Blast from the past

Andrew Cornell looks back on Blues’ games on April 14^th

We played a tense game on this date in 2007 when Stortford were chasing a play off place as their form was becoming desperately inconsistent. Having lost the previous Monday at Basingstoke and then on Wednesday against promotion rivals Braintree, surely we could get back on track with a win at home to bottom club Bedford Town. On a beautiful sunny April day Blues started well with plenty of possession but lacking some cohesion after 5 changes since the Braintree game and were unable to cause any serious problems for the Bedford defence. Then on 38 minutes Bedford scored out of the blue. On a rare attack Miller took a shot which Young had covered until it took a deflection off Gilman and looped over Young and into the net. This unsetlled Stortford and gave the visitors confidence and both Phillips and Cavill could have out them further ahead by half time. Blues must have been relieved it was only 0-1 at the break.

For the second half Martin Hayes brought on Essandoh and Midson, realising how important the win was for Stortford. As early as the 47^th minute Midson’s cross was headed goalwards but saved by Stevens who then had to go off injured. The first thing the substitute goalkeeper did was pick the ball out of the back of the net as Pearson converted Essandoh’s cross for an equaliser. However Blues relaxed again and on 62 minutes Howarth headed home from Phillips cross. At this point the home side seemed to be frozen by nerves as every Bedford attack seemed likely to result in a goal. Somehow Stortford survived this period and fought their way back into the game. On 84 minutes Essandoh got in a good header but straight at Brown in the visitors goal. Only a minute later he had another chance and made no mistake. Both teams went for a winner in the last few minutes but great saves by both keepers kept the score at 2-2. A point kept Stortford in the promotion hunt but their fate was not in their own hands now.

 

2014 Havant & Waterlooville 2 BSFC 0 – Conference South

Wright, Richens, Brown, Francis, McNaughton, Cutler, Costa, Hall, Woodall, Herd, Prestedge Subs: Baker, Fagbohun, Akurang, Not Used: Milbourne, Melaugh

2012 BSFC 2 Vauxhall Motors 0 – Conference North

Gill, Lampe, Dunbar, Abdullahi, Francis, Anderson, Gayle, Johnson, Sappleton, Prestedge, Milton Subs: Dadson, Pavett, Craig, Not Used: Redgrave, Hunt Scorers: Sappleton, Prestedge

2007 BSFC 2 Bedford Town 2 – Conference South

Young, Patten, Gwillim, Porter, Champion, Gilman, Mason, Edwards, Pearson, Morgan, Fuller Subs: Midson, Essandoh, Martin, Not Used: Jones, Wright Scorers: Pearson, Essandoh

2006 Farnborough Town 3 BSFC 0 – Conference South

Young, Jones, Gwillim, Mitchell, Dolman, Gilman, Rainford, Champion, Morison, Essandoh, Martin Subs: Thanda, Maxwell, Morgan, Not Used: Simpson, Hussey

2001 BSFC 1 Northwood 3 – Isthmian League Division 1

Desborough, Risley, Kimble, Taylor, Fannon, Kyriacou, Hercules, Southam, John, Quinn, Braham Subs: Hayes, Endersby, Taylor Not Used: ??? Scorer: Southam

1990 BSFC 2 Leyton Wingate 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division

Taylor, Jackman, Risley, Hopkins, Spence, Went, Bedford, Milbourne, Neale, Gayle, Manderson Subs Barnett Not Used: Keune Scorers: Risley, Neale

1986 Bognor Regis Town 1 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division

Taylor, Wickenden, Goodchild, Tomkins, Hull, Bright, Nunn, Reading, Hardy, Flynn, Newbury Subs: Robinson Scorer: Flynn

1984 Leytonstone & Ilford 2 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division

Welsh, Wickenden, Smith, Hull, Elley, Luque, Avery, Hopkins, Cardines, Robb, Brooks,         Sub: Mercer

1981 Farnborough Town 0 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Division 1

Moore, Brown, Brame, Smith, Bradford, Avery, Sullivan, Knapman, Fox, Simmonds, Mitchell Sub: Worrell Scorer: Fox

1979 Maidenhead United 1 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Division 1

Carrick, Coakley, Carvill, Smith, Brame, Doyle, Ferry, Eason, Smith, Reading, Blackman

Sub: Todd Scorer: ???

1970 Ilford 3 BSFC 0 – Essex Floodlight Competition 2^nd Round

Cernis, Jaselsky, Kemp, Gough, Ryan, Garofall, Clarey, Maley, Jenkins, King, Baines

Sub Not Used: Pooley

 

1962 Stevenage Town 2 BSFC 1 – Delphian League

Fox, Yell, Atkiinson, Rankin, Neeves, Wilson, Harkness, Hollow, Welch, Gough, Francis Scorer: Hollow

 

1956 Leatherhead 5 BSFC 1 – Delphian League

Fox, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter, Hanley, Simmonds, Yates, Horton, Hussey, Burridge

 

1952 BSFC 3 Cheshunt 1 – Delphian League

Fraser, Dady, Wilkins, Lambert, Hubbuck, Clancy, Whittaker, Yates, Brown, Atkinson, Giles Scorers: Yates, Atkiinson, Giles

 

1951 Saffron Walden Town 1 BSFC 1 – Spartan League Division 1

Richardson, Wilkins, Bradford, Lambert, Hubbuck, Giles, Hoy, Barker, Brown, Dixon, Ellis Scorer: Giles

 

1934 Leighton United 3 BSFC 2 – Spartan League Division 1

Vasey, Johnson, Spring, Palmer, Balaam, Kimber, Haylock, Scott, Pike, Ashton, Beard

Scorer: Ashton (2)

 

1933 BSFC 3 Luton Amateurs 0 – Spartan League Division 1

Vasey, Spring, Chapman, Burt, Lawrence, Little, Badcock, Braithwaite, Johnson, Harknett, Underdown Scorers: Johnson (2), Underdown

 

1928 Codicote 0 BSFC 3 – Herts County League

Boxall, Piper, Childs, Warwick, Bass, Chapman, Patmore, Wright, Fordham, Vaughan, Bennett Scorers: Fordham (2), Vaughan

1923 Hertford Town Res 3 BSFC 1 – Herts County League

Boxall, Sedgmore, Smith, T Wright, L Chapman, J Chapman, Clarke, P Wright, Brazier, Freeborn, Punter Scorer: Brazier

1922 Clacton 2 BSFC 0 – Friendly

Boxall, Sedgmore, Smith, T Wright, L Chapman, J Chapman, Clarke, P Wright, Brazier, Freeborn, Punter Scorer: Brazier

1906 BSFC 1 Hoddesdon Town 3 – East Herts League Division 1

Braugham, Adams, Lawrence, Holland, Glasscock, Markwell, Golding, Handscomb, Cooper-Smith, Parsons, Henderson