Recap
Salisbury put an end to Chesham’s run of 13 unbeaten league games which had yielded 35 points. Chesham were always up against it after conceding an early goal, and were looking to increase the pressure when the home side scored a second on the break just after the hour mark. There were two changes to the starting eleven – Eoin Casey returned after injury so Roddy Collins moved back into midfield, and T’Sharne Gallimore came in for Ryan Upward who dropped to the bench.
Chesham were caught out in the fifth minute when the defence failed to deal with a throw on the home left, and Noah Coppin fired past Zaki Oualah to open the scoring. The rest of the half was a cagey affair as Chesham had more of the ball but rarely tested the Salisbury defence. Bradley Clayton crossed from the right flowing a short corner but Kieran Murphy’s header was easily saved by home keeper Harry Lee, then a cross from Lewis Rolfe came off a home defender and Ricardo German tried an overhead kick which flew just over the bar. Bradley Clayton floated in a free kick from wide on the right but Callum Adebiyi could only head wide of the far post, then in a rare Salisbury attack Ryan Penny fired across goal from the home right.
In the second half the tempo of the game increased and there were more chances at both ends. Early in the half a cross from Noah Coppin was cleared, then crossed back in and Dan Fitchett’s shot was cleared off the line. Chesham then had a shout for a penalty when Harry Lee dived at the feet of Zak Joseph but the referee only signalled a corner. Chesham made a double substitution on the hour and switched Lewis Rolfe to the left, but Salisbury again came close when Zaki Oualah parried a Dan Fitchett header. Chesham went back on the attack but the home side broke away, and Ryan Penny set up Josh Hedges who shot across Zaki Oualah and into the net from wide on the right. With Chesham leaving space at the back Salisbury again came close when Oualah parried Ryan Penny’s shot. Midway through the half Bradley Clayton’s hurried shot flew well wide, the Chesham brought on Ryan Upward for Eoin Casey and moved Rolfe back to the right. Play continued to switch from end to end, and Noah Coppin ran clear but fired over with only Zaki Oualah to beat. However two minutes later Bradley Clayton ran at the home defence from wide on the right, and was knocked off the ball by Richard McIntyre for a penalty which Ricardo German tucked away to halve the deficit. Chesham found new urgency and Zak Joseph had a shooting chance but fired well wide, then the home defence failed to clear a Jack Connors free kick and Ryan Upward’s snap shot flew just over. In stoppage time Jack Connors set up Lewis Rolfe who shot from close range, and the ball beat Lee but just grazed the far post. In the eighth minute of stoppage time Zak Joseph’s shot flew just wide with the aid of a slight deflection. Zaki Oualah went up for the corner, but the home defence cleared and Hedges was able to break away and tap into the unguarded net to seal the win.
Match Report
