, out wide they caused problems with Hakeem down the left and Charlie Dowd on the right both offering themselves to run at full backs.

In return Stratford didn't look at it, but they weren't outplayed, Barwell simply took their chances during a game where they had similar attempts at the same number of corners to their visitors (five each). Max Lott just 18 years old looked a player with promise on the right of midfield, Jack Storer, once of West Brom, I'm told by my Brummie friend, offered a threat going forward in parts and Dan Lafferty wearing ten perhaps the Bards most creative spark, Lafferty scoring a belting goal late on, too little to help his side from falling to a comprehensive defeat.

The Verdict

Stratford didn't play well and got what they deserved which was a worthy defeat inflicted by the better team on the night. Barwell brilliant from the off, taking the game to their opponents, but the main difference was taking the chances they created. They have firepower that is sufficient for the level they are at with Richards, Dwyer and even Tyrell Waite in attack.

Jimmy Ginnelly's side now have 21 points from 16 played and are six points outside the playoffs places. Stratford having played a game more have a point less, but whilst I think promotion for either side is a long way off, ensuring they'll be staying in the division next season, at least, should be more reasonable targets, for both to achieve.

The Teams

Barwell: Finn Osborn, Kornell McDonald, Will Grewel-Pollard, Freddie Cook, Prince Mancinelli (Sid Atcha 83), Charlie Dowd (Reuben Wyatt 71), Ethan Hill (Sonny Singh 80), Kane Richards (Tyrell Waite 74), Zayn Hakeem, Anthony Dwyer (Jeavin Seaton 77), Rashaan Frances.

Stratford Town: Jake Weaver, Daniel Vann (Bo Morris 46), Finley Brennan, Joshua Hawker, Lewis Ison, Ty Deacon (Cyrus Bruce 46), Dan Lafferty, Jack Storer (Rico Patterson 81), Paul McCone, Owen James, Max Lott.

7:45pm Kick Off. Monday 17th November 2025, Kirkby Road, Barwell (att 250).