Amadou Kassarate opens Bishop’s Stortford account in 3-1 home defeat to Blyth Spartans in National League North
Amadou Kassarate’s first goal for Bishop’s Stortford could not prevent them suffering a 3-1 home defeat against Blyth Spartans on Saturday (January 6).
He gave the Blues a 10th-minute lead at the RDA Stadium, but the 12th-placed visitors levelled before the break and struck twice in the second half to take the points back to Northumberland.
The result leaves Steve Smith’s men bottom of Vanarama National League North and 13 points from safety.
They are back in league action tomorrow night at home to 11th-placed South Shields (Tuesday January 9) before entertaining National League side Aldershot Town in the fourth round of the Isuzu FA Trophy on Saturday (January 13).
Stortford had an excellent early chance when the away side were dispossessed in midfield and Kane Crichlow broke into the box, but he shot straight at goalkeeper Dan Langley with team-mate Osman Sow waiting in space for a tap-in.
The Blues then suffered an injury blow when Tosin Olufemi was forced off and was replaced by Gio McGregor.
But they continued to apply the pressure and went ahead when Kassarate found the bottom corner with a low strike from the edge of the box having been found by Crichlow following a short corner.
Spartans were level within 15 minutes as Sam Robbins got caught under a long ball and Harry Gardiner ran beyond the defender to chip the onrushing Jack Giddens from the edge of the area.
Crichlow had the opportunity to restore the Blues’ advantage on the stroke of half time following nice build-up play involving Sow and Ryan Charles, but he was denied by Langley’s superb double save.
After the break, Blues captain and shot-stopper Giddens kept out a long-range strike from Nicky Deverdics and Darren Foxley hooked his corner kick away from danger.
Spartans went ahead in the 66th minute when Robbins cleared a cross from the left but the defence missed the run of Gardiner, who beat the offside trap to meet the second cross and tap home from close range.
Substitute Harry Beadle made a great intervention to deny Gardiner his hat-trick. Beating the offside trap once more, he took the ball round Giddens but went too wide, allowing time for the defender to get back and make a goal-line block.
Sow had a chance to equalise when he headed over from Foxley’s cross, but the away side punished Riccardo Di Trolio’s unfortunate slip as he tried to clear by adding a third through substitute JJ Hooper 14 minutes from time.
And the away side had chances to extend their lead further as Giddens raced out to dive on the ball at Gardiner’s feet, Foxley cleared Hooper’s shot off the line and Giddens pushed away Will McGowan’s shot.
Blues: Giddens, Di Trolio, Kassarate, Robbins, Crichlow, Alemanji (Beadle 63), Foxley, Olufemi (McGregor 5), Oke, Sow, Charles (Greene 82). Not used: Thomas, Falase.
Blyth Spartans: Langley, Evans, Liddle, Clark, Cousin-Dawson, Bodenham, Gordon (Hooper 61), Forbes, Deverdics (booked 84), McGowan, Gardiner (booked 58). Not used: Joisce, Shaw, Hogan.
Attendance: 505.