Amersham Town v Chesham United (Berks & Bucks Senior Cup Round 3)

Recap

Chesham fielded a mixed side featuring five debutants in this Berks & Bucks Senior Cup tie, and went out of the competition at the first time of asking after a penalty shoot-out. Chesham’s side showed eight changes from Saturday’s win over Worthing.  Goalkeeper Oliver Steinke and central defender Christian Swaby made their first starts and the three substitutes were also debutants.  In addition long-term injury victims Connor Roberts and Karl Oliyide returned after spells on loan at other clubs.

Chesham made a slow start but soon began to find some fluency.  Chesham had the first moment of note when a Jack Connors free kick came to Omar Rowe, who squared to Steve Brown who shot over the bar.  However three minutes later the home side took the lead when Max Mcleish latched on to a through ball and rounded Steinke to score.  Chesham had more of the all but lacked a cutting edge up front.  Omar Rowe’s low cross was just ahead of Joe Grant, then Avan Jones crossed low and Connor Roberts shot just wide.  However Amersham nearly doubled their lead on 32 minutes, when Max Mcleish’s long-range drive beat Steinke but came back off the bar.  In the next minute Bradley Clayton shot just wide after a corner was taken short, but the rest of the half passed without incident.

Chesham changed formation for the second half, with Connor Roberts switching to the right and Bradley Clayton to the left.  The move paid off as Chesham dominated the half.  Early on Claton’s cross was just too far ahead of the incoming Karl Oliyide, then Avan Jones’ low cross looped up off a defender and keeper Xavi Comas Leon tipped over.  In the next minute Karl Oliyide equalised with a close-range header from Omar Rowe’s corner.  Omar Rowe then set up Bradley Clayton who chipped over the bar, then Omar Rowe shot over following a short corner move.  As penalties looomed sub Shea Greene shot over from Joe Grant’s pass.  Amersham had shown little in attack but nearly stole victory late on when defensive hesitation let in Max Mcleish who lobbd over the bar with Oliver Steinke out of his goal.  The penalty shoot-out showed some fine marksmanship from both sides, but Joe Grant’s kick was parried by Comas Leon and the ball stopped on the line which meant Chesham were out.

Penalty shoot-out sequence (Chesham first):

Connors scored 1-0, Sweeney scored 1-1

Jones scored 2-1, Preedy scored 2-2

Clayton scored 3-2, Peerless scored 3-3

Grant saved 3-3, Mcleish scored 3-4

Brown scored 4-4, Schofield scored 4-5.