Chesham United Football Club

Chesham:

 

 

1.    Richard Hayward

 

2.    Mark Lambert

 

3.    Sam Ledger

 

4.    Andy Keepence

        (goal 41 mins)

5.    Danny Brown

 

6.    Danny Talbot

 

7.    Carl Bruce

 

8.    Dave Fotheringham

        (goal 69 mins)

9.    Danny Burnell

 

10.    John Lawford

 

11.    Dom Marsala

 

 

12.    Michael Sharman

        (for Brown 62 mins)

14.    Kieran Allen-Curry

 

15.    Tommy Higgins

 

16.    Matt Skinner

        (for Talbot 57 mins)

17.    Steve Cawley

 

 

Team Bath knocked Chesham out of the FA Trophy in a flurry of goals at the Meadow.  In the first half Chesham could not cope with the pace and movement of a team who are virtually full-time professionals, but can take some consolation in a much-improved second half performance and in scoring three goals against a side who have only conceded 8 in 11 matches in the premier division.

 

Chesham made two changes to the side that lost to Leamington the previous week, Andy Keepence returning in defence and Dom Marsala replacing Adam Parker who was away for the weekend.  Chesham made the better start but Team Bath's opening goal on nine minutes was an indication of what was to come.  A fast flowing move resulted in a half-clearance to full-back Matt Lock who crossed back into the box for the unmarked Sean Canham to head in.  Seven minutes later Matt Townley cut inside and curled a superb shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.  In the next minute Josh Llewellyn put the ball in the net after Richard Hayward parried a shot from Townley but was given offside, then Adam Green's long ball set Canham clear but Hayward blocked the resulting shot.  At stage it was looking like a rout but Chesham rallied and a shot on the turn by John Lawford clipped the post, then a fine run on the right from Dom Marsala set up Danny Burnell whose shot from the edge of the area beat keeper Darren Chitty but flew just wide.

 

Team Bath resumed control of the game with Richard Hayward making a good save from a shot by Ben Thomson, then Townley curled in a free kick to Llewellyn who miskicked in front of goal and the chance was gone.  However on 39 minutes a long ball from Sami El-Abd sent Llewellyn clear on the right and he rounded the advancing Hayward and scored from a tight angle.  Chesham came back with Carl Bruce crossing low into the six-yard box only for Danny Burnell to be denied by a last-ditch tackle, then from the resulting corner Danny Talbot's kick was glanced into the net at the near post by Andy Keepence.  However shortly before half-time Chesham allowed Canham too much space from a quickly taken throw and he lobbed over Hayward from the edge of the area to make it 4-1.

 

In the second half Chesham began to come into the game more, and ten minutes in John Lawford found some space on the left but Chitty saved the resulting shot.  Shortly afterwards Danny Brown went off after taking a blow to the face which resulted in the loss of a tooth.  Team Bath were content to rely on breakaways, and from one of them Thomson set Canham free and he side-footed past Hayward but also past the far post.  Midway through the half Canham and Townley combined, Townley crossed low into the box and Steve Abbott, who had only just come on as a sub, scored from close range.  Chesham reduced the arrears two minutes later when John Lawford threaded a pass through to Dave Fotheringham who slotted the ball into the corner of the net as Chitty came out.  By now the visitors had taken Canham off and Chesham were on top in the later stages.  Sam Ledger's long pass set Dom Marsala clear but Chitty came out to parry, then Marsala sent Danny Burnell clear but Chitty saved.  Chesham were worth a third goal and it duly arrived in stoppage time albeit in slightly comical circumstances, when Chitty came out of his area to hack away a through ball but his clearance struck defender Adam Green and rebounded into the net.