Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back at Blues’ games on April 2nd
A decade ago the biggest game on this date was the FA Trophy semi-final first leg against Hucknall Town. Our run to this stage had seen us put out Dagenham & Redbridge, Canvey Island and Gravesend & Northfleet of the Conference National Division and brought back memories of our Trophy winning season of 1980-81.
Unfortunately the timing of the semi-final meant that Blues were without the suspended Dave Rainford and Alex Martin. The rejigged team had no time to settle down before the visitors from Nottinghamshire had a goal. After three minutes a long throw caused confusion in the Stortford defence and Andy Todd seized the chance to give Hucknall the lead.
Blues tried to come back immediately with Steve Morison losing his marker and bearing down on goal before he was brought down by Chris Timons. The equaliser came soon after though as Anthony Allman’s corner was flicked on by Ben Lewis at the near post and Tim Langer’s header hit the bar and went just over the line to make the score 1-1 after 14 minutes.
Disappointingly, after this it was Hucknall who took control of the gameand looked more likely to score. Andy Young had to be alert to save a 20 yard shot from Danny Bacon and Todd missed a good chance from a header. Just after the half hour Hucknall retook the lead as Bacon found Gary Ricketts who shot past Young and into the corner. Soon after player manager Dean Barrick clipped the bar with a free kick as the tie threatened to get away from Blues.
The second half saw Blues show more determination and a long throw from Ben Lewis saw Duane Jackman shoot straight at Greg Smith in the visitor’s goal. Soon after Jackman seemed to be through on goal only to be denied by a great tackle by Russell Cooke. There followed a sustained spell of pressure from Blues but only one clear cut chance when Kyriacou sent in a cross but Bob Thanda’s header went wide. When Jackman was replaced by Mervin Abraham the threat fizzled out and Hucknall were content to sit back and see out the game, although they could have had another goal on 73 minutes when Ricketts cross found Palmer who tried to chip Young. The Stortford goalkeeper was alert enough to tip the attempted chip over the bar.
Not a great result for Blues but they would travel to Nottinghamshire the following week with a positive attitude and cause problems for the home side before the Semi-Final was completed.
2016 BSFC 3 Oxford City 0 – Conference South
Lovelock, Vanderhyde, Herd, Ekim, Fowler, Allen, Moore, Church, Buchanan, Wilmott, Lawrence Subs: Furlonge, Lawal, Fortnam-Tomlinson Not Used: King, Abdullahi
Scorers: Moore, Fortnam-Tomlinson (2)
2011 Dover Athletic 2 BSFC 0 – Conference South
Kitteridge, Lettejallow, Palmer, Bowditch, Deen, Anderson, Ming, Rance, Morris, Hahn, Prestedge Subs: Gaisie, Mason Not Used: Habu, Querry, Dawson
2005 BSFC 1 Hucknall Town 2 – FA Trophy Semi-Final 1st Leg
Young, Allman, Gwillim, Kyriacou, Lewis, Okuonghae, Howell, Parmenter, Morison, Jackman, Langer Subs: Abraham, Riches, Thanda Not Used: Hakim, Horne, Horne Scorer: Langer
1996 BSFC 2 Hitchin Town 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Wardley, Parkyn, Jordan, Shuttlewood, Parratt, Jackman, Walker, Conroy, Barnaby, Cooper
Sub Unused: Roberts, Quinn, Forbes Scorers: Conroy, Cooper
1994 Staines Town 0 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
King, Jordan, Claridge, Edmonds, Harrigan, Walker, Adamson, T Burns, Fortune-West, L Burns, Ingielewicz Sub: Comerford Unused: Das
1988 Bromley 2 BSFC 3 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Jackman, Hopkins, Hull, McCayna, Hoddle, Nunn, Weddell, Gayle, Wood, Sorrell
Subs: Cassidy, Barker Scorers: Gayle, Nunn, Weddell
1985 BSFC 3 Billericay Town 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Wickenden, Staunton, Baker, Hull, Hopkins, Avery, Harding, Simmons, Cardines, Smith
Sub Unused: Charles Scorers: Hull, Hopkins, Smith
1983 BSFC 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Welsh, Wickenden, Bradford, Levy, Elley, Hull, Lawrence, Brooks, Worrell, Robb, Sullivan
Sub Unused: Gunn Scorer: Worrell
1979 BSFC 3 Clapton 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Carrick, Coakley, Bradford, Smith, Droy, Blackman, Ferry, Eason, Smith, Reading, Brame
Sub Unused: Doyle Scorers: Smith, Eason, Reading
1977 BSFC 2 Tilbury 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Kitson, Chattaway, Davis, Flack, Clarke, Massey, Gaine, Smith, MacKenzie, Twigg, Gough
Sub Unused: Tucker Scorers: Gaine, Massey
1968 Crittall Athletic 2 BSFC 3 – Essex Floodlight Competition
Cherry, Mitchell, Abbott, Hammond, Neeves, Atkinson, Battram, Duggan, Nisbett, Chappell, Gough Sub: ??????? Scorers: Hammond, Nisbett Gough
1966 Chesham United 2 BSFC 3 – Athenian League Division 1
Stooks, Rolph, Atkinson, Belger, Gough, Duley, Powell, C Duggan, Baker, Saggers, P Duggan, Scorers: Belger, C Duggan, Powell
1960 Tufnell Park Edmonton 1 BSFC 3 – Delphian League
P Cook, D Cook, Rolph, Pope, Newman, Wilson, Phelan, Yates, Horton, Butler, Francis
Scorers: Phelan, Yates, Butler
1956 BSFC 2 Ware 1– Delphian League
Sullivan, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter Hanley, Simmonds Yates, Horton, Hussey, Burridge Scorers: Yates, Burridge
1955 BSFC 3 Slough Centre 2 – Delphian League
Sullivan, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter Hanley, Adamson, Yates, Scott, Horton, Burridge Scorers: Yates, Horton (2)
1945 BSFC 1 RAF XI 10 – Friendly
1938 BSFC 1 Marlow 1 – Spartan League Division 1
Turnbull, Day, Hill, Polybank, Ship, Lowe, Miller, Mytton, Woods, Elliott, Herrington
Scorer: Herrington
1934 BSFC 1 PO Engineers 3 – Friendly
1927 BSFC 1 Harlow Town 1– Stansted & District League
Jearey, Wright, Bennett, Osborne, Thurley, Raybould, de Boltz, Chapman, Patmore, Vealey, Bass Scorer: Patmore
1923 BSFC 1 St Albans City Res 0 – Herts County League
Boxall, Smith, Walker, Bavin, Smeeton, T Wright, Clarke, P Wright, Chapman, Brazier, Punter Scorer: Clarke
1921 Sawbridgeworth Town 0 BSFC 4– Stansted & District League
Boxall, Smith, Walker, Thurgood, Witcher, Newey, Clarke, Wright, Golder, Freeborn, Brazier Scorers: Walker, Clarke (2), Golder
