Chesham United vs Maidstone United

Recap

Chesham pulled off one of their best wins of the season to overcome a Maidstone side who had been unbeaten in the league since September.  After an even first half Chesham took control of the game with two quick strikes, and afterwards rarely looked like losing their lead. There were five changes to the starting eleven from last week’s draw at Aveley – Avan Jones, Lewis Rolfe, Bradley Clayton, Samson Esan and Matt Lench were replaced by Callum Adebiyi, Ashley Lodge, Joe Grant, Mitchell Weiss and new signing Taylor Foran who has joined on a month’s loan from Bromley.

The visitors came into the game on a run of seven wins and shaded the early possession but without threatening the Chesham goal.  Chesham had the first serious effort on goal on 25 minutes, when Nathan Minhas set up T’Sharne Gallimore for a shot that flew over the bar.  Eight minutes later another neat move set up Connor Roberts who advanced into the penalty area but sliced his shot wide.  Maidstone’s one moment of danger came in stoppage time, when a long punt down the field came to Aaron Blair who saw Dillon Addai off his line and lobbed towards the unguarded net but the ball flew just wide.

The course of the game was changed in the third minute of the second half, when good work by Joe Grant on the right set up Ashley Lodge for a powerful drive into the net from just outside the area.  Maidstone came back with a long-range effort from Ben Brookes that flew well over, but Chesham doubled their lead shortly afterwards.  Connor Roberts curled a free kick into the area and Connor Stevens stole in behind the defence to side-foot the ball in off a post.  Chesham grew in confidence and good work by Nathan Minhas set up Connor Roberts who fired across goal from out on the right.  On 77 minutes Reiss Greenidge headed over from a Ben Brookes corner but by then the visitors looked a beaten side.  On 86 minutes Aaron Blair seized on a loose ball and ran through to shoot but Dillon Addai dived to turn the ball round the post.  The resulting corner was headed on to Sol Wanjau-Smith whose header was tipped onto the bar by Addai, but Chesham ultimately saw the game out in relative comfort.