Match Reports & Fixtures
Bedworth United 0 - 1 Chesham United
Chesham:
1. Richard Hayward
2. Andy Keepence
3. Michael Sharman
4. Mark Lambert
5. Steve Cawley
6. Danny Talbot
(booked 26, 72 mins - sent off)
7. Kevin Cotton
(goal 41 mins)
8. Dave Fotheringham
9. Danny Burnell
10. Sammy Winston
(booked 16 mins)
11. Dom Marsala
Subs:
12. Matt Skinner
14. Phil Turner
15. Kieran Allen-Curry
(for Cawley 82 mins)
16. James Beasant
17. John Lawford
A single Kevin Cotton goal was enough to bring Chesham back to winning ways after the defeat at Evesham. Chesham were good value for their win after dominating the first half, although the second period was more of a battle. Chesham's run of red cards was extended to four matches after the dismissal of Danny Talbot in the second half, a decision that seemed harsh to say the least.
Chesham made four changes to the team beaten at Evesham - Sam Ledger and Adam Parker were suspended, Matt Skinner only fit enough to be on the bench, and John Lawford was named as a substitute although he was not at the ground after being considered too ill with flu to travel. Into the team came Michael Sharman playing in the centre of a three-man back line, Steve Cawley making his first start on the right of midfield, Dom Marsala and Sammy Winston, returning to the club after eight years and starting in spite of being short of match fitness after being injured for most of the season. Ledger's absence meant that James Beasant was on the bench as goalkeeping cover. The early stages were scrappy although Chesham gradually began to get on top as the half wore on. After twenty minutes a through ball from Mark Lambert eluded the home defence and Sammy Winston found himself clean through on goal to side-foot wide of keeper Andrew Kemp but also just past the near post.
Shortly afterwards Winston won a challenge midway inside the Bedworth half and ran on to fire in a shot that Kemp parried and the ball was scrambled away, then Dom Marsala cut in from the left and fired in a shot that Kemp tipped onto the crossbar and over. Chesham were totally in control by this stage and well worth the goal that won the game on 41 minutes. A neat move down the right ended wih Sammy Winston crossing low into the box, the ball was cleared away from Danny Burnell but only as far as Kevin Cotton who thumped the ball low into the corner of the net from 12 yards out. Chesham continued to pour forward and Mark Lambert chipped the ball over the home defence to Winston whose angled shot cannoned off Kemp's legs, then Kemp was forced to stretch to tip away another shot from Dom Marsala. In stoppage time Bedworth had their only noteworthy effort of the half, a speculative shot from Adam Kinder that had Richard Hayward stretching but flew safely wide.
Bedworth made a substitution at half-time and started to come into the game more as Chesham went slightly off the boil. However the home team never really threatened apart from a long shot from Jamie Williams that Richard Hayward saved comfortably. Just after the hour mark Chesham could have doubled their lead against the run of play, when Danny Talbot's free kick from wide on the right found its way through to Winston who stuck out a foot and rolled the ball past Kemp but just past the post. The referee then took centre stage when Bedworth's Nick Mowl, who had already been booked, held back Danny Burnell as he threatened to break clear. Burnell shrugged off the challenge and headed for goal only for the referee to bring back play for a free kick and let Mowl off without a word. Chesham's management and supporters were then left scratching their heads when in the next minute Danny Talbot was shown a second yellow card for an innocuous foul on Lee Darlison.
Even with the man advantage Bedworth struggled to create any chances, but Chesham played safe by bringing on an extra defender in Kieran Allen-Curry. Six minutes from the end came Bedworth's only real chance of the whole game, when a free kick from out on the by-line from Luke Baker came to Danny Pitham at the near post who had a free header which he put over the bar from close range. The home team never came close again and Chesham could have wrapped up the game in the last minute of normal time, when a quick pass by Kevin Cotton set up Sammy Winston for a snap shot that flew just wide.
