Bishop’s Stortford will have to wait until the last game of the season to confirm a second-place finish in the Pitching In Isthmian League, Premier Division after suffering a 1-0 defeat at Cheshunt on Easter Monday.
Kayne Diedrick-Roberts got the only goal in the fifth minute of a scrappy encounter as the Blues saw their 17-game unbeaten streak come to an end and suffer their first defeat since January 8.
Diedrick-Roberts also became the first player to beat goalkeeper Jack Giddens for 1,088 minutes. It was the first time the Stortford defence had been breached since a 3-3 draw with Corinthian-Casuals on February 5 following 12 consecutive clean sheets.
But Stortford were done a favour by Bowers & Pitsea as they claimed a 2-1 home win over third-placed Hornchurch, meaning Steve Smith’s men remain three points clear of their closest rivals going into Saturday’s last round of games. The Blues, whose goal difference is six superior, entertain relegation-threatened Cray Wanderers while Hornchurch host 15th-placed Wingate & Finchley.
Finishing second would guarantee the Blues a home tie in the play-off semi-finals and, if they were to win that, the final as well.
The victory for Cheshunt means they are confirmed as fifth-place finishers as sixth-placed Folkestone Invicta and seventh-placed Lewes suffered 1-0 defeats against Margate and Bognor Regis Town respectively. Enfield Town, who are set to finish fourth, won 2-0 at Potters Bar Town.
The Blues went into the match against the Ambers – who had knocked them out of the FA Trophy on penalties earlier in the season – on the back of a 3-0 home win over Potters Bar Town on Saturday and manager Smith made four changes to his starting lineup.
Injured top scorer Frankie Merrifield was replaced by Chris Harris while Archie Edwards, captain Ryan Henshaw and Jonny Giles all started with Sam Robbins, Mark Haines and Ryan Charles dropping to the bench.
After Giles had an effort blocked when Darren Foxley and Archie Jones combined, the Blues fell behind with only five minutes gone as their incredible run of not conceding a goal finally came to an end with Diedrick-Roberts netting with a shot from a tight angle after he had taken a heavy first touch.
Not long after, the Ambers went close again when Joe Re’s effort from the left side of the box was cleared off the line by Archie Edwards and Jones cleared the danger.
Stortford then created a string of chances with Giles having a free kick parried by Preston Edwards before Ollie Peters shot off target and also had a header saved.
With 27 minutes on the clock, Johnville Renee was in the right place at the right time to head a goalbound effort off the line before Cheshunt penalty appeals were dismissed by the referee after Amadou Kassarate went down.
In the opening 10 minutes of the second half, Foxley was unable to hit the target with a diving header from Renee’s cross and Harris dragged a shot wide from 20 yards out.
Following a quiet period, Re had a shot comfortably saved by Blues shot-stopper Giddens before Diedrick-Roberts blazed a free kick over the bar and into the car park from what seemed a promising position.
At the other end, Peters sent over a brilliant set piece which narrowly missed skipper Henshaw’s head and then, with four minutes remaining, Harris headed the ball back across goal from Giles’ free kick but it was caught by Preston Edwards.
As time ticked away, the Cheshunt goalkeeper was called into action again as he first parried a shot by substitute Charles behind and then kept out Henshaw’s downward back-post header from Giles’ cross.
And the hosts almost doubled their tally in added time, but Diedrick-Roberts scuffed his effort at the near post and Giddens saved.
Cheshunt: Edwards, Ekongo, McLean, Kassarate (booked 76), Crowther, McKenzie, Roberts, Re (booked 24), Camara, Dib (Beckles-Richards 63), Reynolds. Not used: Puemo, Ojo, Kuffour, Marsh.
Blues: Giddens, Edwards (booked 75), Henshaw, Giles, Jones (booked 35, Charles 56), Harris, Renee, Thomas, Foxley (Haines 72), Peters, Cracknell. Not used: Robbins, Banton, Allum.
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