Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back on Blues’ games on September 20th
A recent game on this date was a mid-week trip to Nottinghamshire to play Eastwood Town in Conference North. A relatively short away trip for us by the standards of this league saw a good away performance in an entertaining seven goal game.
Stortford got off to a dream start as they went a goal up after just 34 seconds. Dwight Gayle flicked the ball into the path of Michael Bakare running goalwards in the inside right channel and his fierce low 25 yard drive finished in the bottom corner of the net, skimming off the outstretched arm of keeper James Severn. The Nottinghamshire side reacted with some promising attacks at Joe Wright’s goal but Stortford looked sharp with Sean Francis nearly scoring with a back post header following a corner. In the 18th minute Ritchie Jones slipped to allow Jarrod Westcarr free on the left but the his shot went across the face of the goal and past the far post. In the 22nd minute the home side got back on level terms. Paul Riley slung in a free-kick from the left touchline and striker Jason Bradley headed past Wright.
The Badgers took the lead in the 32nd minute when Westcarr went on a fine run down the left and crossed towards the far post for Bradley to notch his second header of the night past Wright.
Stortford fought back and equalised three minutes from the break. Bakare was fouled midway in the Eastwood half and near the left touchline. Scott Shulton’s free-kick towards the far post resulted in under pressure keeper James Severn punching the ball against the back of Paco Craig’s head, as they jumped together, and it rebounded into the corner of the net to make it 2-2.
It stayed that way at half time despite Junior Dadson cutting in from the right hitting the post at the death.
After the break the hosts lost their attacking threat as the Blues took control of affairs. Ade Cole had an early shot following the restart go wide of the far post. Then in the 57th minute Bakare’s run ended with a scuffed shot that was narrowly wide of Severn’s left upright when he could have made the most of other options available to him.
There was another near miss in the 74th minute as Shulton rounded off a great move with a
close range shot that clipped keeper Severn’s shoulder and rebounded away. At last, in the 84th minute, the Blues netted the goal they deserved. Following a concerted attack, a cross from Dadson found Gayle who headed in from 8 yards. Just a minute later, Stortford extended their lead. Bakare slipped the ball forward for Gayle to fasten on to and advancing from the left calmly slotted low past Severn into the far corner to double his tally for the match and his total so far for the season to six.
With time running out Alex Troke, for the hosts, was close with an effort from the edge of the box and then in the third minute of stoppage time Bradley headed a cross from the left wing down into the path of substitute Josh Burge who shot past Joe Wright to make the score 4-3 to the visitors.
2014 BSFC 3 Whitehawk 1 – Conference South
Gregory, Miller, Herd, Tabiri, Allen, Fitzsimons, Auger, Church, Suarez, McCall, Sellears
Subs: Sykes, Melaugh Unused: Anderson, Young, Wright Scorers: Miller, Auger, Suarez
2011 Eastwood Town 3 BSFC 4 – Conference North
Wright, Jones, Prestedge, Shulton, Francis, Craig, Cole, Abdullahi, Gayle, Bakare, Dadson
Subs: Hahn, Gaisie Unused: Jeffries, Quainoo, Read Scorers: Craig, Gayle (2), Bakare
2008 Maidenhead United 3 BSFC 2 – Conference South
Hasler, Jones, Koko, Mason, Goodacre, King, Okojie, Hopkins, Wixon, Harris, Dean
Subs: Howell, Champion, Hyem Unused: Essandoh, Taylor Scorers: Harris, Dean
2003 St Albans City 3 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Addai, Allman, Gwillim, Rainford, Cooper, Barnett, Langer, Southam, Renner, Neil, William Subs: Essandoh Unused: McKeown, Wiltshire, Black, Hayward Scorers: Rainford, Southam
1997 BSFC 3 Walton & Hersham 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Fox, Jordan, Walker, Shuttlewood, Greaves, Wardley, Sedgwick, Adekola, Cooper, Comerford Subs Unused: Dean, Pike, Thomas Scorers: Walker, Adekola, Comerford
1989 Collier Row 1 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Cup 1st Round
Taylor, Jackman, Harrigan, Hopkins, Tamblyn-Jones, Barnett, Bedford, Ryan, Hardwick, Gayle, Young Subs: Dobson Unused: Forey Scorers: Bedford, Young
1986 BSFC 0 Hayes 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Wickenden, Templeton, Tomkins, Hull, Cassidy, Fletcher, Nunn, Hardy, Weddell, Newbury Subs Unused: Birtles, Hopkins
1983 Billericay Town 3 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Jacobs, Wickenden, Brown, Smith, Elley, Hopkins, Avery, Brooks, Armsby, Jennings, Luque
Sub: Lawrence Scorers: Hopkins, Jennings
1980 Epsom & Ewell 1 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Smith, Brown, Blackman, Cooper, Avery, Mitchell, Knapman, Radford, Sullivan, Simmonds Sub Unused: Worrell Scorer: Radford
1977 Barking 5 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Dickinson, Moore, Searey, Chattaway, Tuddenham, Oakley, Coe, Jenkins, Simmons, Swann, Thake Sub Unused: Melvin Scorer: Tuddenham
1975 BSFC 1 Slough Town 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Kitson, Harris, Davis, Flack, Clarke, Mulkern, Leakey, Clarke, MacKenzie, Watson, Brown
Sub Unused: Springham Scorer: MacKenzie
1973 BSFC 2 Histon 0 – East Anglian Cup 1st Round
Moore, Gibson, Coombes, Payne, Smith, Dent, Leakey, Greene, Bass, Lawrence, Scott
Sub Unused: Tone Scorers: Bass, Scott
1969 BSFC 1 Hendon 2 – FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Cherry, Mitchell, King, Gough, Neeves, Hewitt, Whyte, C Duggan, Devaux, Moss, P Duggan
Sub: ??? Scorer: Moss
1958 Aveley 3 BSFC 2 – Delphian League
Fox, Lloyd, Atkinson, Hanley, Newman, Williams, Adamson, Yates, Horton, Rolph, Wacey Scorer: Horton, Yates
1952 BSFC 1 Tufnell Park 0 – FA Amateur Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Kerridge, Dady, Halladay, Lambert, Cox, Dellow, Massett, Yates, Brown Johnson, Giles
Scorer: Johnson
1947 BSFC 5 Briggs Sports 2 – Spartan League Premier Division
Sullivan, T Brooks, Bradford, Graham, Cook, F Brooks, Giles, Lambert, Verimiglio, Yates, Turner Scorers: F Brooks, Lambert, Verimiglio, Yates, Turner
1941 BSFC 3 Army XI 4 – Friendly
1930 Hertford Town 3 BSFC 2 – FA Cup Preliminary Round
Vasey, Spring, Freeman, I Lawrence, Chapman, Mayes, H Lawrence, Haylock, Badcock, White, Deemer Scorers: White, Badcock
1928 Finchley 4 BSFC 0 – FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay
