Beavers cup gamble pays off with a point

12:59pm Wednesday 24th October 2007

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Hampton & Richmond Borough 1 Bishops Stortford 1

With an important FA Cup match looming at the weekend, the Beavers took an acceptable risk in resting players in advance of what could be a potentially big pay day.

Hampton, with 21 league points, are already almost halfway to their stated target of 50 with less than a third of a season played, so it was a reasonable trade-off.

Rested were Dean Wells and Elliott Godfrey, while Stuart Lake, Barrie Matthews and Lawrence Yaku were on the bench. Hampton had lost the earlier encounter with Bishops Stortford 6-2 so a 1-1 draw was a much-improved result and extended Hampton's unbeaten run to seven league and cup matches.

The balance of play was fairly even, Hampton having a good first half while not having such a good second half.

One concern to the Beavers was Ian Hodges limping off after 25 minutes with an injury to his side.

Hampton led at half-time with a goal from Hodges. A brilliant move down the right involving Elliott Frost and Hodges led to the ball being played out to the wide left to Shaun McAuley, and his cross was met by Hodges at the far post.

Hampton could have been 2-0 ahead a minute later but Bishops keeper Andy Young got his body in the way of a drive from Frost.

In fact, the visitors had Young to thank on several occasions in the first half.

Young saved from Frost, again, and then twice fisted away efforts from Barrie Matthews and Alan Inns, who also went close with a full-length diving header.

Just before half-time, Young was in action again. Glen Harris's free-kick was met by a powerful header from Inns, the keeper managed to get a fist to the ball, Ryan Lake headed the ball goalwards but this time there was a defender to complete the clearance.

If Hampton had had the best of the first half, they just about managed to survived the second.

The visitors levelled in the 51st minute, when Tim Langer met Greg Pearson's low cross at the far post.

Bishops then created several chances to take the lead, from a Tom Williamson free-kick, Jack Midson flicked the ball on but Matt Lovett got across to take the ball down near the base of his right-hand upright.

Pearson turned and shot wide from a good position and then had another attempt that Lovett beat away.

Late on, Hampton had a reasonable shout for a penalty when a driving run from Stuart Lake ended with a trip (Wayne Rooney might have got the decision but "Trigger" didn't!).

Right at the end, Pearson missed the target with a header at the far post.

Hampton's gamble paid off with a point that moved them up another place to fifth, while Bishops Stortford, the equal leading scorers in the division, are third.

Hampton: Matt Lovett; Graham Harper, Ryan Lake, Orland Jeffrey, Aaron Barnett, Dudley Gardner (Stuart Lake, 71), Alan Inns, Elliott Frost, Ian Hodges (Barrie Matthews,25), Glen Harris, Shaun McAuley (Lawrence Yaku, 64). Subs not used: Marcello Fernandes, Jack Francis.