Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back on Blues’ games
on September 17th
There have been a few moments to forget on this date, a 6-1 defeat by Cambridge City in the FA Trophy and a loss to United Counties League Mirrlees Blackstone in the FA Cup, both in the 90’s but there have been plenty of wins as well, including in 2005 against old rivals Sutton United.
This match looked to be a serious challenge; Blues had started the season in indifferent form while Sutton were league leaders with 6 wins out of 7. As you might expect Sutton created the first chance early on when Pitcher played a clever ball over the home defence but Danny Gay was alert and rushed out to thwart Cornwell. Blues retaliated when Ben Lewis flicked the ball on to Duane Jackman who forced a good save out of Emberson in the visitor’s goal. Stortford gained a free kick shortly afterwards which was taken well by Richard Howell who forced Emberson to stretch to keep the ball out of the top corner. The opening goal came on the half hour with a move starting from another free kick. Rob Gilman headed the ball across the goal and Lewis’s shot was blocked. The rebound went to Andy Hodges who made no mistake with a flick past Emberson. This gave Stortford a shot of confidence and they dominated the rest of the first half, going in 1-0 ahead at half time.
The second half continued in the same vein with the home side monopolising posession but then Sutton equalised out of the blue from a corner with Castledine left unmarked to score from a header. Blues did not lose heart though and shortly after a long ball out of defence found Howell who held off two defenders before squaring the ball to Jackman who decisively restored the lead. After that Blues seemed comfortable in the lead but maintained their concentration so as to avoid another equaliser. Sutton were reduced to shooting from outside the area with Pitcher having their best chance late on with a shot saved by Gay to give Blues the points.
Four years earlier we had played another high flying team in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Stortford were finding it hard going in their first season after promotion while Billericay could have gone top of the league with a win at New Lodge. As expected Billericay applied the pressure early on but Blues survived partly thanks to the profligacy of Roy Essandoh playing for the Essex side. Working hard Stortford got back into the game and although Desborough had to make a good save from a free kick it was Blues who had the best chance towards the end of the first half when Braham hit the post.
No goals in the first half but the home side came out charging in the second and earned a penalty. Brennan hit the bar giving Blues a let off as Billericay were unable to score from the rebound. Ten minutes later the Essex side had the lead when Carthy beat Desborough from the edge of the area. Far from losing heart Stortford took control of the game as they searched for an equaliser. Paul and Wolf both had chances before Hyatt was denied by an acrobatic save by John in the home goal. At the death it was a simple long ball that found Paul for a well deserved equaliser.
2016 Felixstowe & Walton United 2 BSFC 1 – FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
Wright, Ekpiteta, Herd, Eyong, Osborne, Rumens, Kouassi, Sawyer, Smith, O’Neill, Varouxakis
Subs: Green, Ekim, Woods-Garness, Unused: Osei, Lovelock Scorer: Kouassi
2011 BSFC 0 Stalybridge Celtic 3 – Conference North
Eyre, Jones, Lettejallow, Abdullahi, Habu, Craig, Hahn, Prestedge, Gayle, Cole, Bakare
Subs: Subuola, Quainoo, Gaisie, Unused: Jeffries, Dadson
2005 BSFC 2 Sutton United 1 – Conference South
Gay, Thanda, Gwillim, Hodges, Lewis, Gillman, Howell, Midson, Champion, Jackman, Martin
Subs: Adejokun, Edwards, Garrard, Unused: Hayes, Hussey Scorers: Hodges, Jackman
2002 Billericay Town 1 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Desborough, Denney, Riches, Southam, Taylor, Wolf, Hyatt, French, John, Paul, Braham
Subs: Langer, Unused: Hayes, Hannigan, Keepence, Hayward Scorer: Paul
1994 Cambridge City 6 BSFC 1 – FA Trophy 1st Round Qualifying
King, Jordan, Barry, Gunn, Hopkins, Lee, Nunn, Ingielewicz, Fortune-West, Close, Scott
Subs: Burns Unused: Munn, Mallett Scorer: Gunn
1991 Mirrlees Blackstone 2 BSFC 0 – FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying Replay
Taylor, Smith, Sailsman, Hopkins, Harrigan, Parnwell, Pritchard, Bedford, Lawford, Went, Burns
Subs: Milbourne, Fearery
1988 BSFC 3 Heybridge Swifts 1 – FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Taylor, Boyce, Sherwood, Moore, Hopkins, Hoddle, Milbourne, Weddell, English, Gayle, Cowley Subs: Barker Unused: Jackman Scorers: Weddell, English, Gayle
1985 BSFC 3 Hendon 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Wickenden, Tomkins, Hopkins, Hull, Smith, Staunton, Hardy, Flynn, Newbury
Sub: Nunn Scorers: Flynn, Newbury (2)
1983 Harlow Town 1 BSFC 2– Isthmian League Premier Division
Jacobs, Wickenden, Brown, Brooks, Elley, Smith, Avery, Hopkins, Armsby, Jennings, Luque
Sub Unused: Lawrence Scorers: Armsby, Jennings
1979 BSFC 2 Leytonstone & Ilford 1 – Isthmian League Division 1
Carrick, Blackman, Bradford, Smith, Droy, Knapman, Brame, Coakley, Ferry, Eason, Carvill Sub: Worrell Scorers: Smith, Coakley
1977 BSFC 1 Woking 3– Isthmian League Premier Division
Dickinson, Moore, Searey, Chattaway, Tuddenham, Blackaller, Coe, Jenkins, Simmons, Swann, Thake Sub Unused: Melvin Scorer: Tuddenham
1974 Clapton 1 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Gibson, Newman, Martin, Still, Lawrence, Leakey, Dear, Bass, Smith, Giggle
Sub Unused: Scott
1969 BSFC 3 City of Leeds College 0 – Friendly
1966 BSFC 2 Bury Town 5 – FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
Cherry, Smart, Moffatt, Belger, Atkinson, Gough, Powell, C Duggan, Nisbet, Battram, P Duggan Sub: ???? Scorers: Powell, P Duggan
1963 Finchley 1 BSFC 2 – East Anglian Cup 1st Round
Cherry, Yell, Rolph, Pope, Neeves, Rankin, Atkinson, Duley, Gough, Higgs, Francis
Scorers: Atkinson, Gough
1960 Aylesbury United 2 BSFC 3 – Delphian League
D Cook, P Cook, Rolph, Pope, Atkinson, Wilson, Phelan, Yates, Horton, Nettle, Francis
Scorers: Yates, Horton (2)
1955 BSFC 4 Chingford 2 – FA Amateur Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Sullivan, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter, Hanley, Scott, Yates, Horton, Hussey, Burridge
Scorers: Scott, Horton (2), Hussey
1949 BSFC 2 Biggleswade Town 2 – Spartan League Division 1
Wardell, Hubbuck, Clancy, Lambert, Search, Cook, Cropper, King Bayford, Nicholson, Giles Scorers: King, Nicholson
1938 Hoxton Manor 3 BSFC 1 – FA Cup Preliminary Round
Polybank, Day, Hill, Lowe, Ship, Scorer, Millar, Allen, Mytton, Woods, Ward
Scorer: Millar
1932 BSFC 2 London Caledonians 0 – FA Cup Preliminary Round
Vasey, Johnson, Spring, Burt, Lawrence, Chapman, Little, Braithwaite, Badcock, Sparrow, Underdown Scorers: Little, Braithwaite
1931 Ware 0 BSFC 2 – Spartan League Division 2 East
Vasey, Spring, Freeman, I Lawrence, Piper, H Lawrence, Martin, Braithwaite, Little, Oliver, Badcock Scorers: Badcock, og
1927 Letchworth Town 5 BSFC 1 – FA Cup Preliminary Round
Boxall, Wright, Piper, Osborne, Brown, Chapman, Clarke, Thurgood, Patmore, Thurley, Bass Scorer: Patmore
1921 BSFC 0 Norton 0– Herts County League
Boxall, Smith, Walker, Thurgood, Witcher, Church, Clarke, P Wright, Golder, D Wright, Brazier
1910 Stansted 3 BSFC 1 – Friendly