Entertainment 3/5

Star Man Adam Crowther Cheshunt 

Attendance 656

The Ambers became the first team to score against Bishop’s Stortford in over a thousand minutes of play, when Kayne Diedrick Roberts scored early in the Herts derby match. The early goal was also the only goal and secured Cheshunt 5th place and a play off spot as Lewes lost away to Bognor in a Sussex derby & Margate beat Folkestone 1-0 in the Kent derby, leaving the Ambers four points clear of their rivals for the fifth spot with a game to spare. 

Injuries and unavailability saw both managers field a different starting eleven to the previous two meetings this season. John Giles had an early effort blocked for the Blues, but the Bank Holiday crowd had an early cheer when Adam Crowther cleared long and a high Stortford line failed to clear, allowing the ball to bounce beyond their defence, Kayne Diedrick Roberts playing off the last man was quick to pounce and did well to hold off his defender while controlling the ball and creating an angle for a shot across keeper Jake Giddens.  The Blues keeper got a hand to the ball but could not prevent it spinning across the line for the opener. 

The Ambers were buoyed by their fine start and Joe Re had a shot cleared off the line by Archie Edwards with Giddens beaten again. Mo Camara playing centrally was tying up the Stortford defence with his powerful running & aerial ability, while Amadou Kassarate was in the thick of the action anchoring the Ambers midfield. 

Being closed down quickly Stortford quickly resorted to their default tactics of clearing long and feeding off Harris who led the line very well and was a constant threat. John Giles had a free kick turned away by Preston Edwards, and the Cheshunt keeper was also on hand to deal with an Ollie Peters header.  Cheshunt responded with another Joe Re attempt headed off the line and had a penalty appeal turned down after Amadou Kassarate was held & blocked in the box. 

The opening of the second half saw the defences well organised and well covered, getting on top of the game and stifling anything too dangerous, For the Blues Harris shot wide with Edwards scrambling to cover & a Foxley header went wide,  A Joe Re shot was well held by Giddens  & Diedrick Roberts lifted a free kick over the bar from a good position twenty five yards out. 

With the results going both Cheshunt’s way (they needed the win to secure 5th) and also Stortfords way (Bowers beating Hornchurch was giving the Blues a three point lead with a +6 goal difference) both teams might have eased back thinking of a Wednesday Cup Final & the Play Offs, but no, Stortford threw Henshaw forward as an extra forward with aerial threat, and Cheshunt bought on seventeen goal Reece Beckles Richards.  Stortford forced an number of corners & Preston Edwards had to be alert to a number of on target headers, getting his positioning spot on each time to make the saves look comfortable.  Wary of the pace Cheshunt  now had on the break the Blues couldn’t commit fully to an all out assault and the home side saw out the match, even having the last attempt on goal, when Diedrick Roberts had an attempt saved by Giddens in time added on.

Cheshunt: Edwards, Ekongo, McLean, Kassarate (Y), Crowther, McKenzie, Roberts, Re (c)(Y), Camara, Dib (Beckles-Richards 63), Reynolds. Not used: Puemo, Ojo, Kuffour, Marsh.

Blues: Giddens, Edwards (Y), Henshaw, (c) Giles, Jones (Y)(Charles 56), Harris, Renee, Thomas, Foxley (Haines 72), Peters, Cracknell. Not used: Robbins, Banton, Allum.