Recap
Chesham were unable to repeat last week’s feat of coming back to win a match after going down to ten men. Curiously Chesham improved after going a man down and had chances to take the lead, but were undone by a goal against the run of play which effectively decided the outcome. Chesham’s team showed five changes from Saturday’s draw with Eastbourne, with Ben Goode, Steve Brown and Mitchell Weiss all injured and Avan Jones and Samson Esan dropped to the bench. They were replaced by Cian Moore, Connor Roberts, Connor Stevens, Joe Grant and Omar Rowe.
Chesham had a couple of attacks early on but the visitors came back and took the lead on 13 minutes. After a free kick was cleared Emmanuel Harvest crossed back into the area, and Harry Gibbs controlled and slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Shortly afterwards Jack Connors was injured and was replaced by Lewis Rolfe. Myles Weston was causing problems on the visitors’ left and one cross was cleared as far as Ollie Muldoon who shot wide, then another Weston cross was headed wide by Liam Nash at the far post. On the half-hour a Tom Wraight corner was headed towards goal and hooked off the line. However Chesham equalised against the run of play on 34 minutes. A Jack Cawley long throw caused problems in the Hornchurch box and eventually Nathan Minhas poked the ball over the line from close range. Four minutes later came the incident that changed the course of the game. After a messy incident between about four players the referee gave a free kick, and as the players got up Lewis Rolfe trod on Henry Hearn who was lying on the ground and was shown a straight red card. Chesham readjusted, bringing on Callum Adebiyi as an extra defender. The move nearly paid off at the other end when Adebiyi had a free header from a Connor Roberts corner but headed straight at Tom Middlehurst in the visitors’ goal. In stoppage time Connor Stevens headed towards goal from a Roberts cross but his effort sailed over the bar.
In the second half the ten men continued to show greater urgency, and on 56 minutes an Omar Rowe shot took a slight deflection and Middlehurst was able to save. Midway through the half another Cawley long throw came to Joe Grant whose shot was blocked for a corner, then a great through ball from Ashley Lodge set up Grant but his shot was turned round the post by Middlehurst. Chesham were still looking the more likely winners when Hornchurch retook the lead against the run of play on 82 minutes. Bailey Clements crossed from the left and Ade Yusuff stole in to head home at the near post. Chesham pushed forward and the visitors took advantage of the space at the back to score a flattering third goal in stoppage time, when Yusuff’s through ball sent Darren McQueen clear to score as Cian Moore came out from his goal.