Matthew Tootle and Jordan Nicholson score as Peterborough Sports win 2-0 at Bishop’s Stortford in National League North
Bishop’s Stortford will be out for quick revenge when they visit Peterborough Sports at the weekend after losing to them 2-0 at home on Boxing Day.
The Blues, who had picked up their first Vanarama National League North away win of the season by triumphing by the same scoreline at Darlington three days earlier, were condemned to defeat at the RDA Stadium by second-half goals from Matthew Tootle and Jordan Nicholson.
Steve Smith’s men now travel to Lincoln Road on Saturday (December 30) for the reverse fixture in search of three points that could help them climb off the foot of the table.
The Turbines had the first chance of the afternoon when Hayden Cann volleyed wide when in space at the back post from a deep free kick.
The Blues’ Mbunya Alemanji and Osman Sow combined to tee up Riccardo Di Trolio - who joined the club just before the Darlington trip along with Asher Falase and Amadou Kassarate - for a cross, but it was blocked for a corner from which Ryan Charles fired wide on his weaker foot.
Ben Fowkes fired well over the bar from Michael Gash’s pass for the visitors before, at the other end, Pete Crook initially fumbled the ball from a corner but grabbed it at the second attempt before Harry Beadle could apply the finishing touch.
Di Trolio’s challenge on the halfway line won the ball back and it landed at Sow’s feet, but his through ball to Alemanji was overhit and Crook claimed the ball.
The best chance of the half for Stortford fell to Sow when, from Darren Foxley’s low cross, he forced Crook into a save and Alemanji could not convert the rebound.
After the interval, Beadle and Kassarate both saw shots blocked to win a corner from Foxley’s free kick, but the Turbines cleared the danger.
Stortford goalkeeper and captain Jack Giddens then made a superb low save to deny the unopposed Fowkes when he met Dion Sembie-Ferris’ cross from the right.
The Blues made a double change - Sow and Jack Thomas being replaced by Kane Crichlow and Fraser Alexander - before a 59th-minute free kick was headed across goal by Mark Jones and Tootle found the bottom corner with a half-volley on the outside of his right foot. Giddens got down well to deny Jones from Sembie-Ferris’ flick on, before Foxley volleyed wide from Crichlow’s free kick that had been cleared to the edge of the box.
And the Turbines sealed the win four minutes from time when Di Trolio’s attempted through ball to Charles was intercepted by Tootle, he passed to Sembie-Ferris in space on the right and he chipped the ball across for substitute Nicholson to head home.
Blues: Giddens, Thomas (Alexander 58), Di Trolio, Kassarate, Beadle, Alemanji (Walker 68), Foxley (booked 76), Olufemi, Oke, Sow (Crichlow 58), Charles. Not used: Greene, Falase.
Peterborough Sports: Crook, Tootle (booked 69, Nicholson 77), Cann, Lawlor, Fowkes (Meyer 77), McCammon, Jones, Albon-Jones, Fox (booked 85), Sembie-Ferris (Felix 88), Gash. Not used: Pereira, Nee.
Attendance: 642.