Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back at Blues’ games on April 12th
In 1971 this day fell on Easter Monday and there was a big game, as we played the Herts Senior Cup Final against St Albans City at Hertford Town’s ground. In those days all teams that entered took the Herts Senior Cup seriously and there was an added element to this final. Stortford had just been elected to the Isthmian League starting from the 1971-72 season and with St Albans being long standing members here was a good chance to test ourselves against future league opposition.
With Dave Mollison injured the veteran Alan Cherry, who was more used to playing in the reserves at this stage of his career took over in goal. Two early corners tested the defence and following the second there was an early let off as Dave Lawrence hooked the ball off the line. On the whole defences were on top, although Bloxham in the Saints goal had to get down smartly to smother an effort from Tony Chappell.
A chance then fell to City as following a corner on the left Collett managed to hit the ball well over the bar. Stortford had a chance soon after when Steve Devaux headed the ball to Chappell’s feet but again the shot was too high. Just before half time St Albans gave Cherry work to do when Childs had a shot on target but the Stortford keeper plucked the ball out of the air from under the air and the first half ended goal less.
Stortford had been taking control of the game as half time arrived and they carried on in the same vein for the first ten minutes of the second half. Unfortunately when a clear cut chance arrived Lawrence could only shoot rather weakly into Bloxham’s arms. On the hour, against the run of play, St Albans took the lead, when Oxxley scored following a scramble in the Stortford goal mouth.
The lead lasted for only 3 minutes though before Stortford were back on even terms. A neat move on the right found Malcolm Pannell, whose shot was deflected in off Wood. Soon afterwards another shot from Pannell was deflected the wrong side of the post by Saints defender, only for the referee to give a goal kick. Defences were on top for the rest of the 90 minutes with only one more chance from Pannell to note.
Extra time saw both sides being very tentative and the main excitement was Grant becoming the second St Albans player booked after White. Then late on Cherry made the save of the match when a corner led to a very short range header which he managed to push over the bar. Thus the teams had to meet again for a replay a week later at Hertford when Blues won by the only goal.
2014 Basingstoke Town 0 BSFC 0 – Conference South
Wright, Richens, Herd, Francis, McNaughton, Milbourne, Johnson, Cutler, Woodall, Akurang, Prestedge Subs: Baker, Melaugh, Fagbohun Not Used: Cowler
2008 Maidenhead United 5 BSFC 0 – Conference South
Young, Taylor, Lunan, Edwards, Champion, Gillman, Yao, Williamson, Pearson, Essandoh, Deen Subs: Patten, Fazackerley, Mason Not Used: Goodacre, Harris
2004 Hitchin Town 0 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Desborough, Kyriacou, Gwillim, Rainford, Cooper, Wiltshire, Howell, Allman, Forbes, Bunn, Hayes Subs: Southam, Haniff, Martin Not Used: Riches, Tillotson Scorers: Hayes, Southam
2003 BSFC 2 Hampton & Richmond Borough 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Desborough, Kyriacou, Gwillim, Riches, Gould, Southam, Langer, French, Renner, Parker, Williamson Subs: Aransiba, Beale Not Used: Wolf, Haniff, O’Neill Scorers: Riches, Gould
1997 BSFC 2 Kingstonian 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Fox, Forbes, Jordan, Shuttlewood, Wardley, Walker, Barnaby, Thomas, Adekola, Cooper
Subs Not Used: Blake, Riley, Moss Scorers: Forbes, Walker
1994 Tooting & Mitcham United 0 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Jordan, Claridge, Edmonds, Harrigan, Walker, Das, Scott, Comerford, Adamson, Ingielewicz Subs: Burns Not Used: White Scorer: Claridge
1988 BSFC 1 Slough Town 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Nunn, Hopkins, Hull, Gibson, Hoddle, Barker, Weddell, Gayle, Wood, Sorrell, Subs: Cassidy Not Used: Saggers Scorer: Wood
1986 BSFC 2 Tooting & Mitcham United 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Coe, Wickenden, Goodchild, Tomkins, Hull, Bright, Fletcher, Newbury, Hardy, Hill, Flynn, Sub: Nicholas Scorers: Hardy, ??????
1982 Hendon 5 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Marwick, Brown, Baldry, Bailey, Jeffrey, Avery, Worrell, Knapman, Sperrin, Simmonds, Sullivan Sub: Lynch
1980 Finchley 1 BSFC 2 – Friendly
1975 Tooting & Mitcham United 2 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Martin, Johnson, Mears, Blacktin, Lawrence, Little, Watson, MacKenzie, Smith, Mulkern Sub: Leakey Scorer: Little
1971 BSFC 1 St Albans City 1 – Herts Senior Cup Final (At Hertford)
Cherry, Lawrence, T King, Pannell, Neeves, Sharkey, Whyte, Chappell, Devaux, Duffet, S King
Sub: ??? Scorer: Duggan
1965 Harwich & Parkeston 4 BSFC 1 – Athenian League Division 2 Cup Semi-Final
Stooks, Rolph, Atkinson, Pope, Tucker, Mitchell, Hurst, Saggers, Gough, Duley, Wacey
Scorer: Duley
1958 Wokingham Town 3 BSFC 2– Delphian League
Fox, Lloyd, Booker, Pope, Newman, Atkinson, Wacey, Yates, Horton, Adamson, Francis Scorers: Wacey, Adamson
1947 BSFC 4 Cambridge Town 5 – Spartan League Premier Division
Sullivan, Thurgood, Day, Johnson, Hubbuck, Brooks, Bentley, Yates,Chandler, Arnold, Giles Scorers: Thurgood, Yates, Chandler, Giles
1941 BSFC 3 Army XI 2– Friendly
1930 BSFC 7 The Rovers 2 – Spartan League Division 2 East
Boxall, Spring, Freeman, I Lawrence, Chapman, Mayes, H Lawrence, Haylock, Badcock, Hepburn, Chipperfield Scorers: Badcock (5), Haylock, Chipperfield
1924 BSFC 0 Welwyn 2 – Herts County League
Jeary, Smith, Bolt, Punter, Chapman, de Boltz, Marsh, Clarke, Piper, Freeborn, Brazier
1920 BSFC 4 Enfield Town 0– Friendly
Boxall, Mills, Smith, Newey. Walker, Chapman, Clarke, Wright, Golder, Brazier, Kelsey Scorers: Walker, Wright, Golder (2)