Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back on Blues’ games on April 18th
Four years ago today Blues won the Herts Senior Cup with a comprehensive 7-2 win against Oxhey Jets at Letchworth.
A rare goal from Alli Abdullahi got Blues on their way – and earned him a booking for a ridiculous celebration. Dwight Gayle finished with a hat-trick, with Ricky Sappleton, Reece Prestedge and Harry Milton completing the magnificent seven.
Meanwhile, our first game at Woodside Park on this date was in 2009 when we hosted Havant & Waterlooville. This was a typical end of season game, we were in ninth place out of reach of the playoffs while Havant were 15th but in no danger of relegation.
Despite the visitors having the best of the opening half-hour, Stortford were never really in danger after Danny Harris gave them the lead four minutes into the second half.
The first half was a dull affair, with a gusty wind ensuring that the long-ball technique favoured by both teams at the start of the match helped neither side to get a foothold in the game. The visitors had the best of the early chances when Nicky Eyre tipped Shaun Wilkinson’s free-kick over the bar, and then a minute later Luke Nightingale turned a weak shot straight at Eyre after a good run on the right from Craig Watkins.
Stortford’s first chance came when Danny Green dribbled past two defenders on the right to set up Danny Harris, but the Stortford striker shot wide. Around the half-hour mark, Danny Green’s free-kick from the left was punched clear by Nathan Ashmore, only for Havant to break quickly with Nicky Eyre diving to block Jay Gasson’s attempt.
Eyre again tipped over a Shaun Wilkinson free-kick before the Havant midfielder sent a dangerous corner into the box, but a powerful shot from Jamie Collins was headed off the line by Narada Bernard to deny the visitors the lead.
Stortford began to take a hold of the game before half-time, with Marlon Patterson sending a perfect pass across the pitch to Danny Green before Green’s pass to Danny Harris was hurriedly intercepted by the Havant defence. Just before half-time, Ian Simpenda had to be on his toes with a sliding tackle on Green just as he approached the Havant box.
Havant attacked right from the start of the second half, with the dangerous Luke Medley beating Ritchie Jones before shooting straight at Nicky Eyre. However, it was Stortford who took the lead when Marlon Patterson’s long throw to Lewis Smith was intercepted by Jay Smith, who put the ball into touch. Smith quickly took the throw to Danny Harris, who had got in behind the defence and was able to dribble into the box before firing a low shot beyond Ashmore into the net.
Minutes later, Lewis Smith made a good run into the box, with Reece Prestedge collecting the ball just outside the box and rattling the crossbar with a long range shot. Halfway through the second half, it was Smith again who tested Ashmore with a low shot after a superb cross from Danny Green, but the Havant keeper pushed his effort around the post. Stortford continued the pressure with Rory Hill having a powerful shot charged down from the rebound of the resulting corner.
Havant managed a few attacks of their own without ever troubling Nicky Eyre in the Stortford goal, and in the end it was a comfortable win for the Blues, who stay in 9th place, two points ahead of Newport County.
2015 BSFC 0 Gosport Borough 1 – Conference South
Larkins, Miller, Lee, Tabiri, Bailey-Dennis, Hayles, Sellears, Church, Pearson, Merrifield, Edgar Subs: Walker, Barrington Unused: Peters, Marlow, Gill
2013 BSFC 2 Hemel Hempstead Town 1 – Herts Charity Cup Semi-Final
Dodge, Sampayo, Herd, Bailey-Dennis, Francis, Cawley, Waller-Lassen, Webb, Woodall, Elmes, Abdullahi Subs: Greene, Sappleton, Lobjoit Unused: Baker, Johnson Scorers: Elmes, Greene
2012 BSFC 7 Oxhey Jets 2 – Herts Senior Cup Final
Gill, Lampe, Dunbar, Abdullahi, Francis, Anderson, Gayle, Johnson, Sappleton, Prestedge, Milton Subs: Craig, Redgrave, Hunt Unused: Lettejallow, Pavett
Scorers: Abdullahi, Gayle (3), Sappleton, Prestedge, Milton
2009 BSFC 1 Havant & Waterlooville 0 – Conference South
Eyre, Jones, Barnard, Champion, Goodacre, Hill, D Green, Prestedge, Harris, Smith, Patterson Subs: D J Green, Essandoh, Lindie Unused: Angus, Wright Scorer: Harris
1998 Hendon 3 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
King, Wardley, Edwards, Barrett, Campbell, Van der Velden, Comerford, Antoine,Conroy, Adekola, Gammons Sub: Taylor
1987 BSFC 0 Kingstonian 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Nunn, Goodchild, Hopkins, Hull, Cassidy, Ferguson, Silkman, Hardy, Weddell, Baker Subs Unused: Wickenden, Wood
1985 Bognor Regis Town 1 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Wickenden, Simmonds, Baker, Hull, Hopkins, Avery, Charles, Cardines, Staunton, Marshall Sub Unused: Harding Scorer: Staunton
1981 BSFC 3 Lewes 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Blackman, Brown, Smith, Bradford, Avery, Sullivan, Knapman, Radford, Simmonds, Mitchell Sub: Worrell Scorers: Radford (2), Worrell
1978 Leatherhead 1 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Carrick, Perry, Tuddenham, Smith, Chattaway, Brame, Robb, Neill, Blacktin, Dear, Dillsworth
Sub Unused: Jackson
1977 Dagenham 6 BSFC 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Alcorn, Chattaway, Davis, Flack, Clarke, Massey, Gaine, Smith, MacKenzie, Gough, Twigg
Sub Unused: Tucker
1972 Kingstonian 1 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League
Moore, Sedgeley, Lawrence, Smith, Still, Sharkey, Mitchell, Merrifield, Devaux, Duggan, Whyte
Sub Unused: King Scorer: Smith (2)
1970 Redhill 1 BSFC 4 – Athenian League Premier Division
Cherry, Mitchell, King, Pettipher, Neeves, Hill, Duggan, Allaway, Devaux, Whyte, Slater
Sub: Gough Scorers: Duggan (3), Gough
1964 Wingate 1 BSFC 3 – Athenian League Division 2
Cherry, Rolph, Atkinson, Pope, Neeves, Wilson, Taylor, Smith, Gough, Saggers, Garrett
Scorers: Saggers, Gough, own goal
1960 Ware 0 BSFC 2 – Delphian League
D Cook, P Cook, Rolph, Pope, Newman, Neeves, Phelan, Butler, Horton, Wilson, Francis Scorers: Butler, Wilson
1959 Letchworth Town 5 BSFC 3 – Delphian League
D Cook, Lloyd, Atkinson, P Cook, Newman, Wilson, Adamson, Yates, Phelan, Horton, Wacey Scorers: Yates, Wacey (2)
1953 Hornchurch & Upminster 2 BSFC 0 – Delphian League
Fraser, Lloyd, Bradford, Lambert, Giles, Sullivan, Hobson, Yates, Whitaker, Johnson, Ewers Scorers: Yates, Ewers
1949 BSFC 2 Hoddesdon Town 3 – Spartan League Premier Division
Thain, Brooks, Bradford, Lambert, Hubbuck, Greenhalgh, Cropper, Yates, Giles, Mather, Page Scorer: Giles (2)
1938 BSFC 1 Wood Green Town 1 – Spartan League Division 1
Turnbull, Day, Hill, Polybank, Ship, Wood, Miller, Myers, Woods, Elliott, Herrington
Scorer: Elliott
1931 BSFC 2 The Rovers 0 – Spartan League Division 2 East
Vasey, Spring, Freeman, I Lawrence, Chapman, Mayes, Robertson, Haylock, Badcock, H Lawrence, Bass Scorers: Badcock, H Lawrence
1930 BSFC 3 Hatfield United 0 – Friendly
1927 BSFC 2 Prokol Old Boys 0 – Friendly
1924 BSFC 1 Hatfield United 1 – Herts County League
Scotney, Piper, Walker, Smith, Chapman, de Boltz, Clarke, Wright, Goodey, Freeborn, Brazier Scorer: Chapman
1914 Hoddesdon Institute 2 BSFC 3 – East Herts League Division 1
Day, Rogers, ????, Cocks, Newey, Crockford, Brace, Bass, Reckitt, Marshall, Kelsey
Scorer: Reckitt (3)
