Hereford 1-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report
Hereford 1-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report 23/9/23
Vanarama National League North
Hamish Arnold
A ninth minute goal for Hereford was the difference as Bishop’s Stortford suffered a fifth consecutive away defeat in all competitions this season. The Blues were looking to bounce back from defeat in the Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round Replay away at Biggleswade Town, but failed to add to the one point from 15 available in matches on the road in the Vanarama National League North this season. New signing Gio McGregor started in midfield, with Aaron Greene and Fraser Alexander making their first starts of the season.
McGregor intercepted the ball from a Hereford free kick and passed to the left wing for Aaron Greene to take on the full back, but his cross was too heavy for Tom Derry in the middle. BIlly Cracknell blocked Jack Tolley’s cross for a corner, which was defended by Derry on the edge of the box. Ryan Charles cut in off the right wing from Jack Thomas’ pass, but pulled his shot wide. A momentary switch off in defence allowed Yusifu Ceesay to pick up the ball from a long throw-in on the left wing, he cut inside and rifled a low shot into the bottom left corner from the edge of the box. Derry was stretchered off after a lengthy stoppage inside 20 minutes, with a leg injury sustained while landing from a header. Thomas crossed from the right, a defender attempted a clearing header but only glanced it to the back post where Aaron Greene was waiting, but he didn’t make contact with the shot. Rob Howard was next to receive treatment, suffering a broken nose in a clash of heads with Jordan Lyden. He went off the pitch to replace his shirt and carried on until half-time. Substitute Tobias Braney saw his low shot from a tight angle saved from Charles’ pass into the box, as McGregor’s free kick was blocked but the Blues won it back high up the pitch. Kyle Howkins headed wide from a corner, before Ryan Henshaw brilliantly headed clear a right wing cross with Ceesay ready to head in. McGregor forced Curtis Pond into a brilliant diving save with a powerful dipping and swerving strike from the left wing, and from the corner, the Bulls failed to clear and Henshaw volleyed over the bar. Adam Rooney volleyed wide from a misplaced clearance from Henshaw on the stroke of half-time.
HT 1-0
Aurio Teixeira’s powerful strike was saved by Jack Giddens, before Pond saved Darren Foxley’s free kick at the other end. A poor touch let down Ceesay in the box from Lyden’s pass, but Mark Haines was able to clear. Foxley – deputising at left back after Howard’s withdrawal – brilliantly denied Alex Babos in a two on one counter attack from a Blues corner before Giddens dived on the loose ball. Charles’ low cross from the right went into a dangerous area, but Greene couldn’t get there in time for the tap in. McGregor played a brilliant through ball to Charles in the right channel, but Pond saved from a tight angle, and Ceesay headed over the bar from Skinner’s cross. McGregor saw his long range strike deflected for a corner, and the kick from Ollie Peters caused all sorts of problems with McGregor and Braney seeing shots inside the six-yard area blocked on the goal-line, Henshaw arrived to try and finish it off but Pond managed to dive on the ball.
FT 1-0
TEAMS
Hereford XI
1 Curtis Pond
2 Aaron Skinner
4 Aurio Teixeira
5 Jordan Lyden (Yellow card 90+2’)
6 Paul Downing (c)
7 Yusifu Ceesay (Goal 9’) (Yellow card 64’)
8 Alex Babos (Arthur 84’)
11 Jordan Cranston
16 Jack Tolley (Mendes 59’)
22 Adam Rooney (Stanley 66’)
28 Kyle Howkins
Subs
3 Adam Livingstone
18 Connor Stanley
20 Lassana Mendes
21 Oliver Southern
24 Koby Arthur
Bishop’s Stortford XI
1 Jack Giddens
2 Mark Haines
4 Jack Thomas (Foxley 46’)
6 Ryan Henshaw (c)
7 Gio McGregor
12 Tom Derry (Braney 17’)
14 Rob Howard (Peters 46’)
15 Ryan Charles
17 Aaron Greene
19 Billy Cracknell
20 Fraser Alexander
Subs
5 Morgan Mahoney
8 Tobias Braney
10 Darren Foxley
16 Zain Walker
18 Ollie Peters
Attendance 2222