Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back at Blues’ games on April 11th
A big day back in 1981 on this date as we played the second leg of our FA Trophy semi-final against Dartford. With the scores level from the first leg and 3000 fans in the ground, mostly supporting the home team things looked good. Even the weather was good with the sun shining. Dartford hadn’t read the script however and took the lead early on. With this the team and the crowd seemed to feel the tension of the occasion and for a while we looked more likely to go further behind than equalise. However Blues showed some character and got to half time with the score at 1-0. In the second half Stortford had more of the play but still seemed to lack penetration until on 70 minutes a great shot from Terry Sullivan brought us level. Now Stortford were definitely on top but with only 20 minutes to go Dartford still defended well and extra time looked likely. The final act of the drama was the award of the penalty to Blues in the 82nd minute. With a calmness belying his 20 years Joe Simmonds stepped up and sent Bishop’s Stortford FC to Wembley for the second time.
Eight years later we played Barnet at Rhodes Avenue in the Clubcall Cup Semi-Final. This was a competition designed for sponsors and not terribly important to the club or fans, but playing local rivals who were challenging for a place in the old 4th Division added interest and there was a crowd of just over 1000 at the game. Carl Zacchau gave us a first half lead but this was cancelled out by Gary Bull’s equaliser in the 68th minute. We then had the drama of a penalty save by Martin Taylor to send the game into extra time. During the added on period Tommy English hit the cross bar but we couldn’t force a winner. In the replay at Underhill Barnet were too strong for us winning 4-1.
We have also played three Herts Senior Cup Finals on this date, unfortunately losing all three. Most recently in 2017 we played Hitchin Town at Hemel Hempstead. After being level at half time we went on to lose 2-1 in our relegation season. Back in 1977 we went to Hertford to face Hitchin Town as holders. We were in danger of relegation that season as well, although it was avoided, and it showed in a rather limp performance as we surrendered the cup to Hitchin losing 2-0. Twenty two years earlier we played St Albans at Barnet. In those days St Albans were several leagues above us so a 1-0 defeat was no disgrace although it was a disappointment not to win our second final.
2017 BSFC 1 Hitchin Town 2 – Herts Senior Cup Final (At Hemel Hempstead)
Voss, Richefond, Williams, Taiwo, Adebowale, Rodgers, Davidson, Hickford, Callandar, Kouassi, Greene Subs: Ford, Kabeya, Ronto Unused: Harris Scorer: Davidson
2016 Sutton United 2 BSFC 0 – Conference South
Lovelock, Vanderhyde, Herd, Ekim, Allen, Furlonge, Moore, Church, Buchanan, Wilmott,
Fortnam-Tomlinson Subs: Abdullahi, Merrifield Unused: Lee, Humphrey, Smith
2015 Hemel Hempstead Town 0 BSFC 3 – Conference South
Bransgrove, Miller, Taylor, Tabiri, Lee, Hayles, Sellears, Church, Pearson, Merrifield, Edgar Subs: Walker Unused: Barrington, Peters, Marlow, Larkins Scorers: Taylor, Edgar (2)
2009 BSFC 0 Hayes & Yeading United 0 – Conference South
Eyre, M Jones, Patterson, Lettejallow, Angus, Cooper, D Green, Champion, Lindie, Smith, Harris Subs: R Jones, Prestedge, Hill Unused: D J Green, Wright
2007 BSFC 0 Braintreee Town 2 – Conference South
Young, Collis, Gwillim, Porter, Goodacre, Gillman, Langer, Edwards, Essandoh, Morgan, Midson Subs: Martin, Mason, Pearson Unused: Champion, Wright
2005 BSFC 2 Carshalton Athletic 0 – Conference South
Young, Thanda, Gwillim, Robson, Lewis, Riches, Howell, Forbes, Morison, Hakim, Martin Subs: Jackman, Cracknell, Langer Unused: Gillman, Horne Scorer: Hakim (2)
2000 BSFC 0 Bognor Regis Town 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Tucker, Leary, Kimble, Sedgwick, Bowen, Foot, Comerford, Williams, John, Paul, Winger Subs: Braham, Hayes Unused: Langer
1998 Yeading 0 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Wardley, Edwards, Barrett, Campbell, Van der Velden, Gammons, Jordan, Conroy, Adekola, Forbes Sub: Antoine, Taylor, Comerford Scorers: Conroy, Comerford
1995 Marlow 3 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Mallett, Jackman, Edmonds, Claridge, Moore, Parratt, Lee, Cooper, Hollamby, Burns, Luque Sub: Comerford Unused: Das, King Scorer: Hollamby
1992 Woking 3 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Sailsman, Smith, Harrigan, Bedford, Edmonds, N White, McInerney, English, Gayle, Parnwell Subs: Petrou, Pritchard
1989 BSFC 1 Barnet 1 – Clubcall Cup Semi-Final
Taylor, Jackman, Ryan, Harrigan, McCayna, Hoddle, Milbourne, Weddell, English, Zacchau, Cowley Sub: Gayle Unused:, Hopkins Scorer: English
1987 Tooting & Mitcham United 0 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Wickenden, Goodchild, Hopkins, Hull, Cassidy, Ferguson, Silkman, Hardy, Wood, Nunn Subs: Weddell, McCaig Scorer: Hardy
1981 BSFC 2 Dartford 1 – FA Trophy Semi-Final 2nd Leg
Moore, Blackman, Brame, Smith, Bradford, Avery, Sullivan, Knapman, Radford, Simmonds, Mitchell Sub: Worrell Scorers: Sullivan, Simmonds
1977 BSFC 0 Hitchin Town 2 – Herts Senior Cup Final (At Hertford)
Alcorn, Chattaway, Davis, Flack, Clarke, Massey, Gough, Smith, MacKenzie, Gaine, Twigg
Sub Unused: Tucker
1972 BSFC 2 Hendon 0 – Isthmian League
Moore, Sedgeley, Lawrence, Smith, Still, Sharkey, Mitchell, Merrifield, Devaux, Francis, Whyte
Sub: ???? Scorers: Merrifield, Francis
1966 BSFC 3 Tilbury 2 – Athenian League Division 1
Stooks, Rolph, Atkinson, Belger, Neeves, Duley, Powell, C Duggan, Baker, Gough, P Duggan
Scorers: Neeves, Gough (2)
1964 BSFC 2 Histon 1 – Athenian League Division 2
Cherry, Rolph, Atkinson, Pope, Neeves, Wilson, Taylor, Duley, Gough, Smith, Miller
Scorers: Smith, Gough
1959 Ware 1 BSFC 1 – Delphian League
D Cook, Lloyd, Atkinson, P Cook, Newman, Wilson, Adamson, Wacey, Phelan, Horton, Francis Scorer: Phelan
1955 BSFC 0 St Albans City 1 – Herts Senior Cup Final (At Barnet)
Sullivan, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter, Hanley, Giles, Yates, Scott, Horton, Burridge
1953 Rainham Town 1 BSFC 0 – Delphian League
Fraser, Lloyd, Bradford, Hanley, Giles, Lambert, Perry, Yates, Whitaker, Johnson, Ewers
1952 BSFC 5 Catford Wanderers 2 – Friendly
1931 Callender Athletic 3 BSFC 0 – Spartan League Division 2 East
Vasey, Spring, Freeman, Wright, Chapman, Mayes, Robertson, Haylock, Badcock, H Lawrence, Bass
1914 Ware 1 BSFC 2 – East Herts League Division 1
Day, Champion, Rogers, Cocks, Newey, Crockford, Brace, Chapman, Cooper-Smith, Matthews, Carter Scorers: Cooper-Smith, Carter
1903 BSFC 2 Rye Park 0 – East Herts & District League Division 1
