Academy up to second place
BISHOP’S STORTFORD 2 BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT 1
The young Blues moved up to second place in Division C of the National League Under-19 Alliance with a home win, on Wednesday.
The Birchwood High School based side leapfrogged over Brightlingsea and also Brentwood Town who lost in the afternoon at AFC Sudbury. The win also exacted revenge on Regent who had beaten Stortford 3-0 in the reverse fixture back in September.
The Blues benefitted from an excellent start that saw them net their two goals in the first 16 minutes.
They went ahead in the fourth minute when good work on the right by Matt Kemp led to Kieran Bonney providing a pass for Charlie Riley to fire into the net from the edge of the box.
Kemp again did some hard work for the second goal in the 16th minute by running at the Regent defence and although he lost possession the ball ran loose from a defender to Toluwani Osiyemi who advanced goalwards and after rounding the keeper shot into an unguarded net.
Stortford had a very strong wind at their backs in the first half and Sami Shulton was unlucky after a fine run and shot that wasn’t far off target.
However, the visitors’ Robert Sloan missed a chance to reduce the arrears in the 19th minute when he ran clear on a through pass but scuffed his shot over the bar.
Matt Kemp went close to adding a third goal for Stortford who then went a little of the boil and Regent pulled a goal back in the 32nd minute following an attack on the left that ended with the ball being crossed to the far side and Jenson Mulqueen scored with an effort from just inside the box and wide of keeper Aron Martin
Before the break, a Chad Cruse inswinging corner caused problems for keeper Oliver Sharplin whilst a Matt Kemp shot brought a diving save from the stopper.
Stortford were facing the wind in the second half but although the Essex side had more of the possession the Blues defence, that was without the injured Frankie Oatham, defended well and gave the opposition few openings.
Jacob Bennett had a long range effort held by the Brightlingsea keeper and then in the 75th minute the visitors had their best chance to equalise when Mulqueen was freed to run at goal but his angled shot was deflected for a corner.
Osiyemi could have extended the Blues lead in added time when Bonney sent the striker on track for goal but his shot was deflected away for a corner by Sharplin.
Next Wednesday Tim Moylette’s side are at home in the league to Boreham Wood (Whites) with a 1.00pm kick-off.
BISHOP’S STORTFORD: Aron Martin; Charlie Riley; Chad Cruse; Sami Shulton; Jo Vieites-Stephenson; Jamie Riley; Daniel Hampton (Jack Booker 82); Jacob Bennett; Toluwani Osiyemi; Matt Kemp; Kieran Bonney.
Unused substitutes: Pedro Gomes-Dinis
