Recap
Chesham went out of the FA Trophy against fellow National League South side Salisbury. Both sides played some good football in front of a meagre crowd, and Chesham were eventually eliminated thanks to a highly dubious penalty decision and some wastefulness in front of goal. Oliver Steinke made his second appearance in goal after last month’s Berks & Bucks County Cup tie at Amersham. There were a further five changes with Avan Jones, Callum Adebiyi, T’Sharne Gallimore, Karl Oliyide and Mitchell Weiss starting in place of Jack Cawley, Jack Connors, Ashley Lodge, Nathan Minhas and Omar Rowe. Both sides could have named seven substitutes but stuck to five.
Salisbury made the brighter start but Chesham had the first chance on goal, when Alex Lafleur set up Mitchell Weiss whose shot was blocked and Joe Grant fired the loose ball over the bar. Salisbury came close two minutes later when Owen Dore’s free kick from 30 yards clipped the top of the bar, then Oliver Steinke produced a fine flying save to turn a Callum Watts shot round the post. However Chesham then produced a fine flowing move at the other end with Avan Jones finding Joe Grant, and the ball came to Bradley Clayton whose shot was saved by keeper Dan Lincoln but Alex Lafleur followed up to net from close range. Chesham continued to threaten and one corner from Connor Roberts nearly went straight in but Lincoln tipped the ball away. Ten minutes later another Roberts corner found Connor Stevens who could not direct his header on goal. Chesham were looking comfortable but in the last minute of normal time Callum Watts again shot from distance and found the net past Steinke’s right hand to level the scores.
Salisbury now had the momentum and took the lead in the fourth minute of the second half. Craig Fasanmade ran down the right and pulled the ball across goal to the far post where Noah Coppin slid in to score. Chesham hit back and a cross from Callum Adebiyi was miskicked to Connor Stevens who could only turn the ball wide, then a quickly-taken free kick sent Mitchell Weiss clear to shoot over the bar with only the keeper to beat. Three minutes later Craig Fasanmade again advanced down the right and hit the bar with what looked like a mishit cross. Chesham began to get back in the game and Bradley Clayton’s crossfield ball found Alex Lafleur who shot over at the far post. However on 73 minutes Salisbury broke through Craig Fasanmade, who was tackled in the penalty area by T’Sharne Gallimore as he was about to shoot. Gallimore appeared to play the ball and the linesman signalled a corner but the referee gave a penalty although no Salisbury player appealed. Coppin scored from the spot to make it 3-1. Chesham pulled a goal back four minutes later when Connor Stevens headed in at the near post from a Connor Roberts corner. Chesham brought on Zak Joseph for his first appearance of the season after injury, and pushed forward in the later stages and came close in the fifth minute of stoppage time. After a corner was cleared Callum Adebiyi won the ball on the right and crossed to Connor Stevens who got ahead of his marker but could only head wide of the near post.
Match Report
Chesham United
