Happy St David’s Day to you all! It’s been another busy week with two senior men’s home games at The Meadow and another four points added to our seasonal tally. Such has been our success in recent weeks the dropped points on Tuesday night feel a bit disappointing, but it is always important to look at the bigger picture – this is only our second draw since well before Christmas, and we have won all the other games so I think we would have all taken that outcome as we travelled back from the 4-0 defeat at Plymouth in the first week of December (our last defeat).

Last Saturday we struggled to get into top gear, but eventually saw off Poole Town 3-1 with another professional and patient performance. Tuesday night was slightly different. There were changes to the starting line-up as the management look to utilise the squad and maintain fitness of the team for the remainder of the season, and not just the next game. When we went 0-1 down there was a fear that that might have backfired, but we got an equaliser and were perhaps happy to take the 1-1 draw at the final whistle. Our visitors, Hanwell Town, were excellent on the night and deserve a lot of credit, and we finish the week 12 points clear at the top of the table. If back in August anyone truly though that would be the case, I’m afraid I don’t believe you!

It was a tough weekend for Chesham’s Women’s team who travelled to Ashford Town on Sunday 25th. As some of you will have read in Tuesday’s programme notes we were greeted with a referee who gave out 3 sin-bins to our players – for a period we were down to only 9! Chesham came back from that fixture on the end of a 3-0 defeat. This weekend the 1st team welcome Norwich City FC Women to The Meadow – Sunday at 2pm. Norwich are chasing promotion but we beat them at home last season! Please do come along and see if we can repeat that feat. Chesham’s Senior Development team travel to Long Crendon for a match in the Chairman’s Cup – 2pm at Long Crendon Recreation Ground.

Tomorrow our senior men’s team travel to Hendon, a local game and I am sure many of you are planning to make the short trip. As our management duo keep mentioning in their programme notes and post-match interviews, that support is hugely appreciated and is only going to become more and more important as the season progresses, so please do come along to the game if you can. Hendon play on an artificial pitch, so the recent rain will not be an issue for the game going ahead.

Next Saturday we travel to second-placed Salisbury. Despite their manager last weekend talking of the title now being beyond them for this season, we know they are very much a threat, especially as we still have to face them at home and away in the league before the end of next month, anything can still happen. The Supporters’ Trust are arranging a coach to this one, details can be found here, and many other are making their own travel arrangements. Again, your efforts and support is appreciated.

At last Saturday’s home game we also hosted a kids football party and the feedback we have received from that has been fantastic, almost more satisfying than the win on the pitch that day. A big thank you to Tanya and her team for doing such a brilliant job of arranging, and to everyone who played their part. By all accounts we have recruited some new young fans from the day as well as generating new enquiries about playing for our youth teams. That is so good to hear, a community club in full motion.

Thank you for your support.

Peter Brown, Chairman