Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks backs on Blues’ games on April 28th
The last game but one we played on this date was a real must-win game, as Lewes came to town nine years ago. The phrase is over used but on this occasion we had to win to secure a play off and even then we depended on Newport slipping up. This was the culmination of a roller coaster end to the season which had seen a play-off place seem certain, then denied and then re-claimed. At the very least we had kept the season interesting right to the end.
A crowd of 774 was there on a warm sunny day to cheer Blues on expecting a tense match. As it turned out Stortford performed perfectly for once and the most tension was after the game waiting to hear the score from the Newport-Cambridge game.
Lewes came to Woodside Park on a 13 game unbeaten run and with nothing to play for – but on the other hand no need to hold back. Having expected a tight, tense game we had a very one sided opening 20 minutes from a Blues side unchanged for the third consecutive game. In the third minute Alex Martin set the tone by hitting the post. After 14 minutes we had the ball in the net twice through Greg Pearson (right) and Roy Essandoh, both “goals” disallowed. Essandoh and Pearson then both missed easy chances before Essandoh forced two great saves from the Lewes keeper. Finally inevitably the goal came as Gillman scored from Martin’s corner to a huge cheer. At the same time news came through that Cambridge had taken the lead at Newport to another cheer. Gwillim was having a great game in defence but found time to come forward and make a chance for Essandoh who shot straight at the keeper. Shortly after Essandoh got his head to another Martin corner to make it 2-0.
Lewes made three substitutions at half-time but it was Stortford who continued to control the game. On 58 minutes Pearson and Essandoh combined well to find Matt Jones at centre forward who failed to get on the end of the cross. Essandoh was then replaced by Turner to inject some more pace into the side. Turner, on loan from Grays was working hard making chances for other players and mid-way through the second half he got the third goal himself. He got his head on a pass from Jason Mason and the ball looped over the keeper and just under the bar. Danny Morgan came on for Pearson and had a goal disallowed but the rest of the game had an unreal air as everyone knew the game was won and what mattered was results elsewhere. Hundreds of Stortford fans stayed behind as results came in from Havant and Braintree and finally from Newport where Cambridge had won to send Blues into the play-offs.
Four years ago a bloke called Dwight Gayle ended his Blues career (probably) with a hat-trick already-relegated Esatwood Town were hammered 4-0 in Conference North.
2012 BSFC 4 Eastwood Town 0 – Conference North
Archer, Lampe, Dunbar, Craig, Francis, Anderson, Melaugh, Johnson, Gayle, Prestedge, Milton Subs: Dadson Not Used: Redgrave, Abdullahi, Hunt, Lettejallow Scorers: Dunbar, Gayle (3)
2007 BSFC 3 Lewes 0 – Conference South
Young, Jones, Gwillim, Porter, Goodacre, Gillman, Esandoh, Champion, Pearson, Midson, Martin Subs: Turner, Mason, Morgan Not Used: Fuller, Wright
Scorers: Gillman, Pearson, Turner
2001 Walton & Hersham 2 BSFC 4 – Isthmian League Division 1
Hart, Risley, Kimble, R Taylor, Fannon, Kyriacou, Endersby, Southam, John, Hayes, S Taylor Subs: Paul, Hercules Not Used: Wolf Scorer: Endersby, John (2), Hayes
1990 BSFC 0 Bognor Regis Town 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Risley, Tamblyn-Jones, Hopkins, Harrigan, Jackman, Bedford, Milbourne, Neale, Gayle, Manderson Subs: Ryan, Young
1988 East Thurrock United 0 BSFC 1 – East Anglian Cup Semi-Final
Taylor, Hopkins, Nunn, Hull, McCayna, Hoddle, Cassidy, Saggers, Gayle, Weddell, Barker
Sub Not Used: Wood Scorer: Weddell
1987 BSFC 1 Yeovil Town 0 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Taylor, Wickenden, Silkman, Hopkins, Hull, Nunn, Fergusson, Wood, Hardy, Weddell, Barker, Subs Not Used: Goodchild, McCaig Scorer: Hardy
1984 BSFC 2 Carshalton Athletic – Isthmian League Premier Division
Welsh, Wickenden, Smith Hull, Manuel Luque, Ryan, Avery, Hopkins, Cardines, Hughes, Mercer Sub: Miguel Luque Scorers: Hughes, Mercer
1981 BSFC 1 Kingstonian 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Blackman, Brame, Smith, Bradford, Avery, Sullivan, Knapman, Radford, Simmonds, Mitchell Sub: Clarke Scorer: Simmonds
1979 BSFC 2 Epsom & Ewell – Isthmian League Division 1
Carrick, Coakley, Bradford, M Smith, Brame, Blackman, Eason, Reading, Doyle, I Smith, Worrell Sub: Carvell Scorers: Coakley, Smith
1973 BSFC 2 Sutton United 1 – Isthmian League
Wiseman, Davenport, Coombes, Davidson, Still, Lawrence, Merrifield, Francis, Dear,.Smith, Scott Sub: Francis Scorers: Bunker, Dear
1962 BSFC 5 Windsor & Eton 2 – Delphian League
Fox, Yell, Atkiinson, Rankin, Neeves, Wilson, Harkness, Gough, Welch, Smith, Kirbyshire Scorers: Rankin, Harkness, Gough, Smith, Kirbyshire
1956 BSFC 1 Leatherhead 0 – Delphian League
Fox, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter, Hanley, Clarke, Yates, Horton, Hussey, Burridge
1934 Apsley 3 BSFC 0 – Spartan League Division 1
Vasey, Johnson, Springham, Little, Wood, Kimber, K Corke, Scott, Beard, C Corke, Abslom
1928 Berkhamsted 2 BSFC 0 – Herts County League
1927 Sawbridgeworth Town 2 BSFC 1 – Herts & Essex Border League
Scorers: Wright, Bass
1926 BSFC 4 Thorley Works 1 – Stansted & District League
Hooker, Raybould, Bennett, Osbourne, Chapman, Rayment, Skeggs, Bavin, Bass, Martin, Brazier Scorers: Bennett, Bass, Martin (2)
1923 BSFC 0 Baldock Town 0 – Herts County League
Crawford, Smith, Sedgmore, R E Punter, L Chaoman, J Chapman, Clarke, Wright, Brazier, Freeborn, RA Punter
