Blast from the past
Andrew Cornell looks back on Blues’ games on October 9th
The last time we played an FA Cup game on this date at Rhodes Avenue, the result was a huge surprise and disappointment as we went down 1-0 against Canvey Island. Blues started the 1993-94 season with 12 consecutive wins in competitive games and only one goal conceded. All good runs have to come to an end sometime but at home to an Essex Senior League side in the FA Cup did not seem likely to be the day. For the superstitious, a 13th win always looked unlucky – while with hindsight we can see that Canvey would be in the Conference Premier within 10 years and were no ordinary Essex Senior League side.
It was the largest crowd for 5 years expecting to see Blues continue their winning ways but Canvey signalled a threat early as Dziadulewicz shot just wide in the 3rd minute. Soon after Billy Harrigan had our first chance which he put over the cross bar. Leo Fortune-West then had two quick chances, first a header was blocked and then a low shot was well held by keeper Harrold. In what was our best spell of the game Hopkins then headed inches over the bar in the 15th minute. Mid way through the first half Fortune-West had a volley brilliantly tipped over by Harrold. So far, so good – Blue were on top, the goals would surely come. However Canvey began to grow in confidence from still being level and had a good spell of their own before taking a shock lead. After a corner was not cleared Wiseman crossed from the right and former Stortford striker Kevin Newbury gave the Essex side the lead. For the rest of the first half Blues dominated possession but at half time Canvey still had their 1-0 lead.
Five minutes into the second half came a moment which summed up Stortford’s day. Hopkins header hit the underside of the bar, came down and was cleared off the line by a defender. From no on the play was almost exclusively one way but the Canvey Island defence was well organised and kept their concentration and Stortford could find no way past them. Ten minutes later another goal mouth scramble saw Ingielewicz shoot wide and Terry Burns came on for Lee Burns to change the pattern. Nicky White was also brought on for the last 10 minutes and had a chance to be a hero but unfortunately another shot went wide. A 12 game winning run came to an end and Canvey Island went to play Kettering in the next round of the cup.
More importantly from a long term perspective was that Stortford continued their winning form and won promotion the following April.
2012 BSFC 3 Chalfont St Peter 1 – FA Cup 3rd Round Qualifying Replay
Kitteridge, Sinclair-Furlonge, Herd, Prestedge, Anderson, Duncan, Johnson, Waller-Lassen, Sappleton, Cawley, Milton Subs: Livings Unused: Spence, Redgrave, Brayley, Webb
Scorers: Prestedge, Sappleton (2)
2004 BSFC 2 Weston super Mare 2 – Conference South
Elliott, Allman, Gwillim, Rainford, Riches, Gillman, Howell, Parmenter, Opara, Jackman, Martin
Subs: Graham, Hakim, Fenton Unused: Ryan Young Scorers: Opara, Jackman
2001 Thame United 0 BSFC 2 – Isthmian League Division 1
Desborough, Kimble, Riches, Wolf, Fannon, Taylor, Southam, Hercules, John, Paul, Braham
Subs: Beale, Purcell, Hayes Scorers: John, Paul
1999 BSFC 1 Gravesend & Northfleet 3 – FA Trophy 1st Round
Day, Comerford, Risley, Paxton, Quinn, Bartley, Langer, Hayes, Willock, Quinton, Harding
Subs: Winger, Witney, Woolley Unused: Snowden, Harman Scorer: Bartley
1993 BSFC 0 Canvey Island 1 – FA Cup 3rd Round Qualifying
King, Jordan, Harrigan, Edmonds, Hopkins, Walker, Das, Scott, Fortune-West, L Burns, Ingielewicz Subs: T Burns, White Unused: Mallett
1984 BSFC 1 Barking 0 – Isthmian League Cup 1st Round
Welsh, Staunton, John Simmonds, Avery, Hull, Smith, Hopkins, Joe Simmonds, Ryan, Cardines, Lynch Sub Unused: Mercer Scorer: Joe Simmonds
1982 BSFC 0 Bromley 1 – Isthmian League Premier Division
Welsh, Wickenden, Brown, Avery, Elley, Hull, Lynch, Brooks, Worrell, Simmonds, Sullivan Sub: Benjamin
1978 BSFC 1 Ware 0 – Isthmian League Division 1
Carrick, Coakley, Bradford, Smith, Elkins, Eason, Neill, Doyle, Ferry, Chattaway, Worrell
Sub Unused: Holden Scorer: Eason
1976 Hayes 0 BSFC 1 – Isthmian League Division 1
Kitson, Smith, Davis, Flack, Gough, Clarke, Leakey, Sharkey, Dillsworth, Twigg, Gaine
Sub: Conroy Scorer: Dillsworth
1973 Clapton 1 BSFC 7– Isthmian League Division 1
Moore, Robertson, Gibson, Payne, Smith, Lawrence, Leakey, Tone, Still, Greene, Mitchell
Sub Unused: Toomey Scorers: Lawrence, Leakey, Still (3), Greene (2)
1971 BSFC 4 Harlow Town 2 – FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
Cherry, Sedgeley, Lawrence, Lillington, Still, Sharkey, Mitchell. Smith, Devaux, Duggan, Whyte Sub Unused: Merrifield Scorers: Devaux, Duggan (3)
1966 BSFC 3 Baldock Town 1 – East Anglian Cup 1st Round
Cherry, Smart, Atkinson, Gough, Neeves, Belger, Powell, C Duggan, Nisbett, Fergusson,
P Duggan Scorers: Gough, Powell, Fergusson
1965 BSFC 6 Dorking 2 – Athenian League Division 1
Cherry, Rolph, Atkinson, Gough, Neeves, Duley, Taylor, Duggan, James, Saggers, Francis Scorers: Taylor, Duggan, James, Saggers, Francis, ????
1954 BSFC 6 Brentwood & Warley 1 – Delphian League
Sullivan, Duncan, Hardy, Lloyd, Carter, Hanley, Bow, Yates, Baird, Giles, Burridge
Scorers: Duncan, Yates, Baird (3), Burridge
1948 Ware 2 BSFC 1 – FA Amateur Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
Richardson, Brooks, Bradford, Lambert, Hubbuck, Giles, Broom, Yates, Fletcher, Shakespeare, Page Scorer: Yates
1943 BSFC 4 Saffron Walden Town 1 – Friendly
1937 Stevenage Town 2 BSFC 0 – FA Amateur Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Parker, Johnson, Day, Barker, Ship, Hill, Riches, Polybank, Mytton, Wood, Clark
1926 Thorley Works 2 BSFC 3 – FA Amateur Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Boxall, Wright, Bennett, Osborne, Chapman, Rayment, Clarke, de Boltz, Bass, Thurley, Hayward Scorers: Bass (2), Thurley
1920 Stanstead Abbotts 3 BSFC 2 – East Herts League Division 1
Boxall, Smith, Walker, Newey, Flux, Chapman, Thurgood, Wright, Golder, Brazier, Sheldrake Scorers: Wright, Brazier
1909 Saffron Walden Town 2 BSFC 0 – Stansted& District League
Clode, Stevens, Silvester, Newey, Cornall, Rayment, Henderson, Murphy, N Taylor, Whybro,
S Taylor