Chesham United FC

Chesham United Man of the Match: Luke Warner-Eley

Chesham ended their home season with a draw on a warm spring afternoon. Hendon were ahead thanks to two penalty decisions – the first of which seemed reasonable, the second less so – but Chesham were able to salvage a draw with a late penalty of their own. Chesham were short on numbers with Charlie Taylor again starting in place of Ben Goode, and Kieran Murphy joining Jeanmal Prosper and Jefferson Louis on the injured list, so Eoin Casey dropped back into defence with Luke Heneghan starting. Adam Martin also returned after suspension replacing Billy Adcock.

Chesham had an early attack with Bradley Clayton mishitting a shot high and wide following good work from Ronny Mfinda.  The game had a bit of an end-of-season feel to it although Hendon were not entirely safe from relegation. Hendon’s first moment of danger came from a Lee Chappell long throw which Luke Tingey headed goalwards but Charlie Taylor tipped over.  Two minutes later a Chappell free kick was hooked towards goal by Romario Jonas, Taylor again saved and as the ball ran loose the referee awarded a penalty, seemingly for a foul on Lewis Toomey.  Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick converted.  Chesham came back with Dave Pearce shooting just over, then Ronny Mfinda’s shot flew just wide after a Pearce cross was headed out.  Bradley Clayton cut in from the left and fired across goal but just past the far post, then at the other end Ogo Obi hit the Chesham bar with what seemed to be a mishit cross from wide on the left.  In stoppage time the ball dropped to Dave Pearce in the Hendon area but his shot was parried by keeper Chris Grace.

Six minutes after the restart Chesham equalised, when a neat passing move down the left ended with Dave Pearce slotting the ball into the net past the keeper’s left hand.  At the other end another Chappell long throw came to Ogo Obi but his shot hit Luke Warner-Eley on the line.  For Chesham Ronny Mfinda headed just wide from Dave Pearce’s corner, then at the other end Ogo Obi cut in from the left and shot across the Chesham goal.  On 73 minutes Obi was again in on the left when Ryan Blake seemed to win the ball with a fair tackle, but the referee thought otherwise and gave a second penalty which Hippolyte-Patrick again converted.  Hendon sub Connor Calcutt side-footed wide of the near post from Matthew Harriott’s low cross, but Chesham came back with Bradley Clayton shooting just over.  As the game drew to a close Chesham were awarded a penalty of their own when the ball bounced up and hit Ryan Hope on the arm right in front of the referee, and Dave Pearce blasted home the kick.  In stoppage time Chesham looked the more likely to win it but Bradley Clayton’s low drive was turned away by Chris Grace, then in the dying seconds there was a mad scramble in the Hendon box when a number of shots were blocked and Steve Brown went down but the referee waved away appeals.