Folkestone Invicta 0-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report

Folkestone Invicta 0-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report 7/12/21

 

Bishop’s Stortford picked up a first clean sheet in eight games with a 0-0 draw at Folkestone Invicta. On a night where three of the five Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division matches were called off due to waterlogged pitches, the Blues’ visit to the BuildKent Stadium was the only match in the division on grass that took place. It was a third consecutive draw for Stortford, extending the unbeaten run to 14 games. Jack and James Thomas became the first brothers to play together for the Blues since Paul and Robbie Munn in December 1993.

 

Debutant James Thomas was in the thick of the action early on, required to make a goal line clearance from Michael Everitt’s on target header. Jake Cass brought down Johnville Renee’s through ball down the right hand side, but Josh Vincent intercepted the striker’s pass to Ryan Charles. Ryan Henshaw played a diagonal pass to Ben Marlow, whose low shot was deflected wide, before Cass hit the post from the resulting corner. Darren Foxley fired high of the goal from long range after a one-two with Thomas. Scott Heard made a well timed run as he got in behind the Blues defence, he went round Jack Giddens and James Thomas was on hand again to clear off the line. Heard had another chance with a low shot from a right wing cut back, but Giddens got down well to save, before punching away a right wing cross as the hosts began to exert some pressure before the break.

 

HT 0-0

 

Into the second half and there was a shout from the hosts for a penalty when the ball struck Henshaw’s arm, but it was by his side as it deflected for a corner. From the resulting corner, Darren Foxley carried the ball away and passed to Renee, who played a through ball to Charles but continued his run to force a two-on-one in the Blues favour, only for Charles to shoot over the bar with the ball appearing to get stuck under his feet as he prepared to strike. Substitute Frankie Merrifield linked up with Charles, playing a first time through ball to the winger, but the defender recovered well and hooked the ball away. Marlow’s low shot was deflected into Tim Roberts’ grateful arms, before David Smith looked to have won it late on, with a curling and dipping effort that had Giddens beaten, but went just over the crossbar, as neither side could find a goal and the points were shared.

 

FT 0-0

 

The Blues travel to Cray Wanderers on Saturday 11 December in the Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division, before the away trip to Hertfordshire rivals Cheshunt in the BuildBase FA Trophy Third Round on Saturday 18 December.

 

TEAMS

Folkestone Invicta XI

1 Tim Roberts

2 Josh Vincent

3 Kieron McCann

4 Michael Everitt (Sub Draycott 68′)

5 Callum Davies (c)

6 Jordan Wright

7 Scott Heard

8 Ronnie Dolan

9 David Smith

10 Ade Yusuff

11 Alfie Paxman

Subs

12 Ian Draycott

14 Lenny Atherton

15 Aaron Simpson

16 Luca Borrello

17 Connor Collins

 

Bishop’s Stortford XI

1 Jack Giddens

4 Anthony Church

5 Sam Robbins

6 Ryan Henshaw (c)

8 Ben Marlow

9 Jake Cass (Sub Merrifield 60′)

11 Johnville Renee

12 Jack Thomas

14 Darren Foxley (Sub Harris 74′)

15 Ryan Charles

18 James Thomas

Subs

10 Frankie Merrifield

13 Toby Bird

16 Charlie Allum

19 Billy Cracknell

20 Chris Harris

 

Attendance 339