Callum Ebanks penalty condemns Bishop’s Stortford to 1-0 defeat at Stratford Town in Southern League Premier Central
A first-half penalty condemned Bishop’s Stortford to a 1-0 defeat at Stratford Town on Saturday (November 30) and ended their four-game unbeaten run.
Callum Ebanks got the Pitching In Southern League, Premier Central’s contest only goal from the spot after 12 minutes.
The Blues sit 12th in the table, five points away from both the play-off places and the relegation zone, while the Bards have moved up to fourth.
Steve Castle’s side are back in action this Saturday (December 7) when they entertain second-from-bottom Bromsgrove Sporting.
Stortford had a couple of early opportunities as Rashawn Scott had a shot blocked after dribbling in from the left wing and Jack Roberts fired over.
But it was the hosts who took the lead when Eyituoyo Akinbulumo was penalised for a foul inside the box and, although goalkeeper Elliot Krasniqi dived the right way, Ebanks converted the penalty.
The scorer could have doubled his tally as he was off target after a neat turn and also volleyed over the bar.
Before the break, James Collins’ shot was blocked for the Blues while Luke Warner-Eley did well to block a goalbound Bards’ effort.
Brad Russell thought the visitors should have been awarded a spot kick for handball after the interval when his attempted pass to Collins was blocked by Paul McCone, but the referee indicated it had struck the player’s torso rather than his arm.
Stortford substitute Charlie Castle volleyed over the bar after captain Jake Thompson had cushioned Erin Amu’s cross into his path.
Skipper and defender Thompson was employed as a makeshift striker late on as the Blues looked for an equaliser and he raced through on goal, but was flagged offside before he could chip the onrushing Jacob Weaver.
And Stortford had another penalty appeal for handball turned down at the death.
Stratford Town: Weaver, Vann, Brennan, Hawker, McCone, Solanke, Ludford-Ison, Ebanks (booked 68, Wilson 84), Lafferty (booked 82), Bapaga (booked, Storer 71), Hussey. Not used: Clutterbuck, James, Williams.
Blues: Krasniqi, Dasilva, Warner-Eley, Oluwatimilehin (booked 42, Castle 65), Thompson, Haines, Collins (Evans 65), Russell (booked 67), Roberts (Ogwuazor 84), Akinbulumo (Amu 80), Scott. Not used: Moutawafiq.
Attendance: 567.