Match Reports & Fixtures
| 1 | Luke Blackmore | |
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2 | Michael Sharman (Booked 14 mins) |
| 3 | Sam Ledger | |
| 4 | Andy Keepence | |
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5 | Matt Skinner (Booked 42 mins) |
| 6 | Danny Talbot | |
| 7 | Mark Lambert | |
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8 | Dave Fotheringham (Goal 57 mins) |
| 9 | Richard Howard | |
| 10 | Danny Burnell | |
| 11 | Carl Bruce | |
| 12 | Dom Marsala (for Fotheringham 73 mins) | |
| 14 | Kieran Allen-Curry (for Sharman 67 mins) | |
| 15 | Steve Cawley | |
| 16 | Phil Sole (for Skinner 79 mins) | |
| 17 | Michael Toner |
Chesham went out of the FA Cup to their United Counties League opponents on another day when nothing went right for them. Chesham had most of the possession and Stotfold's Scott Waters was by far the busier keeper. Most frustrating of all though, was the decision of the officials to disallow what seemed a perfectly valid goal.
Chesham made one change from the drawn game on Saturday, Matt Skinner coming in for Michael Toner which meant a switch to 4-4-2. Chesham moved the ball well in the early stages, although the home side looked dangerous as Waters' clearances easily made the last third on a small pitch. After 12 minutes Dave Fotheringham forced Waters to dive to turn away a left-footed drive, then at the other end Joel Mason found space on the left but fired straight at Blackmore. On 20 minutes Danny Talbot's corner was cleared as far as Mark Lambert whose shot from outside the area came back into play off a post. On the half-hour defender Tawhid Juneja cleared and Mason picked up the loose ball but fired wide from a good position. However it was against the run of play when Stotfold scored on 37 minutes, Mason breaking clear on the right and firing into the corner of the net from the edge of the area.
The goal clearly dented Chesham's confidence and their play became scrappy. Early in the second half Mason pulled the ball across the Chesham goal and Paul Garrett fired into the side netting, and Chesham looked in need of a break which they got after 57 minutes. Waters attempted to clear but the ball hit a team-mate and rebounded to Mark Lambert who slipped the ball inside for Dave Fotheringham to stroke into the net from 12 yards. Chesham rallied and Lambert burst through only for Waters to save at his feet and the defence cleared just before Danny Burnell could seize on the loose ball. At this stage Chesham looked the most likely winners, but fifteen minutes from time Lee Allinson took a free kick on the home left, the ball was headed out to the edge of the area and Paul Garrett slammed the loose ball into the net, the power of the shot beating Luke Blackmore's dive.
Two minutes later came the main talking point of the game. Mark Lambert reached the by-line and crossed to the far post where sub Dom Marsala shot into the net past Waters and two defenders. There seemed nothing wrong with the goal but the linesman had his flag up, apparently because Richard Howard was standing in an offside position as Marsala's shot found the net. However nobody could understand how he could be considered active as the cross had passed over his head and he was not near the ball when Marsala's shot went in. The linesman presumably qualifies for an award for the most obscure technical reason for disallowing a goal. Chesham brought on an extra striker in Phil Sole, and Sam Ledger moved forward and crossed for Richard Howard who headed over. In a frantic last minute of normal time Ledger crossed, Howard headed back across goal only for Waters to save at the feet of Sole, then from the resulting corner Ledger's header was cleared off the line and Danny Talbot played the ball back in to Howard at the far post who stretched but sent the ball looping over the gaping net.
Simon Newbury
