BISHOP'S STORTFORD 2 BALDOCK TOWN 1 (HT 1-1)

Baldock Town may have gone down to a side two levels above them, but were far from disgraced at the ProKit UK stadium on a cold Tuesday evening.

With returns to the starting line-up for Jack Farmer in goal and Kim Forsythe up front, the Reds went in with an attacking looking side against their Bostik League opponents.

In truth the first half was not the best and Bishop’s Stortford were ahead as soon as the 3rd minute with an Olly Miles glancing header. The Blues were pretty much in control for the first half hour and went close on two or three other occasions.

Baldock started to come back more into the match and in the 39th minute Russell Bull saw his shot well saved by Calum Kitcha in the Stortford goal after a Charlie Joy cross from the left. But 3 minutes later Baldock were on level terms when a Joy corner flew past everyone and went straight into the goal.

Very soon into the 2nd period, the Reds almost took the lead when an Owen Robertson shot from the far side, was initially stopped by Kitcha, but spun up out of his control and clipped the post.

By this time Baldock were giving it everything with Robertson, sliding in at the back post, putting the ball just wide and Kieran Barnes going close after being put through by Harry Holland

Back for the Reds after a short period playing for Stotfold, Alfie Barker came on to replace Charlie Joy and on 78 minutes played a lob over the keeper’s head which was desperately scrambled away by Blues defender Chris Gregan. But immediately at the other end, Luke Callander got onto a cross from the right, cruelly dispatching the ball into the bottom corner past Jack Farmer, giving the home side a 2-1 advantage.

Bishop’s Stortford saw out the remaining minutes of the tie and progress to an away fixture at either Leverstock Green or Watford.

BALDOCK TOWN: Jack Farmer; Stephen Brooks; Josh Furness; Kieran Barnes; Dean Gilbert; Harry Holland (Daril Ngwala 85); Charlie Joy (Alfie Barker 70); Lewis Barker; Russell Bull; Kim Forsythe (Sam James 46); Owen Robertson.
Unused substitutes: Luke Gregson and Adam Harpur.