Nice to See You Again!
Boreham Wood v Bishops Stortford
Match Preview,
by John Mead.
Our Recent History.
Monday night sees the season begin at Meadow Park with the visit of some very familiar foes!
Think Bishops Stortford and immediately the mind drifts to the 4-1 F A Cup 4th Round Replay that set up a trip to Torquay back in 2002. Yet promotion and relegation and a drifting geographical divide have seen these two sides wave goodbye and say hello again on no less than four occasions in the last eighteen years.
Our promotion to the ICIS Premier ( now Ryman) in 1995 started a four year relationship between the two sides, before our visitors succumbed to relegation in 1999. A year later and we were back playing each other in the Ryman League Division One. Even though it was a short affair, with us winning the league at the first attempt, we lost twice heavily 0-3 at home and 4-0 away to The Blues.
Of course Stortford would not stay away for long and they won promotion the following year to join us back in the Ryman Premier where we exacted revenge remaining unbeaten in four games that season including the F A Cup encounter.
We then said goodbye for eight seasons after getting relegated for all our troubles in the F A Cup, whilst Stortford formed part of the newly formed Conference South Division.
Our promotion three seasons ago pitched us against our old foes yet again, but it was to be short lived. Two defeats in an awful start to our life in the Conference before The Bishops fell foul of the dividing line and were sent to play Conference North football for two seasons.
Let the relationship continue… again!
High Hopes As Rod Returns.
Rod Stringer will enjoy his shortest journey to a league fixture for over two years as his Blues return to the Skrill South. His career path in management has been meteoric. It was an unfancied Aveley side who in just two and a half seasons under his leadership gained promotion to the Ryman Premier, before losing out to us in the League Play Off Semi Final on that memorable night back in April 2010. Claude Seanla’s goal set us up for the showdown against Kingstonian and the rest as they say is history!
Mr Stringer then accepted the job at Braintree Town the following season which meant we were to lock horns again. The appointment raised eyebrows. Could he make the step up was the question asked and given “ no set target” he went on to win the league at the first attempt, defeating us twice in the process.
He was to end his ties with the Essex side immediately after pulling off the amazing feat, to join his current club. With their return to the South meaning a less stretched budget there are high hopes that Mr Stringer can again work his magic in a League he has already won.
Cliff Akurang makes a welcome return to Meadow Park, Returning with his old club. Another astute signing is that of Kyle Vassell who joins from Chelmsford City. His winning goal in our 2-1 away defeat last season was a contender for goal of the season!
The anticipation this season is unprecedented so come on down and be a part of it!
Skrill South Division.
Boreham Wood v Bishops Stortford.
Monday August 19th, kick off 7.45pm
