Spalding United 1-3 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report
Spalding United 1-3 Bishop’s Stortford Match Report
16/11/24
Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division
Hamish Arnold
Jack Roberts scored a hat-trick as Bishop’s Stortford recorded back-to-back away victories, winning 1-3 at Spalding United in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division on Saturday. The Blues climb to 13th and are six points off the Play-Off places.
Roberts’ first sight at goal was an effort for the top left corner from the right side of the box but the effort curled wide. Bartosz Cybulski’s low shot was saved by Elliot Krasniqi,who recovered to push Dion Sembie-Ferris’ effort round the post. Rashawn Scott’s right footed effort was deflected for a corner after a dribble from the halfway line, and Jake Thompson saw his header from the corner kick saved, the Tulips broke quickly and Luke Warner-Eley conceded a free kick. It was taken quickly, resulting in Lewis Hilliard forcing Krasniqi into a great point blank save. Krasniqi was on hand again to deny Hilliard’s shot from the right side of the box, and Connor Tomlinson was also shut out with the Spurs loanee saving his curling shot. The last warning sign the hosts had was when Roberts hit the woodwork with a deflected shot, and Scott’s effort was deflected wide for a corner. The Lincolnshire side initially defended the corner kick, but Olu Oluwatimilehin kept it alive by hooking the ball back towards goal over his head, and Roberts ghosted in and poked home into the bottom right corner. One became two in first half injury time, and Russell dribbled from halfway, going past three players, cut in off the right wing and bent the ball into the top left corner.
HT 0-2
James Collins broke through on goal from Scott’s through ball, but his low shot was saved by Tony Breeden, before Scott crossed from the left, Liam Moore won the first header but Collins met the second, but the loopy header was saved. A left wing free kick for Spalding United was somehow kept out of the net by the Stortford defence, before the follow-up was headed over the bar by Cybulski. The Blues will have been looking for a first clean sheet since the Emirates FA Cup win at Hemel Hempstead Town, but Sembie-Ferris reduced the deficit for the Tulips with a low finish into the bottom left corner from 18 yards. But the Stortford nerves were settled just five minutes later when substitute Presley Evans slid Roberts through on goal, he went past two defenders with ease, then the goalkeeper and completed his hat-trick into the empty net. Breeden saved Brad Russell’s curling effort from outside the box, before Thompson blocked a goal bound header from a right wing corner in injury time.
FT 1-3
The Blues host St Albans City in the Herts Senior Cup Second round on Tuesday 19 November, before Barwell visit the RDA Stadium on Saturday 23 November in Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division action.
TEAMS
Spalding United XI
1 Tony Breeden
2 Kieron Freeman
3 Nathan Fox
4 Liam Moore (Yellow card 45’)
5 Glenn Walker (c) (Cartwright 63’)
6 Daniel Lawlor
7 Dion Sembie-Ferris (Goal 72’)
8 Lewis Hilliard (Yellow card 73’)
9 Bartosz Cybulski
10 Khanya Leshabela (Ngandu 76’)
11 Connor Tomlinson (Nyahwema 63’)
Subs
12 Jonathan Ngandu
14 Callum Chettle
15 Samuel Cartwright
16 Lamine Sherif
17 Joseph Nyahwema
Bishop’s Stortford XI
1 Elliot Krasniqi
2 Cole Dasilva
3 Luke Warner-Eley
4 Olu Oluwatimilehin (Assist 37′) (Yellow card 59′) (Amu 64′)
5 Jake Thompson (c)
6 Mark Haines
9 James Collins (Castle 69′)
10 Brad Russell
11 Jack Roberts (Goal 37′ 45+1′ 77′) (Yellow card 60′) (Moutawafiq 85′)
12 Fabio Virciglio (Akinbulumo 77′)
20 Rashawn Scott (Evans 69′)
Subs
7 Charlie Castle
8 Sami Moutawafiq
16 Eyituoyo Akinbulumo
18 Erin Amu
19 Presley Evans (Assist 77′)
Attendance 486