Chester 2-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report

Chester 2-0 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report

20/1/24

Vanarama National League North

Hamish Arnold

After the high of a thumping FA Trophy win last weekend, Bishop’s Stortford couldn’t carry the momentum into the return to Vanarama National League North action, with a 2-0 defeat at Chester. Naming an unchanged XI from the 6-1 win at home to Aldershot Town, Steve Smith saw his side concede two second half goals and remain 24th in the league.

Jid Okeke headed wide from Reece Daly’s left wing cross, before Kane Crichlow skied a shot from Darren Foxley’s cut back, with Ryan Charles winning the ball back from a clumsy pass out by Wyll Stanway. Riccardo Di Trolio cleared a low cross for a corner, from which Jack Giddens saved a low shot, and it was scrambled away. Harrison Burke saw his shot from the edge of the box deflected to Giddens, and Foxley fired over the bar from a long range free kick. Joel Taylor’s cross was controlled by Kole Hall in the box but a heavy touch allowed Giddens to claim the loose ball. Sam Robbins headed a dangerous cross away for a corner, which was fired in low, the first time shot was blocked and the clearance went as far as Daly but he missed the target. Hall’s low shot went straight to Giddens, and Di Trolio cleared an attempted chip by Taylor over Giddens. Okeke scuffed his shot from Taylor’s cross and Hall had an open goal from Taylor’s cut back but couldn’t connect with the ball.

HT 0-0

Chester captain George Glendon scuffed a shot from the middle of the box, before opening the scoring on 54 minutes from a right wing cutback to the penalty spot. Glendon then turned provider with a through ball to Declan Weeks, but his shot from a tight angle was blocked. After patient build-up from the hosts, Elliott Whitehouse fired over the bar from the edge of the box. Substitute Charlie Caton saw his shot blocked by Harry Beadle, before Crichlow and Jack Thomas pressured Stanway into a mistake, with Thomas hitting the post with his shot. Glendon thought he had scored his second, only to be denied by Giddens, before being flagged offside. Christian Norton will have thought he sealed the win with a header from close range, but it was tipped over the bar by Giddens, Before the substitute did find the back of the net. In injury time, with everyone forward for a Stortford free kick, Chester won the first header and scored into the empty net.

FT 2-0

TEAMS

Chester XI

1 Wyll Stanway

3 Joel Taylor

4 Declan Weeks

5 Harrison Burke (Yellow card 33’)

6 Matty Williams

8 George Glendon (c) (Goal 54’)

10 Elliott Whitehouse

19 Reece Daly (Norton 75’)

21 Kole Hall (Caton 61’)

25 Kevin Roberts

30 Jid Okeke

Subs

2 Nathan Woodthorpe

9 Charlie Caton

17 Christian Norton (Goal 90+6’)

22 Ollie Heywood

29 Zack Clarke

Bishop’s Stortford XI

1 Jack Giddens (c)

2 Mark Haines

3 Riccardo Di Trolio

4 Jack Thomas

5 Sam Robbins (Olufemi 46’)

6 Harry Beadle (Yellow card 90+2’)

8 Kane Crichlow (Yellow card)

10 Darren Foxley

14 Osman Sow (Burnett 38’)

15 Ryan Charles (Yellow card 16’)

17 Aaron Greene (Oke 66’)

Subs

7 Ethan Burnett

9 Andre Godfrinne

11 Tosin Olufemi

12 Emmanuel Oke

20 Fraser Alexander

Attendance 1988