We have been here before, a few times actually, and it
gets no easier to take even if this time it is only a friendly we are talking
about.
You know the score, do you not.......County play like
they mean it for 15 or 20 minutes in which time they score. Their opponents
meanwhile have kept their powder dry whilst checking us out, before sallying
forth thereafter to take us apart. That was pretty much the way of it yesterday
at the impressively appointed ProKit UK Stadium, where after County`s initial
burst and Kristian Dennis`s goal, the Bishops proved altogether too strong for
County in the latter stages of a game that took a crucial turn when Ron
Stringer brought on Reece Prestedge and Cliff Akurang just before the half hour
mark. It proved a master stroke as the pair, along with Matt Johnson and Liam
Enver-Marum proved almost unplayable at times.
It is true that County played the ` two teams’ approach
fielding more or less a different 11 in the second half, and its similarly true
that there were a fair number of new faces amongst the County line up, and that
some of them were hardly known to one another( sites exchange twixt himself and
Kieran Charnock, with asides from Adi Moke).......
Me....` who`s our number 16....the big lad at the back?`
KC......` Er.....don`t know .....Tom something I
think.....Moke.... who`s our number 16?’
AM......`dont know’
So, there was a bit of unfamiliarity about then, and of
course the inspirational idea of wrapping the game snugly inside a 420 mile
round trip needs some thought as well, but the Bishops know all about that
having plied their worthy trade in the Conference North thanks to the league`s
suits. Talking of which, where were our suits yesterday? Bishop Stortford were
warm and welcoming to anyone on site conspicuously from Stockport , but I saw
no sign of anyone ,barring AL `s
touchline usuals, from the Club, and I thought that that showed great
disrespect to our hosts, as well as a casual disregard for how the team might
be faring.
I am told that our CEO does not live far away from CM23-
as the man who organised this one, he really should have made the effort!
`Enough’ I hear you cry, `the match stupid................what
about the match?’
New men Cowan ( behind Jones -top)
Blacket( alongside Moke 2nd pic)
Well...it started well enough with County seeing a fair
bit of the ball- most notably Scott Duxbury who got forward to reasonable
effect .A foul on Moke almost saw County snatch an early sneaky one , but
Duxbury`s cross found Dennis unable to force it home from smack in front of
goal.
Ex Hatter Tom Collins got in an early run, and looked as
menacing for a moment or so as I remember him being on occasions with us, but
on reaching the edge of the box his effort petered out via a firm tackle from
Charnock who was playing alongside trialist Adam Cowan at the centre of the
County defence.
Ex Hatter Tom Collins.
Ramone Blackett was another new face on show but he was
up front, flitting from flank to flank, but Callum McNaughton ensured that his
first touch of the ball came to nought. It was mainly County, at this point,
and I was reassured to see Cowans win his first aerial dual.
That was the ninth minute......one minute on from that
and County had themselves a lead. It started with Jacobs who saw a typically fearsome
shot deflected onto the angle of bar and post by a defender, and was rounded
off by Dennis, who followed up to slip the rebound beyond keeper Joe Wright
into the net.
That was a decent start then, and looked for all the
world like it would get better when Dennis turned provider and sent Blackett
clear down the right. A fine cross followed and ran to Dennis who was unlucky
to see Wright dive to tip his shot over the bar.
This impression, of County in the ascendancy, continued
as another foul on Moke ( the referee missed Adi`s involuntary ball to hand
moment prior)saw McNaughton have to
concede a corner when the free kick pinged in. George Allen headed the corner
out at the near post but only to Jacobs who promptly sent it back again for
Cowans and Duxbury to scramble for at the back post. Duxbury managed contact,
but his header took flight heading out of the ground.
Moke( decked) earns his side a free kick.
An early glimpse
of things to come came next as a one/ two twixt Liam Enver-Marum and Matt
Johnson pushed County back, but County were coping OK at this stage, even
managing to break out of defence – but despite being clear of any markers
Dennis saw his shot well saved by Wright to keep it at 1-0.
Blacket and Lofthouse linked up well next, but again
Wright would not be beaten, and another dive from him saw the ball pushed
around the post, and the subsequent corner defended well by the home side.
Yes......so far so good, and despite Collins and Cowler
pushing forward down the left, it still looked like County`s day, as a shot
from Jacobs and sundry crosses by Duxbury and Blacket kept Wright warmed up.
There were slight stirrings from our hosts, just before
the half hour mark, in the shape of a nippy Nicky Symons run, and another from
Harry Baker that saw Collins a whisker away from getting a vital touch to it,
but nothing came of these or a similarly zesty charge from Johnson.However....
Ron Stringer had made his changes now, and Prestedge and Akurang were now on
the park- things were about to change!
The substitutes had an immediate impact, both in the
thick and quickly- Prestedge noticeably so- slipping a beaut of a through ball
into Enver- Marum`s path, smack in front. It looked every inch a goal as the
forward took aim, but Jones did terrifically well to keep the shot out with his
legs!
That was good, but what followed wasn`t as a run from
Akurang and Cowler forced Duxbury to concede a corner under pressure from
Anthony Church. How many times have we stood and watched as County stood and
watched limply as a corner came over? Well....this was another one- the kick
was a good one, but might have been defended with a tad more vigour, as it was Sean
Francis was allowed to steal in from the back and head home unchallenged.
County back 4 ,plus Moses.
Had our hosts sussed County out? Well maybe, but despite
the pressure increasing on County, they still had chances to redress things, as
on 40 minutes when Platt sent Dennis clear with a lovely ball. He was
away....he was in......he should have scored....but instead Wright got down
bravely to snatch the pill off the Stockport forwards toes! A very good
save....maybe a vital one, as it seemed to reboot the Bishops effort yet again
as Jones had to look lively to prevent
Enver- Makum snaffling another precise through ball from the excellent
Prestedge. Akurang was no less excellent, and he followed the Prestedge example
with a belter of a through ball, but this time Enver-Makum shot wide.
For sure, the pressure was building on County and Jones
did well, with assistance from Cowan to stop a lethal looking run by Akurang.
We were in the half`s dying embers now, and thus possibly
safe from further trauma, or so I assumed as Cowans did well again to block
Baker`s run down the right, but Bishops just would not go away, and with the
ball back with Baker, he lifted it to the back post where Akurang rose
majestically to beat Jones with a stonkingly good header. A challenge might
have been nice.....no matter we were 1-2 down and soon enough it was half time
and all change ,personnel wise, from County.
Huddle prior to re-start.
As I say ...it was all change for the re-start with a
plethora of unfamiliar faces along with a number of players with no numbers on,
so please make allowances when reading the teams at the end .
An early free kick to Bishop Stortford saw Allen rattle
the post , but my early misgivings gave way to another bout of trademark
mindless optimism as after Turner won a corner, Lees did `an Akurang’ and
headed home firmly to level the scores!
That was good to see, but the euphoria did not take long
to dissipate as Jacobs had to save the day with some decent last gasp stuff
after Akurang had done Tom Black ( the bean pole number 16 mentioned earlier)
for pace.
Jevons chipped in with a header, but the home side looked
intent on getting their lead back, and Prestedge looked on to see his shot miss
out by a foot or so. It went on with Black doing just enough to block Enver-
Makum, and Francis unlucky to miss out with another header, but just as I gave
in to temptation and scribbled ` County are doing OK!’...they suddenly weren`t
as Johnson had dished the County offside
trap and darted clear- in a flash he had lobbed Ormson and Bishop Stortford had
a 3-2 lead!
There were 30 minutes to go as well, and with County`s
opponents clearly fancying things and revving things up accordingly- I at last cast
the mask of mindless optimism aside as gloom took over!
With Enver-Makum and Johnson both going close not long
after this, my mood did not improve, even though County ,at least for a time,
looked to be trying to get back into it, largely via Turner`s pace , but
Wright`s goal took on the cloak of invincibility now as County raids floundered
at the edge of the box.
By way of contrast things were sharper at the other end
where Ormson could only stand and watch as a Francis header thudded into the
bar from another home corner.
If I was still tempted to think that County just might
hold on and keep things respectable ,this viewpoint looked a tad off course as
,with no more than a minute or so left the referee pointed to the spot with a
home forward spread out on the ground in the box. I saw it not so cannot
comment on the justice of the penalty, but I saw the kick, and it was
despatched lethally beyond Ormson`s dive by Prestedge to make it 2-4.
That was a body blow, but another quickly followed as
Josh Fagbohum burst clear to complete the scoring.
Anyone can lose, and it is better to lose a friendly I
suppose with no points at stake than to Hednesford, who must surely be looking
forward to facing us.
Alan Lord battles on!
I do feel for AL whose angst at the things he is seeing
is obvious to see, but what of our masters....do they even care? Write off
those debts suits, and get talking in earnest to the supporters and those
waiting in the wings to take over- they will not step in until the debts are
gone- do it!
County line up`s:
First Half; Jones, Jacobs, Cowans, Charnock, Duxbury,
Moses, Platt, Moke, Lofthouse, Dennis, Blacket.
Second half;
Ormson, Jacobs, Lees, Black, O`Halloran,Craney, Howard, Gordickiotis,
Turner, Jevons, Trialist.
Bishop Stortford.
Starting line up only.
Wright, Baker, Cowler, Allen, Francis, McNaughton,
Johnson, Symons, Enver- Makum, Collins, Church.
Ian Brown
