Some Hampton games could be compared to that fine bottle of bubbly you had the previous week at some Michelin starred restaurant (we wish…), more likely some games are like that respectable bottle of Australian red you picked up at Threshers on the way home. This game was none of these; it was more like a dodgy bottle of ancient bitter you found at the back of the fridge, instantly forgettable. 

The only creditable part of the game was the predatory instinct and neat finish from Ian Hodges, that fine player off the bench, giving the Beavers 3 points that wasn’t really expected.

The first 15 minutes saw Hampton deal with what looked a toothless Stortford attack, that lacking Sheringham, seemed to be full of effort, but had nothing that could be construed as accuracy on goal. In fact it took 13 minutes for Morgan to try and beat Matt Lovett but it was wide from 16 yards.

A minute after that, Dean Inman appeared to take what may have been an elbow to the head, or it may have been just a clash of heads, it was hard to tell, but from this moment on, he looked a bit dazed and uncertain of what day it was.  Following this Brayley managed to put a shot on goal for Stortford, but Lovett saw it all the way and had time to take it easily.

Hampton slowly came back into the game from this point and Yaks managed to get a decent cross in (not the last of the day either) but the Stortford defence cleared it for a throw. The ball then returned into the box but Barrie Matthews’ half volley was more reminiscent of a Wilkinson drop goal…

One thing I like watching the Beavers for is to see Craig Tanner scurry down the wing and ping over a wicked cross, well Matthews got on the end of such a cross on 29 minutes, but it was an easy catch for the keeper.

The game quietened down into a stalemate in midfield until Yaks managed to break through after a decent one-two with Craig Dundas. Yak’s first shot was blocked by the on-rushing keeper, but he managed to retrieve the rebound, just a shame his attempted chip drifted over the bar.

This stung Stortford into action, Brayley and Shulton managing to at least get off shots, but neither were on target.  However just before half time Stortford did get the ball into the Hampton net, but the ref chalked it off for impeding the keeper, which given Matt Lovett was quite a feat!  Shame some of the fans around the press box never saw the foul…

Deep into added time, Yaks once again got down the right and whipped in a wicked cross that the Stortford keeper managed to punch clear.  At this rate, Yaks, you’ll end up starting wide right if you keep this up.

HT 0-0

At the start of the second half, concerns over Dean Inman meant that Dev decided to withdraw him and pushed Ian Hodges up front with Dundas slotting back into midfield, and Dean Wells making up the back four, giving the Beavers a 4-4-2 look.

The first 10 minutes of the second half were so quiet, that I felt there was more action watching the planes land at nearby Stansted than there was on the pitch.  On 55 minutes though, Brayley managed to get a shot on target, which Matt Lovett saved easily. What was pleasing to see now was that Matt got the ball downfield quickly and Yaks took advantage of some seriously vague indecision in the Stortford box to try and lift it over the keeper but the shot drifted wide. Some in the crowd thought this game had 0-0 written all over it, but then we are talking about the Beavers here, 0-0?  Not a chance.

On the hour, Stortford’s Nunn really got his foot behind a 25 yard belter, which Matt Lovett got a hand to, pushing it round the post, but there was a Stortford player lurking offside, so it was all to nothing.

On 70 minutes, the Stortford crowd were stunned to see the Beavers grab a goal, like a 5 year old spotting a bar of chocolate.  Yaks picked up the ball just outside the area and dinked a little deceptive ball into the box, and Hodgey, good old Hodgey, lurking around, had the easy task of slotting it home past the keeper.

The Beavers continued to make the chances and a 20 yard shot from Yaks was deflected for a corner through the hail and rain, which made me glad I was sheltered in the back of stand. 5 minutes later, Yaks forced a corner and from this, Dundas hit a good shot from 25 yds, which was deflected for the keeper to make an easy save.

Stortford roused themselves from their slumbers and forced a free kick after Tanner had fouled Morgan on 81 minutes but the header was soft and Lovett saved without effort.  From then on, Hampton never looked like conceding a goal and late in added time, Dundas managed to sneak down the right and slung over another decent cross, and Steffen Gaisie, introduced to give Yaks a rest, almost got his head to the ball, but the keeper managed to deflect it away to safety.

3 welcome points, making 7 points from 9, which isn’t a bad return and if the Beavers get anything vs Dover and Newport, we’ll know the tide has begun to turn.

If this was supposed to be a rejuvenated Stortford side, as mentioned on their official website, then they must have been worse than the Beavers were over Christmas, and we were bad…