Recap
Chesham secured the victory they needed to clinch the championship on a memorable day at Harrow. Results on Saturday meant that Chesham only needed two more points, which they would have hoped to get against a side that look doomed to relegation. However Chesham made a nervy start and went a goal down, but once two goals from Kieran Murphy turned the game around the result was never really in doubt. Chesham made three changes to the eleven that beat Hayes & Yeading on Good Friday – Eoin Casey, Ryan Upward and Bradley Clayton came in for Steve Brown, Jack Connors and James Harding. The attendance of 662 was more that 300 more than Harrow’s previous highest of the season.
Chesham were the first to show with Alex Lafleur crossing to Ricardo German whose header produced a smart save from keeper Tyler Tobin. Tobin then saved Lewis Rolfe’s header from a Bradley Clayton corner, but Chesham were rocked when the home side took the lead on six minutes. Jack Tutton’s free kick from out on the right sailed over a packed penalty area, but Reece Mitchell crossed back in and the ball eventually ran loose for Ronny Mfinda to net from close range. Chesham were struggling and Harrow forced another corner from which Reece Mitchell had a shot blocked, and Lonit Talla’s follow-up was deflected away for another corner. Tutton’s kick was cleared and Reece Mitchell had another long-range effort which came back off the bar. However Chesham regrouped and came close when Bradley Clayton played in Lewis Rolfe who shot past Tobin, but Henry Lukombo got back to clear. Rolfe then shot over after Ryan Upward’s cross came to him as Chesham began to get a foothold in the game. Just after the half-hour mark Bradley Clayton took a right-wing corner low and Kieran Murphy flicked it into the net at the near post to equalise. Ten minutes later Clayton took another corner low and the ball again came to Kieran Murphy, who side-footed the ball into the net to give Chesham the lead.
In the second half Chesham took control and the home side never looked like getting back into the game. However Chesham created little of their own, although on 55 minutes Zak Joseph’s shot from a free kick was beaten away by Tobin. Ten minutes from time Zak Joseph ran at the home defence from wide on the right and went past Toby Nnadozie before falling as the defender challenged. The referee gave a penalty although it looked more as if Joseph had slipped. Ricardo German slotted home the kick and Chesham were looking as if it was only a matter of time. Harrow had one more effort on goal when Jack Tutton took a free kick but Zaki Oualah dived to his right and saved comfortably. On 89 minutes Bradley Clayton completed a hat-trick of assists when his corner was met with a far-post header into the roof of the net from Callum Abebiyi, who was immediately booked for taking his shirt off to celebrate. There was still seven minutes of stoppage time before the celebrations could start, during which time Bradley Clayton curled a shot just over and Jordan Edwards ran into the area but his final effort was blocked.
Match Report
