Didcot Town vs Chesham United

Recap

There was a large cheer from the home supporters at the end of this game, after their team had clung on to a point in this bottom v top battle.  Chesham had a man advantage from early in the second half but failed to make the most of it in a disappointing performance. There was just one change to the starting eleven, T’Sharne Gallimore coming in for the injured Harry Rush.  After a quiet opening the home side took a shock lead on 21 minutes.

Lewis Rolfe needed treatment after a challenge that earned Adam Learoyd a yellow card, but in spite of this the referee told Rolfe to leave the field.  When play restarted Rolfe was waved back on, but was out of position as Didcot broke forward and Seth Humphries set up Robbie Gallagher to score.  However three minutes later Zak Joseph broke into the area on the left only to be tripped by Sam Barder, and Ogo Obi slammed in the resulting penalty to level the scores.  After Seth Humphries needed lengthy treatment for a head injury, the referee added twelve minutes of stoppage time and in the eleventh awarded a second Chesham penalty for handball in the area.  However after home protests the referee consulted his assistant, who overruled the award because it was Zak Joseph who had handled.

Early in the second half Zak Joseph again ran towards the home area only to be tripped by Cameron McNeill, who had already been booked so was shown a second yellow followed by a red.  Shortly afterwards Alex Lafleur’s shot was tipped round the post by home keeper Leigh Bedwell.  Chesham began to take control and Jordan Edwards headed over from a Roddy Collins cross, but Didcot came back and sub Hosni Elarfa shot hurriedly over after the ball ran loose in the Chesham area.  At the other end Zak Joseph cut in from the left and shot but Bedwell again turned the ball round the post.  Didcot won a corner which led to a bout of head tennis before Patrick Osborne headed over, before Chesham took total control in the final quarter-hour.  Alex Lafleur had a shot deflected behind for a corner, but Didcot pulled everybody back and despite winning a number of corners Chesham were unable to break down the home rearguard.