Derby day ends all square as Stratford Town hold Racing Club Warwick

Stratford made the brighter start and enjoyed the lion’s share of possession during the opening 10 minutes.

The visitors put Racing under some early pressure and forced Tom Allsopp into a couple of good saves as Warwick worked their way into the contest.

Around the 18-minute mark, Racing began to grow into the game.

Jude Collins made a strong run down the right-hand side and into the Stratford penalty area before going to ground under a challenge, but the referee waved away Racing’s appeals for a penalty.

Warwick began to see more of the ball from that point and started to create some promising openings, although the final pass was just letting them down.

Collins continued to look like Racing’s biggest attacking threat.

He picked up possession before playing a neat one-two with Cameron Ebbutt, cutting inside and seeing his effort blocked and deflected behind for a corner.

The best chance of the first half arrived in the 34th minute.

Racing lost possession just inside the Stratford half and the visitors quickly worked the ball out wide.

The resulting cross found Jack Storer, but his effort was fired wide of Allsopp’s goal.

Racing started the second half strongly and Adam Walker went close shortly after the restart, meeting the ball on the half-volley before sending his effort narrowly wide.

The contest became increasingly end-to-end as the half progressed, with both sides searching for the breakthrough.

Stratford had a good opportunity when one of their attackers broke into the Racing penalty area.

With the option to cut the ball back across goal, he instead went for goal himself but could only fire his effort over the crossbar.

The home side then had a golden opportunity to win it late on.

Archie Hamp flicked the ball into the path of Collins, who found himself unmarked in a central position, but his shot was dragged agonisingly wide of the post and neither side could find the breakthrough in the remaining minutes.

RACERS: Allsopp, Moore, Worley, Walker, Barnett, Timson, Ebbutt (Cooney 67), Hancocks (Holland 69), Harding (Hamp 63), Opoku (Coyle 89), Collins (Keene 90).

ATTENDANCE: 972.

On Saturday, the Racers were beaten 2-0 at high-flying Alvechurch, who reeled off a third clean sheet on the spin and now sit third in the table.

The home side were frustrated by the visitors in the first half but finally broke through on 69 minutes through substitute Kieran Wakefield, stroking home a low pass from the left from 12 yards.

Crucially, Alvechurch keeper Redman Evans made a fine save on 86 minutes, tipping over an Adam Walker strike destined for the top right corner.

Four minutes later they sealed victory from the penalty spot.

Alex Worley was penalised for a trip in the box and Miracle Okafor kept his cool to tuck away the spot kick.

This Saturday sees the FA Cup First Qualifying Round with Racing Club away at Lye Town.