Bishop’s Stortford 0 HRBFC 1

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, they are like that respectable bottle of Australian red you picked up at Threshers on the way home.

This game was neither - 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 three points that weren’t really expected.

The first 15 minutes saw Hampton deal with what looked a toothless Stortford attack, missing Charlie Sheringham, which seemed full of effort but had nothing that could be construed as accuracy on goal.

In fact, it took 13 minutes for Morgan to try to 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.

From this moment on, he looked a bit dazed and uncertain of what day it was. Following this, Bertie 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 Lawrence Yaku 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. 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 Yaku broke through after a decent one-two with Craig Dundas.

His 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 Scott Shulton managing to at least get off shots, but neither were on target. Just before half-time, Stortford did get the ball into the Hampton net, but the ref chalked it off for impeding the keeper, which for Lovett is quite a feat!

Deep into added time, Yaku again got down the right and whipped in a wicked cross that the Stortford keeper managed to punch clear. At the start of the second half, concerns over Inman forced Beavers boss Alan Devonshire to withdraw him and pushed Hodges up front, with Dundas slotting back into midfield, and Dean Wells making up the back four as Hampton went 4-4-2.

The first 10 minutes of the second half were so quiet, 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 Lovett saved easily.

What was pleasing to see now was that the keeper got the ball downfield quickly and Yaku took advantage of some seriously vague indecision in the Stortford box to try to lift it over the keeper but the shot drifted wide.

On the hour, Stortford’s Benn Nunn really got his foot behind a 25-yard belter that 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 five-year-old spotting a bar of chocolate. Yaku picked up the ball just outside the area and dinked a little deceptive ball into the box for Hodges, lurking around, who had the easy task of slotting it home past the keeper.

The Beavers continued to make the chances and a 20-yard shot from Yaku was deflected for a corner through the hail and rain.

Five minutes later, Yaku 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 new signing Steffen Gaisie, introduced to give Yaku a rest, almost got his head to the ball, but the keeper managed to deflect it away to safety.

Three welcome points, making it seven from nine, which is not a bad return.

If the Beavers get anything against Dover and Newport County, we’ll know the tide has begun to turn.

Hampton: Lovett, Robinson, Matthews, Jeffrey, Inman (Hodges 45), Wells, Lake, Collier, Dundas, Yaku (Gaisie 85), Tanner

Sub not used: Kanjol

Att: 337

Bookings: Wells