Recap
Chesham knocked Enfield Town out of the FA Trophy for the second year running, but this was a much tighter affair than last year’s tie which finished 4-0. As the scoreline suggests this was a very open game in which Enfield equalised three times, but Lucas Sinclair grabbed a late winner just as the tie looked like it might go to penalties. Chesham fielded a much-changed side, with six changes in all to the starting eleven. Steve Brown and Eoin Casey returned in place of Kieran Murphy and Callum Adebiyi in the centre of defence and Jack Connors, Connor Roberts, Jordan Edwards and Lucas Sinclair all started with Lesley Duru, Jordan Gibbons, Harry Rush and Ricardo German missing out. This meant a reshuffle with Connors in the centre of midfield and Connor Roberts playing wide on the left. Scott Shulton came on as a second-half substitute after registering the day before.
It looked as if this would be an open game almost from the start, when Sam Youngs’ shot on the turn flew just wide with the aid of a slight deflection. However two minutes later Chesham made their first serious attack and it brought a goal, as Avan Jones drilled the ball across from the right and Jordan Edwards volleyed in from close range. However the lead was to last only three minutes, as Sam Youngs seized on a loose headed clearance and netted with a low shot from just outside the Chesham penalty area. After a quiet spell Steve Brown restored Chesham’s lead with a close-range volley after the Enfield defence failed to deal with a Bruno Andrade corner. This time the lead was to last just ten minutes, after Joe Payne’s shot was deflected wide, the ball was crossed back in after the corner was cleared and Kyle Bailey stabbed the ball past Zaki Oualah from close range. The rest of the half was fairly quiet, although a powerful shot from Lucas Sinclair forced a diving save from visiting keeper Rhys Forster shortly before the break.
The early stages of the second half were similarly even, although Zaki Oualah was twice called into action to save from George Sykes and Sam Youngs. However just after the hour Chesham took the lead for the third time with a well-worked goal, Bruno Andrade’s perfectly-timed through pass sending Lucas Sinclair clear to stroke the ball past the advancing keeper. Once again Chesham failed to hold on to their lead, as six minutes later Sam Youngs converted a penalty after the referee decided that Scott Shulton had tripped Obi Onyeagwara in the area. However the rest of the game was fairly scrappy as both sides made substitutions and switched formations but to little effect. The game looked to be heading for a penalty shoot-out but in the last minute of normal time Lucas Sinclair put Chesham ahead for the fourth time. A long clearance from Zaki Oualah looked to have been dealt with by Kyle Bailey, but Lucas Sinclair nipped in and slotted the ball between keeper Rhys Forster and his near post. Enfield pressed for a fourth equaliser but Chesham successfully saw out the six minutes of stoppage time.
Match Report
