SATURDAY 1 MARCH 2008

BLUE SQUARE SOUTH

The match lacked the thrills expected of a clash between two of the top teams in Conference South in each of the last two seasons, but despite the slender margin of the score, this was a very comfortable victory for County.

The goal came in peculiar fashion but County played consistently well throughout and kept the visitors penned in their own territory for long periods in each half, with 18 year-old Scott James, making his home debut, enjoying a very relaxed afternoon completely untroubled by visiting forwards.  That said, it also needs to be pointed out that the teenage keeper exuded confidence and authority throughout with his handling, communicated well with his defenders and kicked prodigiously.

It was pleasing to see a fairly large following had made the long journey from Hertfordshire and it appears that the good relations fostered between the fans of both clubs will have been enhanced by a game played and watched in very good spirits.  Blues boss Martin Hayes may feel his players were perhaps too nice, because while home fans could never relax with a single goal advantage, Stortford just did not function as an attacking force and 30 goal Greg Pearson, who looked very sharp when we visited Woodside Park last spring, was kept quiet throughout by commanding displays from Lee Jarman and Paul Cochlin who is revelling in his return to the club.

Peter Beadle kept faith with the team which had produced a solid performance to pick up three points at Welling three days earlier, and apart from one threatening cross which was glanced past the goal of James on 10 minutes, all of the first half action was at the other end.  Tom Champion blocked a decent headed attempt by Andy Gurney from a sixth minute Jason Bowen corner and there was a shout for a penalty for a challenge on Bowen on 17 minutes.  Gurney and Nathan Davies had midfield matters all their own way and brought Bowen and Richard Evans into play regularly, though doubled up marking reduced the danger from the flanks.

Gurney hit a trademark free-kick just past the post with Andy Young helplessly watching in the 21st minute before Bowen and Craig Hughes combined in another move which was very easy on the eye.  Young was almost embarrassed by an angled Bowen cross shot which was agonisingly close and the breakthrough appeared imminent.  It arrived in the 28th minute in curious fashion, and the Stortford keeper will not want to watch an action replay.

BOWEN has exquisite skills as all regular watchers of Conference South football are aware, but his 54th goal since joining County was his most outrageous.  It should be impossible to score from a right wing corner with your right foot but a combination of the notorious Spytty Sirocco and some unfortunate goalkeeping saw the ball end in the back of the net along with the blushes of Young.  It certainly wasn’t one from the training ground.

Having gained the advantage, County were rock solid and it was not clear whether the absence of threat from the visitors was down to lack of ambition, tight home defending or a collective off-day by a very good footballing side.  The second half continued with a similar pattern with Stortford’s Ahmed Deen striking a long range free-kick straight at James, the only attempt at goal the teenager faced all afternoon, while another from similar range from the same player cleared the crossbar with the keeper having the situation well under control. 

County could and should have added to their advantage.  Griffin converts a high percentage of the chances he creates for himself and he possibly had too much time and space when Bowen crossed from the right but he miscued with his header, while Evans produced a great run only to see his shot blocked by the feet of Young.  Jenkins was relishing the opportunity to play as an extra winger and almost set up a goal for Hughes, and with Davies winning every challenge, Gurney was ensuring that Stortford were kept deep in their own half and played a succession of diagonal balls into the corner.

Jermaine Clarke came on for Griffin and looked certain to score in the 78th minute but the ball seemed to become tangled under his feet while another delightful move on 80 minutes ended with Hughes executing a clever chip shot that dipped over Young onto the bar.  County spent the last 10 minutes killing the game effectively and the points were safe.

Beadle said: “That’s as well as we have played for a long time, and we made a very good side look ordinary.”

Man of the Match:

County: Andy Gurney (Complemented Davies in his best game yet for County).

Stortford: Ahmed Deen (His two long range free-kicks were well struck).

Special mention:                  Special mention: Paul Cochlin (Faultless display at the back).

© Colin Jeremiah