Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back at Blues’ games on April 7th
The last three games on this date have produced plenty of goals with 3 conceded each time. In 2009 we travelled to Bath for what was then considered a long mid-week trip for a game which had been postponed twice, the second time at very short notice. Stortford were without Lewis Smith and Tom Champion and struggled for cohesion in the first half. After having the majority of the play it seemed almost inevitable when Bath went ahead on 31 minutes. Simpson’s cross was only half cleared to Hogg who had time to pick his spot from 15 yards. Shortly after Eyre was in action again as he tipped Holland’s header on to the post. Just when Blues thought they would get through to half time Bath doubled their lead in the 42nd minute. Hoggs corner came to Rogers who made a mess of his shot but Jones was first to the ball to make it 2-0 at half time.
Blues travelling fans must have feared the worst but the opposite happened. On 51 minutes the home keeper could not hold Mark Wright’s free kick and in the ensuing melee James Lindie scored to pull one back for Stortford. This gave the visitors encouragement and 15 minutes later Lindie scored again heading over the advancing Evans. Not content with having brought the scores level Blues continued to press forward and with 15 minutes to go Danny Green scored a great winning goal. He teased the defence taking the ball across the field before finding the opportunity to score in the top corner when he wasn’t challenged. Bath were in disarray by now and Roy Essandoh hit a post before the end.
Two years earlier we had hosted Dorchester Town on a beautifully sunny Saturday at Woodside Park. Blues were still chasing a play off place while Dorchester were in the lower half of the table but almost safe from relegation – should be an easy 3 points? That’s how it seemed when Blues took the lead on 7 minutes when Midson scored from Morgan’s cross, having already missed an earlier chance. Four minutes later Langer passed to Morgan who beat a defender and then the keeper to make it 2-0. Midway through the half Essandoh was replaced by Peason who made his mark by scoring the third on the half hour thanks to another good through ball from Langer. There was a hint of future danger when McCallum forced Young to save on 35 minutes but at half time it was 3-0 and the points seemed fairly safe.
However on 55 minutes McCallum gave Robinson the chance to get a goal back for the Magpies. Eight minutes later Gleeson made it 3-2 and everyone in Blue was getting distinctly nervous. On 65 minutes Jason Mason restored the two goal advantage but on 68 minutes McCallum scored again for Dorchester. Amazingly there were no more goals and Stortford, although rattled, hung on to three vital points.
2012 BSFC 0 Nuneaton Town 3 – Conference North
Haxhai, Jones, Dunbar, Abdullahi, Francis, Anderson, Gayle, Johnson, Hunt, Prestedge, Melaugh Subs: Davidson, Pavett, Craig Not Used: Lettejallow, Milton
2009 Bath City 2 BSFC 3 – Conference South
Eyre, Jones, Wright, Lettejallow, Goodacre, Cooper, D Green, Hill, Harris, Lidie, Patterson Subs: Angus, Essandoh, D J Green Not Used: Webb Scorers: D Green, Lindie (2)
2007 BSFC 4 Dorchester Town 3 – Conference South
Young, Collis, Gwillim, Porter, Goodacre, Gillman, Mason, Midson, Morgan, Langer, Essandoh Subs: Turner, Pearson, Fuller Not Used: Patten, Wright
Scorers: Mason, Midson, Morgan Pearson
2001 Staines Town 2 BSFC 3 – Isthmian League Division 1
Desborough, Risley, Kimble, Taylor, Fannon, Kyriacou, Endersby, Southam, John, Hayes, Braham Subs: Hercules, Taylor Not Used: Wolf Scorers: Southam, Hayes (2)
1998 Basingstoke Town 3 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Wardley, Edwards, Barrett, Campbell, Van der Velden, Antoine, Quinn, Conroy, Adekola, Comeerford Subs: Forbes, Taylor Not Used: Wynter Scorer: Conroy
1992 Sutton United 2 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, White, Smith, Pritchard, Harrigan, Edmonds, White, McInerney, English, Gayle, Parnwell Subs Bedford Not Used: Petrou Scorers: Edmonds, McInerney
1990 Hayes 0 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Jackman, Tamblyn-Jones, Hopkins, Harrigan, Went, Bedford, Ryan, Young, Gayle, Manderson Subs: Neale, Spence
1984 BSFC 2 Croydon 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Welsh, Wickenden, Luque, Smith, Elley, Hull, Avery, Hopkins, Cardines, Robb, Brooks, Sub Not Used: Sanderson Scorer: Cardines (2)
1981 Maidenhead United 1 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Brown, Brame, Smith, Bradford, Gallagher, Sullivan, Knapman, Fox, Simmonds, Mitchell Sub: Worrell
1980 Hampton 1 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Division 1
Henry, I Smith, Bradford, M Smith, Knapman, Williams, Coakley, Coote, Worrell, Simmonds, Mitchell Sub Not Used: Ferry Scorers: Coote, Worrell
1979 Hampton 0 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Carrick, Coakley, Bradford, M Smith, Droy, Blackman, Brame, Eason, Ferry, Smith, Reading Sub Not Used: Doyle
1973 BSFC 0 Woking 0 – Isthmian League
Wiseman, Davenport, Coombes, Smith, Still, Lawrence, Leakey, Mitchell, Dear, Lee, Bunker Sub: Scott
1970 Finchley 1 BSFC 6 – Athenian League Premier Division
Cherry, Mitchell, King, Pettipher, Neeves, Hill, Duggan, Allaway, Devaux, Chappell, Slater
Sub Not Used: Gough Scorers: Pettipher (2), Duggan (3), Allaway
1962 BSFC 4 Histon 1 – Delphian League
Fox, Yell, Atkinson, Rankin, Neeves, Wilson, Harkness, Hollow, Welch, Gough, Francis Scorers: Harkness, Gough (2), ???
1958 Ware 1 BSFC 0 – Delphian League
Fox, Lloyd, Booker, Pope, Newman, Atkinson, Wacey, Yates, Horton, Adamson, Francis
1956 BSFC 2 Dagenham 3 – Delphian League
Fox, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter, Hanley, Simmonds, Yates, Horton, Hussey, Burridge Scorers: Horton, Hussey, Burridge
1951 BSFC 2 Harlow Town – Spartan League Division 1
Wardell. Wilkins, Bradford, Lambert, Hubbuck, Giles, Whittaker, Barker, Brown, Dixon, Ellis Scorers: Barker, Brown
1947 BSFC 0 Pinner 0 – Spartan League Premier Division
Sullivan, Thurgood, Day, Johnson, Brooks, ????, ????, Yates, Bentley, Hubbock, ????
1939 BSFC 5 Leighton United 0 – Spartan League Premier Division
Turnbull, G Clark, Hill, Polybank, Allen, Woods, B Clark, Myers, Simpson, Hanratty, Ward Scorers: Polybank, B Clark, Simpson (2), Ward
1934 BSFC 2 Cowley 2 – Spartan League Division 1
Vasey, Johnson, Spring, Saunders, Pike, Wood, Beard, Scott, Braithwaite, Ashton, Underdown Scorers: Braithwaite, Underdown
1923 BSFC 1 Letchworth Town– Herts County League
Boxall, Smith, Walker, Parkes, Smeeton, Chapman, Brazier, Wright, Chapman, Freeborn, Punter Scorer: Wright
