Aveley 3-1 BSFC: Match Report
Aveley 3-1 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report 24/7/21
Bishop’s Stortford suffered a defeat for the first time in pre-season, losing 3-1 at Aveley. Rio Davidson-Phipps equalised for the Blues after ex-Stortford striker George Sykes put the hosts a goal up, before Harry Donovan and Alex Clark restored the lead in the second half.
Aveley made a fast start, with #10 shooting on target but straight at Jack Giddens in the first minute, before ex-Blue George Allen saw his header from a corner rebound off the crossbar. Giddens was on hand to deny the hosts again, when #9 squared to #7 to score but couldn’t get the ball past the keeper. Jake Cass attempted a half-volley from the right side of the box but it went over the crossbar, in a match of few chances for the striker. Aveley #9 hit the post at the other end and #10 blazed his shot high with an open goal to aim for, with the Blues riding their luck early on. Giddens was required to prove himself as a makeshift sweeper, as he charged out of the box to head the ball back into the Aveley half with his defenders beaten, before Sykes tapped home on the rebound from Giddens original save from a low powerful shot. Cass saw his free kick effort go straight into the keeper’s gloves, before the Aveley #9 had two great chances to increase the lead, first forcing Giddens into a smart low save, and then shooting wide a minute later. The hosts finished the first half strongly, with Giddens making a great double save, before Davidson-Phipps spotted the keeper off his line and shot from nearly 35 yards. Cass was screaming for the through ball but the right back was vindicated as his shot slipped through the gloves of the keeper to equalise on the stroke of half-time.
HT 1-1
The hosts began the second half as they did the first, with #9 coming close to restoring the lead straight away, only to shoot narrowly wide, before he provided a brilliant one-two to assist Donovan’s strike into the bottom corner. Giddens was the far busier keeper throughout the match, saving a downward header from a free kick then keeping out a low strike from #9. The Blues only looked like scoring on a counter attack, with Ryan Charles and Trialist using their pace down the right wing. Charles cut inside and passed to Charlie Wardle, but his shot was well off target, before Giddens parried a half-volley effort from #18. The fresh legs of the hosts’ substitutes continued to trouble the Stortford back line, with Clark adding the third from a long through ball down the left wing, beating the full back and shooting low past Giddens.
FT 3-1
The Blues will want to put this match and the performance behind them when they host Chelmsford City in the next friendly on 31 July.
TEAM
Blues XI
1 Jack Giddens
2 Rio Davidson-Phipps (Goal 45’)
3 Trialist
4 Jack Thomas
6 Trialist (Sub Sankey 84’)
7 Joe Gardner (Sub Charles 62’)
8 Charley Barker (Sub Wardle 58’)
9 Jake Cass
10 Jonny Giles (Sub Trialist 59’)
11 Aaron Greene (Sub Gregan 73’)
16 James Baker (c) (Sub Trialist 29’)
Subs
12 Ryan Charles
14 Trialist
15 Trialist
17 Chris Gregan
18 Charlie Wardle
19 Pat Sankey
