Emirates FA Cup: Braintree Town beat Bishop’s Stortford 1-0 in fourth qualifying round
Braintree Town brought Bishop’s Stortford’s fine Emirates FA Cup run to an end and killed off their chances of playing a Skybet League One or Two club in the first round proper.
Inih Effiong’s goal after just six minutes gave the Iron a 1-0 win in the fourth qualifying round tie at the Rare Breed Meat Co Stadium in front of a crowd of 1,258.
The No 9 shot low into the bottom left corner after a low shot from the right side of the box had been parried by Blues keeper Charlie Binns.
Steve Castle’s Pitching In, Southern League Premier Central team gave a good account of themselves against a club who play two levels above them in the Vanarama National League.
Stortford’s first effort on target came just three minutes after they had fallen behind. Luke Warner-Eley drove forward and passed to Charlie Castle, who laid off the ball to Kian Harness, but his shot was saved.
After 19 minutes Binns made a great double save to prevent the hosts from extending their lead as first he denied Effiong and then Callum Powell from a tight angle with his feet.
Effiong continued to pose a threat and headed over the Blues bar when a free kick from the left was deflected by the visitors’ wall.
Seven minutes into the second half, Rashawn Scott got to the by-line and cut it back, Iron keeper Lucas Covolan – man of the match in Maidstone United’s 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round win at then Championship side Ipswich Town last season – got a touch and Castle couldn’t finish.
Two minutes later, Warner-Eley intercepted Covolan's throw, dribbled forward and took a shot from 30 yards but it was wide.
Blues went close after 89 minutes when substitute Fabio Virciglio slid in top scorer Brad Russell but his shot from 20 yards was over the bar.
In the second of the four added minutes, Cole Dasilva's free kick beat the wall but Covolan saved.
As it is, Stortford’s consolation is £14,375 from the FA’s prize fund following their three previous qualifying round victories against Cornard United (5-0), Hemel Hempstead (1-0 away) and Hereford (3-2 at home).
Braintree Town: Covolan (booked 80), Blackwell, Langston (booked 80), Fyfield, Terry, Vennings, Robinson, Wilkinson (booked 90+1), Powell (Akinde 75), Effiong, Lisbie. Unused: Cooper, Brothers
Blues: Binns, Dasilva, Warner-Eley (Moutawafiq 68), Oluwatimilehin (Taylor 69), Thompson (c), Haines (booked 38), Castle (Virciglio 75), Harness, Russell, Amu, Scott (Cohen 59). Unused: Pullen, Forde, Ogwuazor.