Chesham United Football Club

Chesham endured another frustrating afternoon as United Counties League side Stotfold held out comfortably for a replay in this FA Cup tie.  Once the visitors equalised straight from the kick-off in the second half, a draw always seemed the most likely result as both teams cancelled each other out.  There were four changes to the team that lost to Aylesbury in the Errea Cup, three enforced with goalkeeper Richard Hayward returning to Enfield Town, Adam Parker not allowed to play and Phil Turner out with a broken toe, so in came on-loan keeper Luke Blackmore from Hendon, Richard Howard, Danny Burnell and Carl Bruce.  John Lawford is also ineligible for the FA Cup having played for Northwood in an earlier round. 

Chesham created two early chances, one from a quickly-taken free kick by Danny Talbot who found Michael Toner on the left, and Toner set up Richard Howard who pulled his shot past the far post, then a run from Danny Burnell finished with a shot just wide from the edge of the area.  However the best chance in the early stages came to Stotfold's Joel Mason who missed with a free header from close range.  After a brief lull during which the referee mysteriously booked Richard Howard and Stotfold's Luke Donnelly when the ball was at the other end of the pitch, Danny Talbot combined with Mark Lambert to set up Richard Howard whose shot hit the advancing keeper Scott Waters.  However Chesham broke through three minutes later when Richard Howard sent Mark Lambert clear on the right to slot the ball into the corner of the net past the advancing Waters. 

Shortly afterwards a mistake by defender Colin Shambrook let in Michael Toner whose angled shot went wide of the near post, while at the other end a long clearance by Waters fell for Paul Garrett but Luke Blackmore came out to block.  Late in the half Carl Bruce played the ball in to Danny Burnell whose effort from an angle went off Waters for a corner, then from Danny Talbot's kick Sam Ledger's header was turned over his own bar by Louis Lee.  Chesham were caught cold at the start of the second half when Stotfold equalised straight from the kick-off.  Joel Mason ran unchallenged through the centre of the defence and shot past Blackmore as he came out. 

Chesham produced a good move down the left which ended with Richard Howard's shot being well saved by Waters, but shortly afterwards Andy Keepence went off injured which meant Mark Lambert switching to defence.  Midway through the half Danny Burnell raced on to Dave Fotheringham's pass but Waters blocked his shot, then Fotheringham's ball into the box came off a defender and a surprised Michael Toner could only stab the ball wide, but Chesham failed to put the Stotfold goal under any serious pressure late on and a draw seemed inevitable long before the end.