Chesham United

Chesham came back from a goal down at half-time to win comfortably in this local derby.  Chesham were not in the game in the opening half-hour but began to exert some pressure towards the interval, and after equalising with a fortunate goal early in the second half went on to dominate the remainder of the game.

There was a reaction the Leighton defeat with five players relegated to the bench and all Saturday’s substitutes in the starting line-up.  Beaconsfield’s manager was previously at AFC Hayes and a number of their players played for them against Chesham in the League Cup last season.  The first problem for both sides was the pitch, which had huge ruts across it and looked as if someone had been a bit over-enthusiastic with the weedkiller.  If it is this bad in August I dread to think what it will be like when Chesham play Slough there in January.  Chesham started well with James Harry in the Beaconsfield goal parrying an angled shot from Leon Archer, and Lewis Laws finishing a strong run through the middle with a shot just off target.  However the home team began to look dangerous through the pace of Trevor Charlery and Victor Osobu down the flanks, and after 17 minutes Osobu outran the defence and was about to take on Richard Hayward when he was floored by a despairing challenge by Ollie Adedeji.  The referee let Adedeji off with a yellow card and Dean Clark tucked away the resulting penalty.

Chesham were struggling at this stage and in the next minute a misplaced pass let in Osobu but a fine tackle by Nick Leach saved the day.  Richard Hayward then made a great save to tip over a shot from Charlery that looked destined for the top corner.  On the half-hour a long run from Charlery saw him round Hayward but took the ball too far wide and the chance was lost.  However Chesham began to come into the game and had a shout for a penalty when a powerful cross from Danny Talbot struck Bartlett on the arm, far enough away that some referees might have called it deliberate.  As half-time approached Chesham had their two best chances, firstly when Chris Bangura seized on a rebound and slotted the ball wide of Harry but just wide of the post, then a Danny Talbot free kick was parried by Harry and Steve Wales got to the rebound first only to blaze over the bar.

Chesham brought on John Kyriacou at half-time to counteract the threat of Osobu, and in the third minute of the second half drew level.  Kevin Cotton played the ball back for Danny Talbot to whip in a cross from the left which Harry stood and watched as it sailed over his head into the far corner of the net.  Chesham were now in control as the referee looked to increase his card count, showing seven yellows in all.  On the hour Danny Talbot’s free kick from the left came to Nick Leach at the far post whose header was blocked by Harry, but five minutes later Chesham took the lead when Wales’s lay-off sent Archer free to slide the ball past the advancing keeper.  Wales followed up as the ball crossed the line but apparently did not touch the ball.  The home side only once threatened to get back in the game, when Charlery pulled the ball back from the by-line to Charlie Hill who shot wide of the far post, but shortly afterwards Chesham wrapped up the points when Leon Archer’s flick saw Chris Bangura beat the offside trap and side-foot past the advancing keeper.  In the last minute of normal time Danny Talbot’s left-wing corner went beyond the far post to Leon Archer who headed into the net for Chesham’s fourth.  The game ended on a sour note when sub Danny Burnell, back helping the defence, was sent off for a tackle on Trevor Charlery that the referee deemed to be two-footed and which left Charlery sitting out the last few minutes having treatment on the sidelines.