- Bishop’s Stortford have won two and drawn one of their last three Southern League Premier Division Central matches against Stratford Town.
- Bishop’s Stortford have won nine, drawn one and lost nine of their 19 home league matches.
- Stratford Town have won five, drawn four and lost nine of their 18 away league matches.
Tight tussle likely in mid-table clash
Bishop’s Stortford have had a disappointing season by their standards, sitting 14th in the Southern League Premier Division Central with 46 points from 37 games, and Friday’s clash with 11th-placed Stratford Town, who have 53 points from the same number of games, is really a clash for mid-table pride.
Stortford have won one, drawn one and lost three of their last five league games, although their two most recent matches were both away, a 1-1 draw at Banbury United and a 1-0 loss at Stamford AFC.
Stratford Town come into this one in better form, having won three, drawn one and lost only one of their last five.
Stratford’s squad depth tested by injuries and rotation
Stratford Town have been trying to set up in either a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1, but neither has been particularly solid or creative, and they have suffered from injuries and lack of depth at times. They have reacted to the ball well, but haven’t pressed too hard or tried to win it back too high up the field. A back four that sits compact and doesn’t get out of shape will be the platform for their success and they don’t need to do anything crazy to create openings, which they will usually take on the counter and through the flanks.
Stratford Town’s away record of 5-4-9 in the league this term shows they are not consistent.
Bishop’s set-up is a hybrid 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 that tries to flood the wide areas with wide forwards and overlapping full-backs. They have enough pace and talent to transition quickly, but they also can deliver some decent balls into the box from deep and wide.
Stortford have a slight edge in odds
Because Stratford have had the better form and are the marginal favourites at 27/20, with Bishop’s at 37/25 and the draw at 63/25, our recommendation is to back the visitors to win. But we’re also not convinced that Bishop’s won’t get a result at home, where they have been better than their record suggests, against a Stratford team that has struggled to be consistent on their travels.
Stratford concede an average of 1.33 goals per away game in the league, and Bishop’s have scored an average of 1.47 per game at home, so we’ll take a chance on the overs here at 71/100. Stortford have had the best form, but Bishop’s have won two of the last three meetings, although not at home, so we’re expecting a close, intense game on the flanks and a result either way.
