Bishop’s Stortford 2-0 Hitchin Town Match Report

Bishop’s Stortford 2-0 Hitchin Town Match Report 31/08/26

Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division

Hamish Arnold

 

Frank Norris and Tyrone Baker scored and assisted one goal each as Bishop’s Stortford won the Bank Holiday Monday Hertfordshire Derby against Hitchin Town at the Grundon Community Stadium. The Blues avenged the penalty shootout defeat in the Hertfordshire Senior Cup Final in April, and lifted themselves out of the relegation zone in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division table.

 

Baker led the high press early on with a tackle on the edge of the Canaries’ 18 yard box, the ball fell to Brad Russell but his shot was blocked, and Charlie Johnson headed over the crossbar from the resulting corner. Temi Akinbusoye crossed low from the right after a powerful run, but Jake Thompson cleared in the middle. Callum Kane crossed from the left but Simeon Olarerin couldn’t meet the ball in the middle, the visitors won the ball back from the Stortford throw-in and Diogo Freitas-Gouveia shot high over the target. The Blues broke from a Hitchin Town free kick and Obi Onyeagwara was fouled near the corner of the box, Jack Smith’s free kick was dangerously crossed into the six yard box but no-one could meet it. Leon Davies crossed from a similar position but Norris and Baker failed to make contact, before Baker won the ball high up and held off the challenge from Kane, Tyler McGregor rushed out but the winger calmly cut the ball back from the by-line to Norris who fired into the empty net from close range. Harry Titchmarsh’s first time shot from Onyeagwara’s lay-off went over the bar and in first-half injury time Thompson headed a right wing cross away, but only as far as Freitas-Gouveia who took a touch and his shot was blocked by the Blues captain.

HT 1-0

Akinbusoye found himself free in the Stortford half, he ran through on goal but was forced wide by Johnson and Woodford saved the shot from a tight angle, Daniel Stokoe turned and shot from the throw in but his effort was caught by Woodford. Substitute Sean Duodo dribbled into the box from the right but Thompson was perfectly placed to deny his shot, before Joe Nardelli’s ball down the wing was flicked by Norris into Baker’s path, he raced through on goal and slotted home into the bottom left corner form the right side of the box under McGregor’s body. Aaron Greene could have sealed the win off the bench as he beat the offside trap to run through on goal, but he lost his balance and fired wide late on.

FT 2-0

TEAMS

Bishop’s Stortford XI

1 Max WOODFORD

2 Joe NARDELLI (Yellow card 89’)

3 Leon DAVIES

5 Jake THOMPSON (c)

7 Tyrone BAKER (Assist 31’) (Goal 72’)

8 Harry TITCHMARSH (Greene 46’)

9 Frank NORRIS (Goal 31’) (Yellow card 53’) (Assist 72’)

10 Brad RUSSELL

11 Obi ONYEAGWARA (Colletti 80’)

14 Jack SMITH (Yellow card 48’)

22 Charlie JOHNSON

Subs

6 Mark HAINES

15 Deivi KREKA

16 Dylan COLLETTI

17 Aaron GREENE

19 Jackson CHUKWU-NSOFOR

Hitchin Town XI

1 Tyler McGREGOR

2 Simeon OLARERIN (Yellow card 22’)

3 Callum KANE

4 Blue JOY

5 Toby SYME (Nicolson 29’)

6 Ciaren JONES (c)

7 Diogo FREITAS-GOUVEIA (Duodo 64’)

8 Kavan COTTER (Yellow card 15’) (Tearle 75’)

9 Temi AKINBUSOYE (Morrall 75’)

10 Daniel STOKOE (Butler 83’)

11 Luke STOKOE (Yellow card 9’)

Subs

12 Cole BUTLER

14 Callum NICOLSON

15 Kye TEARLE

16 George MORRALL

17 Sean DUODO

Attendance 491