Bishop’s Stortford 0-5 Real Bedford Match Report
Bishop’s Stortford 0-5 Real Bedford Match Report 17/2/26
Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division
Hamish Arnold
Adam Hayton saved a penalty and was sent off as Bishop’s Stortford lost 0-5 against Real Bedford on Tuesday. The Pirates avenged their Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay defeat at Woodside Park in September, with Ben Stevens scoring a hat-trick in a seventh consecutive win for the visitors further consolidating their position in third place in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division table. Stortford are nine points clear of the relegation zone in 14th, and host 15th placed St Ives Town on Saturday.
Charlie Johnson fouled Archie Jones in the box inside two minutes but Hayton denied Conor Tee with a low save down to his right. Captain Drew Richardson was dispossessed as he tried to control a long ball from Hayton, with Brad Russell trying a speculative chip with Craig King off his line, but the ball went over the bar. Russell had soon won the ball back with a high press, he played a square pass to Cole Dasilva but his shot was blocked, and his second effort was deflected to King. A pass among the defence was intercepted once again with the ball looping up to Frank Norris, he struck the volley sweetly but straight at King. Stevens saw his low shot from the edge of the box deflected by Jake Thompson and Hayton parried the ball, Tee was flagged offside from the rebound. Lewis Hilliard saw his long range strike saved, before Jones played a cut back from the by-line for Stevens who converted from close range. Johnson picked out Norris with a through ball in the left channel, but his shot from a tight angle was saved, and at the other end Joshua Setchell’s low cross was missed by Jones as he slipped, before Jack Morrell fired over the bar. With the game opening up, the Blues went from back to front quickly with Johnson firing in a low cross from the right into an empty six yard box, and no teammate could reach it for a tap in. Dempsey Crace received the ball in space from a deep cross, he laid the ball off to Jack Smith, his first time shot was blocked by Samuel Cartwright, diving to get his head in the way. After a mix up in defence, Hayton was forced to rush out and clear the ball, but was red carded for the aggressive nature of his slide to meet the ball before the Real Bedford player.
HT 0-1
Johnson deputised for Hayton in goal, and conceded just two minutes into the second half after not getting enough distance on his clearance, Stevens chipped in for his second from 35 yards. Johnson made a full stretch diving save to keep Stevens next shot out of the corner, with the player looking for his hat-trick. Richardson bundled home number three from close range from the resulting corner, despite Johnson appearing to have two hands on the ball. Archie Jones fired over the bar from long range before Stevens completed his hat-trick with a low free kick into the bottom right corner. Thomas Hitchcock scored with his first touch off the bench as a substitute, sliding home from close range from a left wing cut back. Rio Deall shot on the turn from a left wing cross but dragged his effort wide.
FT 0-5
TEAMS
Bishop’s Stortford XI
Starting Eleven
1 Adam Hayton (Red card 44’)
2 Dempsey Crace (Yellow card 66’)
3 Leon Davies (Yellow card 22’) (Forde 77’)
4 Cole Dasilva
5 Jake Thompson (C)
6 Mark Haines
9 Frank Norris (Castle 70’)
10 Bradley Russell
12 Fabio Virciglio (Kreka 77’)
14 Jack Smith (Onyeagwara 61’)
22 Charlie Johnson
Subs
7 Charlie Castle
11 Obi Onyeagwara
15 Deivi Kreka
17 Victor Aiye
20 Harry Forde
Real Bedford XI
1 Craig King
2 Drew Richardson (c) (Yellow card 45+1’) (Goal 54’) (Weyman 58’)
3 Jack Morrell (Galliford 74’)
4 Jack Davies
5 Samuel Cartwright (Simmons 74’)
7 Joshua Setchell (Deakk 62’)
8 Archie Jones (Hitchcock 70’)
10 Ben Stevens (Goal 31’ 47’ 65’)
11 Conor Tee
17 Shaheim Ward
23 Lewis Hilliard
Subs
12 Tom Hitchcock (Goal 71’)
14 Ben Weyman
15 Elliot Simmons
16 Isaac Galliford
18 Rio Deall
Attendance 238