Blues blunted by Diamonds
BISHOP’S STORTFORD 0 AFC RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS 4
BLUES concluded their pre-season with a heavy defeat at the hands of their Evo-Stik Premier Division Central opponents. Admittedly Stortford had a few players missing with Lewis Dark, Joe Robinson and Jordan Wescott either injured or on holiday but they looked weak in defence and lacked cohesion going forward.
It was a sixth straight loss for Adam Flint’s side, and the major concern will be that Stortford have only found the net twice in 540 minutes of action.
Diamonds’ Tom Lorraine forced a low save from Bobby Mason from an angle on the left in the 15th minute and they went ahead just after the half-hour when a defensive error allowed Dan Clifton to slip the ball into an empty net.
Ten minutes later Jack Bowen headed against the bar from a Ben Diamond centre. Then a minute from the break Stortford came close to equalising as Chi Osadebe picked up a Damien Green pass and slipped the ball into the box for Jamie Cureton whose angled shot was just past the far upright.
Last season’s keeper Calum Kitscha came on immediately after the break for his first appearance of the campaign, but one of the first things he had to do was pick the ball out of the net when Ty Ward shot high into the top corner following a cross from Lorraine.
Chi Osadebe went close with an effort at the back post whilst a glancing header from Alfie Mason wasn’t far off target. However, Stortford fell further behind in the 68th minute when Jack Bowen scored with a header and substitute John Dean netted Diamonds’ last goal four minutes later.
STORTFORD: Bobby Mason (Calum Kitscha 46); Shabazz Omofe; Max Brassington (Yonis Farah 68); Elliott Ronto; Damien Green; Sam Robbins; Alfie Mason; Jack Thomas (Freddie Oakman 80); Jamie Cureton; Chi Osadebe; Dalton Harris (Johnville Renee 46).
Unused substitute: Tom Robinson, Ethan Barton and Caleb Afoke.
Attendance: 180
