Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back at Blues’ games on September 3rd
I don’t usually make much mention of friendly matches in these articles because there is usually something more significant to write about but on this day in 1999 we played one of the most important friendly matches in the history of BSFC. Although not the first game at Woodside Park this was the day in 1999 when the new stadium was officially opened by a strong team from Spurs. A 4000 strong crowd saw George Graham bring a team including David Ginola, Steffan Freund, Hans Segers, Stephen Clemence and a young Peter Crouch.
With Stortford having an FA Cup game the next day and a star studded Spurs team the game was no contest as Spurs duly won 6-0 but it is to be hoped that the spectators were impressed by the facilities and the football on offer.
We have played more games at Woodside Park since then without a win. In 2002 we played Aylesbury United shortly after both sides had been promoted back to the Isthmian League Premier Division. The Ducks had the best of the play for the first 20 minutes but Stortford held out and took the lead in the 25th minute. Alex Riches found Vinnie John with a good through ball. John’s first shot hit the goalkeeper but the striker was alert enough to bury the rebound and score the opening goal. The lead didn’t last long as less than 10 minutes later Aylesbury had a penalty following a foul by Hannigan. Craig Maskell calmly converted and Desborough had to make two good saves from Campion to keep the scores level by half time.
Mid-way through the second half it was Blues turn with a penalty when Braham was tripped. Hyatt duly gave Stortford the lead and it seemed as though a below par performance might end with a win. However once again the lead lasted less than 10 minutes and with the home defence standing and watching Ronnie Joe scored the second equaliser from the edge of the area.
Three years later on a warm and sunny afternoon we played out another draw with Farnborough Town in the Conference South. Both sides started slowly, perhaps because of the warmth and the first real action saw Danny Gay picking the ball out of the net after Tyron Smith had scored for the visitors. Stortford came back into the game because Farnborough seemed happy to just sit on their lead. On the half hour a superb individual goal was scored by Richard Howell as he headed the ball forward, ran on to win a challenge with the goal keeper, beat a defender and then from a tight angle found the net for the equaliser.
The second half saw more in the same vein with little goal mouth action. The best chances fell to the visitors through Smith and McBean, although Howell also had chances for Blues. With 10 minutes left Stortford were handed a golden opportunity as Gwillim found Howells in the box with a great long ball, only for a penalty to be awarded for hand ball. Duane Jackman took the kick but it was easily saved by Scriven and thanks to Lewis blocking on the line in the last minute the game finished all square.
2016 Hemel Hempstead Town 3 BSFC 2 – Conference South
Wright, Rodgers, Herd, Eyong, Moore-Azille, Rumens, Kouassi, Ekim, Smith, Sawyer, Green
Subs: Woods-Garness, Hall, Varouxakis Unused: Lovelock Scorers: Smith, Varouxais
2011 BSFC 0 Boston United 1 – Conference North
Eyre, Jones, Anderson, Shulton, Habu, Essam, Cole, Prestedge, Gayle, Bakare, Dadson
Subs: Read, Rance, Hahn Unused: Abdullahi, Davison
2005 BSFC 1 Farnborough Town 1 – Conference South
Gay, Thanda, Jones, Champion, Lewis, Hodges, Howell, Midson, Garrard, Jackman, Martin
Subs: Adejokun, Gwillam Unused: ???, ???, ??? Scorer: Howell
2002 BSFC 2 Aylesbury United 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Desborough, Denney, Riches, Southam, Hannigan, Taylor, Hyatt, French, John, Langer, Braham Subs: Keepence, Hayes Unused: ???, ???, ??? Scorers: Hyatt, John
1999 BSFC 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2 – Friendly
1994 BSFC 0 Chesham United 3 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Jordan, Hopkins, Edmonds, Gunn, Burns, Lee, Barry, Fortune-West, Close, Ingielewicz, Subs: Claridge, Hollamby Unused: ???
1988 BSFC 1 Grays Athletic 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Boyce, Sherwood, Moore, Hopkins, Hoddle, Milbourne, Weddell, Gayle, Zacchau, Ryan, Subs: Cowley Unused: Fearey Scorer: Milbourne
1983 Hayes 2 BSFC 2– Isthmian League Premier Division
Welsh, Hopkins, Baines, Smith, Elley, Luque, Avery, Brooks, Robb, Jennings, Armsby
Sub Unused: Watts Scorers: Robb, Jennings
1979 BSFC 2 Ware 1 – Isthmian League Division 1
Carrick, Blackman, Bradford, M Smith, Brame, Knapman, Coakley, Eason, Worrell, I Smith, Coote Sub: Carvill Scorers: Brame, Worrell
1977 BSFC 2 Dagenham 4 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Barker, Moore, Chattaway, Pawley, Tuddenham, Melvin, Coe, Jenkins, Simmons, Swann, Thake Sub Unused: Searey Scorers: Melvin, Simmons
1974 BSFC 2 Hendon 1 – Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Gibson, Lawrence, Newman, Still, Scott, Leakey, Dear, Bass, Smith, Giggle
Sub Unused: Webb Scorers: Bass, Giggle
1966 BSFC 2 Soham Town Rangers 0– FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Cherry, Smart, Moffatt, Belger, Atkinson, Gough, Powell, C Duggan, Nisbet, Battram, P Duggan Sub: ???? Scorers: Powell, Battram
1960 BSFC 6 Aylesbury United 3 – Delphian League Cup 1st Round
D Cook, P Cook, Rolph, Pope, Atkinson, Wilson, Wacey, Yates, Horton, Nettle, Francis Scorers: Yates (2), Horton, Nettle (2), Francis
1955 Brentwood & Warley 1 BSFC 1 – Delphian League
Sullivan, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter, Hanley, Adamson, Yates, Scott, Horton, Seely Scorer: Scott
1952 BSFC 2 Cheshunt 4 – Herts Charity Shield 1st Round
Kerridge, Wilkins, Prizeman, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ??, Giles Scorer: Giles (2)
1949 Welwyn Garden City 1 BSFC 1 – Spartan League Division 1
Curwen, Clancy, Bradford, Lambert, Search, Cook, Cropper, King Yates, Nicholson, Giles Scorer: Giles
1938 BSFC 9 Watford BL 0 – FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Turnbull, Day, Hill, Lowe, Ship, Scorer, Millar, Polybank, Mytton, Allen, Ward
Scorers: Millar, Mytton (7), Allen
1932 BSFC 1 Stevenage Town 0 – FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Vasey, Spring, Piper, Burt, Chapman, Lawrence, Little, Braithwaite, Badcock, Sparrow, Underdown Scorer: Sparrow
1927 BSFC 2 Stevenage Town 1 – FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Boxall, Wright, Piper, Osborne, Brown, Raybould, Clarke, Chapman, Patmore, Thurley, Bass Scorers: Chapman, Thurley
1921 BSFC 2 London Caledonians 1– Friendly
