Bishop’s Stortford beaten 2-0 at home by Bromsgrove Sporting in Southern League Premier Central
Early and late goals condemned Bishop’s Stortford to a 2-0 home defeat to Bromsgrove Sporting in the Pitching In Southern League, Premier Central on Tuesday night (January 14).
Ashley Carter and James Meddows struck in the 10th and 83rd minute respectively as the visitors extended their unbeaten run to seven matches and leapfrogged the hosts into 15th.
The Blues are 17th - sixth from bottom - and are one point above the relegation zone and 10 adrift of the play-offs.
Steve Castle’s side travel to 14th-placed Banbury United this Saturday (January 18) before hosting 18th-placed Lowestoft Town on January 25.
The away team took an early lead when Stortford goalkeeper Elliot Krasniqi, who has extended his loan spell from Tottenham Hotspur until March 1, parried a corner and Carter headed home.
Brad Russell forced Sporting shot-stopper Charles Price into a fine diving save with a first-time effort before Ryan Charles, on his 200th Blues appearance, curled an effort wide.
Stortford captain Jake Thompson missed the target with a header before, at the other end, his fellow defender Jaden Ogwuazor did well to block Luke Rowe’s effort from outside the box and Krasniqi saved with his feet to thwart Theo Robinson.
Thompson thought he had levelled matters when he found the net from Cole Dasilva’s inswinging corner, but the referee blew for a foul on Price as the goalkeeper came to catch the ball.
Before the break, Jack Newell and Carter Lycett both saw long-range strikes miss the target for the visitors.
There was a delay before the start of the second period as Ogwuazor felt faint and was suffering from chest pains. An ambulance was called as a precaution, with the Blues defender being released from the care of paramedics following a thorough assessment. He was replaced at the back by Mark Haines.
New signing Louis Walsh, who also entered the fray as a half-time substitute, picked out Russell with a defence-splitting pass, only for the latter’s shot with the outside of his right foot to be tipped onto the base of the post by Price.
Charles saw a looping header go wide before Dasilva sent a 25-yard drive narrowly over the bar following a one-two with Russell.
The Worcestershire side soaked up the Blues’ pressure and doubled their lead seven minutes from time when Meddows curled home a left-footed shot from 20 yards.
Blues: Krasniqi, Dasilva, Warner-Eley, Thompson, Bennett (Akinbulumo 79), Melvin-Lambert (Balogun 62), Russell, Virciglio (Rotimi 73), Charles, Ogwuazor (Haines 46), Evans (Walsh 46).
Bromsgrove Sporting: Price, White, Roberts, Carter, Shaw (Newall 83), Rowe, Robinson (Thurston 90+2), Meddows, Newell (booked 90), Lycett, Lyden (Crook 62). Not used: Knights.
Attendance: 233.