Manager Tristan Lewis stuck with the same starting XI who had fought out a goalless draw with neighbours Wealdstone the previous week but it was to be a poor display from his United side that saw two late goals give Bishop’s Stortford maximum points to take back to Hertfordshire.
United started well enough and in just the second minute Alex Osborn beat visiting ‘keeper Tom Lovelock in the air when he met an Elliot Benyon centre, but the ball went inches wide of the post. Minutes later Jake Nicholson went just as close with a free-kick from the corner of the area but this was as close as United came for some time as the visitors started to get a grip on possession in the midfield areas.
With no fewer than six former United men in their squad on the day, it was no surprise that two of them combined in the twelfth minute, De’Reece Vanderhyde picking out Elliott Buchanan in the middle but the strikers header cleared Dan Lincoln’s crossbar with ease.
Lincoln came to United’s rescue soon after when a ball was allowed to bounce around in the United box, Anthony Church gained possession and rolled the ball to Buchanan whose angled drive was beaten out by Lincoln before being played to safety by the United defence. The visitors were still very much in the ascendancy, former West Ham graduate Matty Fanimo burst into the box but drove over the bar before Mason Walsh’s corner was headed past Lincoln by George Allen only to be headed off the line by Brendan Kiernan who was guarding his post well.
As the final five minutes of the half arrived, both sides had a good chance to break the deadlock. Matt Johnson fed the ball onto Buchanan’s favoured left foot just inside the United box, Lincoln doing well to palm away his driven effort. Then at the other end, excellent control by Ismael Ehui saw him set up Kiernan who ran into the Stortford area but curled his shot just wide of the top corner and we went in all square at the break.
Luke Williams returned from injury at the break, replacing Kiernan on the right side but this change really had little effect on play with a fifteen minute lull in goalmouth action following.
On the hour though a good flowing move from the visitors saw Walsh, Church and Buchanan combine to create an opening for Johnson but his shot flew over the top of Lincoln’s goal.
With three quarters of the game played, United’s only real chance of the whole second half fell to Nicholson who tried to hit the top corner with a 30 yard free-kick but Lovelock had it covered and caught the ball at full stretch.
Johnson fired wide for the visitors and substitute Sheldon Sellears forced another fine save from Lincoln as he collected the ball at the far post and drove it goalwards. Two minutes later disaster struck fror United and young ‘keeper Lincoln as the visitors took the lead, Buchanan’s driven free-kick was well defended by the wall, the ball finding its way to another former United man in the shape of Christian Smith whose somewhat poorly struck shot from twenty yards somehow evaded Lincoln’s dive and settled in the corner of the net.
With United pushing for an equaliser without much success, it was no surprise that the visitors broke away and netted a second with a few minutes remaining. Jim Fenlon got in a tight squeeze near the corner flag and the impressive Walsh took the ball off him and crossed deep to the far post for Sellears who headed past Lincoln to seal victory for his side.
Report by Kevin Watts.
United Man of the Match: Lewis Ferrell.
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