Bishop’s Stortford 0-2 Scarborough Athletic Match Report

Bishop’s Stortford 0-2 Scarborough Athletic Match Report

23/3/24

Vanarama National League North

Hamish Arnold

Scarborough Athletic ended their goal drought with a 0-2 win at Bishop’s Stortford in the Vanarama National League North on Saturday. Boro had gone nine games without finding the net but broke the deadlock in the first minute at the RDA Stadium, against an already relegated Blues side who are without a point in 2024.

Finlay Barnes arrived to finish off a passing move to break the deadlock, before Cameron Wilson nearly provided the ball on a plate for Alex Wiles to tap in, but the cut back was saved by Jack Giddens. Wilson cut in off the left wing and passed to Mulhern, he picked out Wiles making a run but the pass was overhit and claimed by Giddens. Mulhern turned in the box to make some space for a shot, but he fired wide from a tight angle, before Giddens’ saved Lewis Maloney’s free kick. It was from a Stortford free kick that the visitors doubled their lead, with Wiles dribbling through midfield and slotting home into the bottom right corner. Giddens kept it at 0-2 with a reflex save at full stretch to keep Wilson’s 18 yard effort from finding the top right corner, and from the resulting corner kick alex Purver headed wide. Kieran Weledji was flagged offside with his shot on the turn from inside the box tat was saved.

HT 0-2

Mulhern beat the offside trap and fired wide from a central position, before Purver’s low shot from 25 yards was dragged wide also. Mark Haines was beaten to the ball from Darren Foxley’s corner with Ryan Whitley catching the high ball, a fast counter attack nearly ended in a third Scarborough goal but Wilson scooped the ball over the bar. A right wing corner by Foxley was narrowly too high for Charles at the far post and Jack Thomas’ wild drive from range missed the target. Harry Beadle had the best blues chance to reduce the arrears, but missed the target from four yards from Aaron Greene’s crossed free kick from the left side. Maloney’s near post shot from the left side of the box was saved by Giddens, before Maloney’s next shot from a left wing cross was blocked by his teammate Barnes on the line, and Olly Dyson’s rebound went off target. Giddens saved Wilson’s shot from a tight angle for a corner, from which Will Thornton headed onto the roof of the net. Barnes couldn’t reach a left wing cross for a tap in, and Maloney’s free kick hit the wall before it was worked back in but Barnes’ improvised back heel was saved. Charles saw his long range strike deflected for a corner, substitute Dom Tear wanted a penalty as he was tackled in the box but Giddens picked up the ball at the striker’s feet, with referee David Jones calling for play to continue.

FT 0-2

TEAMS

Bishop’s Stortford XI

1 Jack GIDDENS (c)

2 Mark HAINES (Harvey 72’)

3 Lordon AKOLBIRE

5 Sam ROBBINS (Alexander 65’)

6 Harry BEADLE

7 Gio McGREGOR

10 Darren FOXLEY

12 Emmanuel OKE (Yellow card 64’)

14 Jack THOMAS (Yelllow card 75’) (Lusardi 77’)

15 Ryan CHARLES

17 Aaron GREENE

Subs

13 Adam MESSAOUDIN

16 Aidan HARVEY

18 George LUSARDI

20 Fraser ALEXANDER

Scarborough Athletic XI

31 Ryan WHITLEY

2 Kieran WELEDJI (Yellow card 31’)

4 Lewis MALONEY

5 Will THORNTON (c)

8 Alex PURVER

9 Frank MULHERN (Tear 67’)

11 Luca COLVILLE

12 Finlay BARNES (Goal 1’)

14 Alex WILES (Goal 32’)

20 Cameron WILSON (Johnson 79’)

32 Olly DYSON

Subs

1 Joe CRACKNELL

6 Bailey GOODA

17 Dom TEAR

30 Cody JOHNSON

Attendance 493