Blast from the past

Andrew Cornell looks back on Blues’ games on February 3rd

The last game on this date was a 2-2 draw with Weston-super-Mare in a league game back in 2007 but you have to go back to 1981 for the most significant game on this date. We had been drawn away to Dagenham who were the holders of the FA Trophy in the second round, but having beaten them recently in a London Senior Cup game we felt we had a chance. The game at Victoria Road was drawn 1-1 and so it was back to Rhodes Avenue for a replay on this date.

The biggest crowd of the season so far saw both sides start cautiously on the sand and mud of the Rhodes Avenue pitch. Then in quick succession both Steve Jones for Dagenham and John Radford had shots saved and it was as if the game began in earnest. Ian Smith had been involved in some dangerous breaks when he scored the opener in the 17th minute. Terry Sullivan crossed from the left, Smith played a return pass with Mick Mitchell and slipped his shot beneath Ian Huttley.

Dagenham were shaken by this and there was nearly a second minutes later when a poor clearance saw first Joe Simmonds and then Sullivan thwarted by Huttley. Stortford were well on top at this stage and Mitchell was causing havoc on the wings with only one break by George Duck to worry Stortford. Blues were unable to build on their lead though and just before half-time Dagenham struck out of the blue. From a free kick Wright found Duck who scored with a firm header.

Blues came out fighting in the second half with a great run and cross from Sullivan finding Radford who headed against the bar. A minute later Dave Blackman had the ball in the net but this was disallowed for a foul. On 52 minutes Blues retook the lead as Smith found John Knapman unmarked in the area. Knapman scored at the far post with a dramatic diving header. Dagenham were not about to give up their Trophy and first Francis, then Chris Maycock made dangeerous breaks forward.

The match ebbed and flowed but Blues kept a grip on their lead until Dagenham won a last minute corner. Everyone came forward and the ball broke to Mitchell who sprinted up the field. When he reached the penalty area he unselfishly found Knapman who had kept pace with him and the third goal was the nail in Dagenham’s coffin and took us on the road to Wembley.

No notable debuts on this date but in 1996 in a league game away to Purfleet (Thurrock) Andy Edmonds made the last of his 177 appearances in the 90s.

2007 BSFC 2 Weston super Mare 2– Conference South
Wright, Patten, Taylor, Porter, Stanbrook, Gillman, Mason, Morgan, Lockett, Midson, Fuller Subs: Turner Unused: Collis, Fowler, Edwards, Young Scorers: Morgan, Midson

2006 BSFC 1 Cambridge United 0– Friendly
Young, Thanda, Maxwell, Rainford, Dolman, Champion, Jones, Midson, Morison, Evans, Martin Subs: Simpson, Essandoh, Hussey, Joynes Scorer: Essandoh

1997 Chelmsford City 0 BSFC 0 – Eastern Floodlight Competition
King, Fox, Forbes, Jordan, Shuttlewood, Le Bihan, Wardley, Ridout, Burns, Adekola, Cooper Sub: Hollamby Not Used: Riley, Quinn

1996 Purfleet 1 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Edmonds, Jordan, Claridge, Shuttlewood, Parratt, Paxton, Walker, Hollamby, Cooper, Parkyn Sub: Jackman Not Used: Barnaby Scorer: Hollamby, Parkyn

1987 Kingstonian 3 BSFC 3 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Glozier, Goodchild, Hopkins, Hull, Nunn, Ferguson, Cassidy, Wood, Weddell, Newbury Sub: Jackman Not Used: Templeton, Hardy Scorer: Hopkins, Nunn, Ferguson

1981 BSFC 3 Dagenham 1 – FA Trophy 2nd Round Replay
Moore, Blackman, Brame, Smith, Bradford, Avery, Sullivan, Knapman, Radford, Simmonds, Mitchell Subs: Clarke Scorers: Knapman (2), Smith

1979 Hertford Town 2 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Carrick, Coakley, Bradford, Smith, Droy, Blackman, Doyle, Brame, Ferry, Eason, Reading
Sub: Chattaway

1974 BSFC 6 Tring Town 0 – Herts Senior Cup 2nd Round
Moore, Gibson, Coombes, Payne, Webb, Tone, Leakey, Dear, Scott, Smith, Mitchell Sub: Lawrence Scorers: Gibson, Tone, Dear, WScott (2), Smith

1973 Cheshunt 0 BSFC 1 – Herts Senior Cup 3rd Round
Toomey, Davenport, Scott, Mitchell, Still, Lawrence, Leakey, Davidson, Dear, Smith, Shaw Sub Unused: Francis Scorer: Lawrence

1968 Cheshunt 1 BSFC 3 – Herts Senior Cup 1st Round
Mollison, Durham, Mitchell, Hammond, Neeves, Abbott, Duggan, Bartram, Nisbet, Chappell, Gough Sub: Jones Scorers: Gough, Mitchell, Duggan

1962 BSFC 0 West Auckland Town 4 – FA Amateur Cup 2nd Round
Fox, Yell, Atkinson, Pope, Neeves, Wilson, Harkness, Hollow, Welch, Smith, Francis

1951 Ford Sports 4 BSFC 0 – Spartan League Division 1
Wardell, Wilins, Bradford, Lambert, Search, Dellow, Whittaker, Haggerwood, Bayford, Dixon, Ewers

1934 Leavesden Mental Hospital 11 BSFC 1– Herts Senior Cup 1st Round

1923 Stanstead Abbotts 2 BSFC 3 – Herts County League
Boxall, Smith, Scotney, T Wright, L Chapman, J Chapman, Clarke, Freeborn, Brazier, Punter, Sheldrake Scorers: ???