Match Reports & Fixtures
| 1 | Luke Blackmore | |
| 2 | Mark Lambert | |
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3 | Sam Ledger (Booked 71 mins) |
| 4 | Andy Keepence | |
| 5 | Danny Brown | |
| 6 | Danny Talbot | |
| 7 | Dom Marsala | |
| 8 | Dave Fotheringham | |
| 9 | Richard Howard | |
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10 | John Lawford (Goals 66, 69 mins) |
| 11 | Carl Bruce | |
| 12 | Matt Skinner (for Howard 81 mins) | |
| 14 | Kieran Allen-Curry | |
| 15 | Tommy Higgins | |
| 16 | Steve Cawley | |
| 17 | Michael Toner (for Talbot 89 mins) |
Chesham finally ended a run of five years without a win in the FA Trophy. In front of a disappointing crowd of 175, this performance was the most encouraging for some time, with the two debutants Danny Brown and John Lawford providing greater solidity at the back and more finishing ability up front.
Chesham made three changes to the team knocked out of the FA Cup by Stotfold in midweek. Danny Burnell was suspended and Michael Sharman out with a hamstring injury, plus AFC Hornchurch would not allow Adam Parker to play, so in came Danny Brown, a giant central defender signed from Heybridge Swifts, and John Lawford who made a belated debut after being ineligible for the FA Cup. Dom Marsala also came in for Matt Skinner with Mark Lambert playing in a deeper role on the right. Against a Waltham Abbey side in mid-table in the Ryman League Division One North, Chesham had the majority of possession in the first half, but chances were at a premium as the new players began to build an understanding. The main goal threat came from corners but Sam Ledger and Andy Keepence were unable to get their headers on target. Just after the half-hour mark a cross from Richard Howard on the left struck defender Dave Ayres on the arm in the penalty area, but on the blind side of the referee who waved play on. Late in the half the visitors had their first shot on goal, a 30-yard free kick from Lee White that took a deflection but Luke Blackmore was able to change direction to save.
Chesham increased the pressure in the early stages of the second half. After two minutes a piledriver from Dave Fotheringham was touched over by keeper John Hickman, then a low cross from Howard was turned goalwards by Danny Talbot but Hickman got down to save. At the other end a sliced clearance fell to Kevin Ayres who hooked over, but Chesham came back with a fine run and cross from Dom Marsala but Richard Howard at the far post stabbed the ball wide from six yards. Chesham were looking the more likely to break through but it was the visitors who scored first just after the hour mark. Lee Sontag was going away from goal on the edge of the area but Luke Blackmore, in attempting to grab the ball, missed it and took the players legs for a clear penalty which Lee White converted.
However the lead was to last only four minutes. Dave Fotheringham shot goalwards and John Lawford controlled the ball, turned and shot into the corner of the net for a typical goal-poacher's goal. Lawford then laid the ball off to Carl Bruce who shot over from the edge of the area, but within three minutes Chesham completed their comeback. Mark Lambert won the ball in the centre of the pitch and picked out Richard Howard with a long ball down the left, Howard's shot was parried by Hickman but Lawford reacted quickest to sweep home the loose ball for his 150th goal for Chesham. In the later stages Sam Ledger got his head to a Talbot corner but could only glance the ball across goal, but Waltham Abbey did not look like troubling a Chesham defence in which Danny Brown was in commanding form. The visitors only threatened once when a shot from sub Louis Collins had Blackmore scrambling across his goal but the ball flew narrowly wide. In stoppage time Chesham nearly made it three when sub Michael Toner found Dave Fotheringham whose shot nearly went through the legs of Hickman but the keeper was able to drop on the ball before it crossed the line.
Simon Newbury
