AS Rawreth 0 Bishop's Stortford Swifts 7

Pre Season Friendly, Saturday July 10th

My Second pre-season friendly of 2021/22 saw me over at The Warren for the very first time as a guest of hosts AS Rawreth (AS standing for Academy Soccer) for their first warm up game for the new season against Bishop's Stortford Swifts.

Both sides were under new management, and both had very different squads to the ones that ended last season' campaign, both sides play under the Essex Olympian Football League banner, AS Rawreth are in Division Two this season whilst Stortford Swifts will again be competing in the Premier Division, two levels above.

It was the visitors who broke the deadlock on 16 minutes when a lovely through ball found an attacker who produced a lovely finish beyond the keeper, and then twelve minutes before the break it was two for the visitors as another pass in behind the back line again found a striker free, and he tucked it away with another decent finish.

And three minutes before the break Swifts made it three when another wonderful ball from out on the right was curled behind the back line and the striker produced a wonderful finish from an angle on the right hand side of the box, and it saw the visitors go into the break three goals to the good, the hosts hadn't barely troubled their opponents so far.

Six minutes after the break Swifts added a fourth in one where the hosts keeper would rather forget, as a tame shot from outside the box saw the ball slip through the grasp of the keeper and through his legs and into the net, and then just before the hour mark Swifts added a fifth when a free kick from the right side of the penalty area went across goal and ended up in the far corner.

Swifts were running riot now and quickly added a sixth when a ball over the defenders head bounced up nicely for the attacker who sent a lovely lob over the keeper and into the net for a superb finish, and then with thirteen minutes remaining came the final goal of the contest when a free kick from a more central position was fired at goal and although the keeper got a hand to it, he could not stop it finding the bottom corner.

The hosts did at least show a bit more attacking intent in the second period and did hit the bar on one occasion, although this was from a visitors head, but in the end Swifts ran out comfortable winners. A good run out for both sides though and many more pre season games for both to shape their squads ahead of the new season.

Finally, many thanks to AS Rawreth for being so welcoming and inviting me as a guest to this game, the set up is fabulous and would put some senior clubs to shame, thanks to all who took the time to speak with me as well and tell me more about the club, and a big thanks to Callum Bolger, the assistant manager who took me to and from Wickford station, it was very much appreciated. A good club indeed and one that would be well worth a visit.

Full Time AS Rawreth 0 Bishop's Stortford Swifts 7