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May the four-ce be with Blues! full report and pics added

jc1Blues’ excellent home form continued on Tuesday night as a brace of Darren Foxley goals helped them to a comfortable 4-0 win against Merthyr Town.

Jamie Cureton and Alfie Mason were also on target for Kevin Watson’s side as they made it 16 points from the last seven games at the ProKit (UK) Stadium.

Another of the Academy products, 16 year-old Jacob Bennett, made his first team debut coming on as a substitute late in the match and having a hand in the Blues last goal.

Kevin Watson’s starting line-up was the same that had lost on Saturday at Hitchin Town with Marvel Ekpiteta serving the last of his two-match suspension. His side made the most of playing against an understrength opposition who apart from a couple of occasions in the first half rarely troubled Stortford.jc8

Kerry Morgan struck a free-kick not far off target for the Welshmen in the fourth minute but the Blues soon moved into gear and in the eight minute when Alfie Mason delivered a cross to the near post Darren Foxley hit the outside of the upright. Stortford didn’t have long to wait for their first goal that arrived in the 12th minute. Mason collected a pass from Mark Hughes just inside the box and although he originally lost control of the ball it rebounded back to him off a defender and the young striker cracked the ball low into the corner past keeper Ed Hewitson diving to his right.

jc4Jamie Cureton had a shot from distance saved by the 16 year-old visiting stopper shortly afterwards and then a shot on the turn from the veteran was deflected for a corner.

Merthyr were putting together one or two useful attacks and Morgan fired wide from 20 yards in the 22nd minute before Hewitson advanced quickly to hold the ball in front of Foxley after Jordan Westcott had slotted a pass through the middle.

Just before the half-hour an awkward cross from Lee Price on the right was well claimed by Calum Kitscha and then the Blues keeper was forced to make an excellent save in the 34th minute as Owain Jones crossed towards the middle and Price’s first-time volley looked destined for the top corner but Kitscha flung himself high to the left to push the ball away for a corner.

This was to be the closest that Merthyr came to scoring all night.

At times Stortford’s first touch was letting them down but they doubled their lead four minutes before the break.

jc5In a move down the middle Cureton and Foxley combined with the attack finishing with the former slipping the ball forward for Foxley to beat Hewitson from close range.

A third goal seemed likely a couple of minutes later after Foxley had crossed the ball for Westcott to play the ball on to Cureton but his shot was deflected for a corner.

There was early pressure from the Blues on the restart and Cureton netted with a header in the 54th minute following a Tom Clifford cross but the goal was disallowed for offside.

But, in the 61st minute, the former Premiership striker scored a deserved goal. Westcott, collecting the ball in his own half, went on a great run down the right before crossing into the middle where Cureton shot into the net.

Cureton almost struck again a couple of minutes later when Hewitson lost possession of the ball but defender Dan Godwin did well to clear under pressure.

Stortford were well on top at this stage and a glancing header from Mason fell wide whilst Cureton had a case for claiming a penalty after going down in the box whilst a shot from him crossed the face of the goal.

jc7Cureton was once again close ten minutes from time after a promising attack with Clifford but the ball again just went narrowly wide of the far post.

Watson had earlier brought on Marcus Crowther to replace Jack Thomas and then he brought on Bennett for Jordan Westcott with five minutes remaining of normal time.

The young substitute soon got involved and within three minutes played a through ball for Foxley to run on to and shoot past Hewitson for Stortford’s fourth goal of the night

Blues: Calum Kitscha; George Casey; Tom Clifford; Mark Hughes; Joe Robinson; Max Brassington; Jordan Westcott (Jacob Bennett 85); Jack Thomas (Marcus Crowther 76); Alfie Mason; Jamie Cureton; Darren Foxley. Unused substitutes: Chad Cruse, Jamie Riley and Callum Lynskey.

MERTHYR TOWN: Ed Hewitson; Dan Dima; Dan Godwin; Craig Reddy; Matthew Harris (Jordan Fofana 73); Liam Martin; Lee Price; Taylor Jones; Owain Jones (Adam Vine 52); Kerry Morgan (Ashley Thomas 84); Ellis Holland. Unused substitutes: None

Referee: Paul Forrester. Attendance: 177.

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