Bowers & Pitsea 0-1 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report
Bowers & Pitsea 0-1 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report 18/2/23
A seventh win in eight games saw Bishop’s Stortford stay on top of the tree in the Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division, with a 0-1 victory at Bowers & Pitsea on Saturday. The Blues battled against the Essex outfit, who are battling relegation, but were not at their best in a scrappy affair. There were wins for Aveley, Hornchurch and Canvey Island in the chasing pack, while Enfield Town and Cray Wanderers lost.
Chris Harris made a run to the near post to meet Lordon Akolbire’s right wing cross, but glanced the headed effort wide. Harris flicked a long ball to Darren Foxley who made a run into the box, he laid it off to Ollie Peters – making his 50th Blues appearance – but his strike was high of the goal. Jonny Giles’ corner was half cleared to Peters, who crossed the ball back in for Henshaw, who headed downwards but Joseph Osaghae made a smart low save to his right. From the resulting corner, Sam Deering took it short to Giles on the corner of the box, who crossed to Foxley, but he headed over the bar. A dipping free kick from Foxley looked to be creeping into the bottom left corner, but Osaghae pushed it round the post. Akolbire made an underlapping run and received the ball from Foxley in the right channel, his powerful strike looked to be going wide of the goal but a huge deflection off Ryan Huckle saw the ball loop into the top right corner.
HT 0-1
Despite the difference in league position between the sides, the home defence made for a frustrating afternoon in front of goal. The travelling support in the crowd of 291 were in fine voice, willing the Blues on with every attack. The home side failed to threaten Jack Giddens’ goal, but were resilient in front of their own. Giles cut in off the right wing but his low shot was straight at Osaghae, and Donell Thomas saw his low shot parried by the goalkeeper into Harris’ path, but he grabbed the loose ball before the striker could convert for a tap-in. Giddens’ kick was won by Church in the Bowers half, he passed to Harris who flicked the ball into Giles’ path. He dribbled past the defender but his near post shot was denied by a great Osaghae reflex save. Giles’ free kick from the left was won by Johnson at the near post, it looked to be on target but was blocked.
FT 0-1
TEAMS
Bowers & Pitsea XI
1 Joseph Osaghae
2 Dylan Thistleton (Yellow card 90+5’)
3 Chevron McLean
5 Dexter Peter (c)
9 Antony Papadopoulous
10 Marcus Sablier
11 Harrison Carnegie (Gibson 51’)
15 Ryan Huckle (Own goal 39’)
16 Ayman El Mogharbel (Dawodu 22’)
18 Henry Sinai
19 Valckx Fernandes
Subs
4 Bola Dawodu
7 TQ Addy
12 Julian Gibson
14 Oscar Shelvey
17 Emmanuel Dasho
Bishop’s Stortford XI
1 Jack Giddens
2 Jay Porter
3 Sam Deering (J Thomas 79’)
4 Anthony Church
6 Ryan Henshaw (c)
7 Jonny Giles
8 Matt Johnson
14 Darren Foxley
16 Lordon Akolbire
18 Ollie Peters (D Thomas 46’)
20 Chris Harris (Merrifield 67’)
Subs
9 Donell Thomas
10 Frankie Merrifield
11 Tosin Olufemi
12 Jack Thomas
17 Mark Haines
Attendance 291