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Boro’s 1st home fixture of the season was played in conditions more suited to a November cup fixture as wind and heavy rain lashed Priory Lane. However 682 hardy souls witnessed a match where both sides produced some fine attacking play in an open game where although the points were shared the home side will be disappointed that they did not claim all 3.
The home sides attacking intent was evident as Andy Atkin and Pat Harding both had excellent opportunities before Bishop’s Stortford managed to leave their half. However the visitors opened the scoring on 10 minutes when the squall conditions hampered the Boro defence and a ball cut to the near post was met 1st time by Roy Essandoh 6yards out; the linesmen indicating the ball had crossed the line as Boro scrambled the effort away.
Boro continued to press and Scott Ramsay forced Andy Young to claw away a 30yard effort, Atkin fired an effort just wide following an error by Matt Jones and committed defending charged down 2 18yard efforts.
No changes were made at half-time but with the wind advantage the visitors forced Lee Hook to save at the feet of Essandoh on 48 minutes. As the conditions deteriorated the game became a lottery but the introduction of Matt Smart saw the home side again begin to chase an equaliser. On 74 minutes a Harding looping effort was headed off the line but not cleared.; a follow up shot was blocked but Atkin smashed the ball home from close range to level the score at 1-1.
2 free-kicks for Bishop’s Stortford on 75 and 76 minutes saw Jason Mason fire just wide of the Boro right-hand post and Loui Fazackerly’s diving far-post header on 79 minutes proved that the visitors were still aiming for the away win. But the closing stages belonged to Boro. On 81 minutes Nathan Crabb’s shot was deflected high and just wide of the Stortford goal, his next effort was again deflected for a corner a minute later and on 85 minutes a goal-line save by Young from Ramsay and a last-ditch block preserved the away side a share of the spoils.
Match Details - Webmaster.
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