Jake Thompson and Ryan Charles score for Bishop’s Stortford in 2-1 Boxing Day win at AFC Sudbury
Bishop’s Stortford triumphed 2-1 at AFC Sudbury to end their three-game losing streak and inflict a first home league defeat of the season on their opponents on Boxing Day.
Captain Jake Thompson opened his goal account for the Blues and Ryan Charles was also on target in the victory at the MEL Group Stadium.
Steve Castle’s side have moved up to 14th in the Pitching In Southern League, Premier Central, three points above the relegation zone and seven points away from the play-offs.
They entertain ninth-placed Redditch United on Saturday December 28 before also hosting fifth-placed Bedford Town on New Year’s Day (both 3pm).
Sudbury goalkeeper James Bradbrook was forced into a couple of smart saves to keep out Presley Evans’ low shot and prevent Cole Dasilva’s corner creeping in at the far post.
The home shot-stopper was also called upon to keep out Charles’ header from Luke Warner-Eley’s lofted pass.
Former Blues skipper Ryan Henshaw headed wide for the hosts before he blocked Nahum Melvin-Lambert’s header at the other end.
Stortford broke the deadlock with half an hour played when Thompson found himself free at the near post to nod in Dasilva’s corner from close range.
Melvin-Lambert was thwarted by Bradbrook before Charles doubled the visitors’ lead in first-half added time by finding the roof of the net with a powerful effort after Dasilva’s corner had not been fully cleared.
After the restart, Ollie Peters - another ex-Blue - saw his follow-up effort saved by Elliot Krasniqi after Dasilva had cleared an effort off the line.
Stortford continued to create chances and Evans miscued wide after Charlie Castle had squared the ball to him and Erin Amu’s looping volley was kept out by the scrambling Bradbrook.
Jack Roberts also forced a save from the Sudbury No 1 and Evans had a shot blocked by a defender.
Peters was denied by Krasniqi after racing through on goal, but the hosts did halve the deficit with 14 minutes remaining when Myles Cowling found the bottom corner with a flicked header from a free kick.
The Blues held on to claim maximum points and could have added a third goal when substitute Eyituoyo Akinbulumo got in, but he stumbled as he tried to go round Bradbrook.
AFC Sudbury: Bradbrook, Isaacson (Terminiello 75), Henshaw (booked 44), Dickens, Miles, Peters, Neal, Cowling, Page (Lewis 46), Pearce (Turner 46), Bradley. Not used: Munson.
Blues: Krasniqi (booked 84), Dasilva, Warner-Eley, Thompson, Melvin-Lambert (Akinbulumo 90+3), Russell (Oluwatimilehin 64), Virciglio (Castle 64), Charles (Roberts 64), Ogwuazor, Evans, Amu (Bennett 75).
Attendance: 508.
