Chesham United FC

Chesham United Man of the Match: Rudi Plummer

After trailing for nearly an hour Chesham fought back to claim their first win of the season with three goals in ten second-half minutes.  Chesham struggled for a long time but eventually found a way through against a Merthyr side who scored with their only on-target shot of the game. There were four changes to the team beaten by Farnborough in midweek, two enforced with Bradley Clayton suspended and Tosh Gallimore injured, while Kieran Murphy and Eoin Casey dropped to the bench.  Into the side came Adam Martin, Mark Kirby, Billie Busari and Rudy Plummer.

Chesham took control of the game from the start and forced a number of early corners.  Billie Busari had a left-foot shot deflected behind, then from another corner Mark Kirby had a free header that was easily saved by keeper Steven Cann.  However Chesham were rocked when the visitors took the lead against the run of play, Kerry Morgan seizing on a loose ball and hitting a rising drive into the top corner of the net from 25 yards.  Chesham resumed control of the game and Zak Joseph hit a snap shot just past the far post from out on the left, then another low drive from Joseph flew past the diving Cann but just wide.  Chesham’s injury problems increased when Karl Oliyide limped off to be replaced by Eoin Casey just after the half-hour.

At half-time the referee changed into a yellow shirt, as his black kit was too similar to Merthyr’s all-navy strip.  Early in the second half Rudy Plummer hooked the ball just wide after Mark Kirby and Steve Brown headed on a free kick, then a Zak Joseph corner eluded both Kirby and Brown who attempted to head towards goal.  Midway through the half Isaiah Jones drilled the ball across goal to Rudy Plummer who managed to mishit from close range with the goal at his mercy.  However fifteen minutes from time Chesham were given the chance to equalise, when Isaiah Jones broke forward only to be tripped by Cameron Keetch just inside the area.  It was a clear penalty which Adam Martin took, but Cann blocked his kick and the follow-up header only for Isaiah Jones to force the ball over the line from close range.  In a rare Merthyr attack Ian Traylor crossed low to Frazer Thomas who turned the ball wide of the near post, but Chesham scented victory and took the lead on 82 minutes.  Rudy Plummer broke away down the left and scored with a low angled drive across the keeper who appeared to get his angles wrong.  Four minutes later Daniel Barnard attempted to head the ball back to his keeper, but failed to get enough on the ball and allowed Rudy Plummer to run clear and chip the ball over the advancing keeper to make it 3-1.  Chesham were now in total command and came close to a fourth in stoppage time, but Cann dived to his left to tip Zak Joseph’s shot round the post