Chesham United FC

Chesham came back to force a win after conceding for the first time this season. This was far from a vintage Chesham performance and their winning goal came about as a result of a goalkeeping error. However the attack looked much more potent after the introduction of Jake Cass as a second-half substitute. Sam Jenkins started in place of the injured Jeanmal Prosper and Reece Yorke made his competitive debt for the club in place of the suspended Steve Brown. The other change saw Adam Martin recalled in place of T’Sharne Gallimore, while Jake Cass and Kyle Watson both returned as substitutes after being injured in pre-season.

Chesham started well but Harrow had the first chance in the eighth minute, when Anthony O’Connor took advantage of defensive hesitation to fire in a shot that flew past the far post.  Five minutes later Chesham came close when Bradley Clayton won the ball and set up Eoin Casey whose shot was deflected wide.  From the resulting corner Mark Kirby and Eoin Casey both had efforts cleared off the line.  Shortly afterwards Chesham were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal, and Billy Adcock’s effort cleared the wall but flew just over the bar.  However it was the home side who took the lead just after the half-hour.  Kensley Maloney got to the by-line on the home right and was set to pull the ball back when he was brought down by Lewis Rolfe, and Liam Ferdinand fired home the resulting penalty.  Chesham began to show greater urgency and Bradley Clayton, who had just swapped flanks with Dave Pearce, cut in from the right and fired in a left-foot shot that hit the near post and bounced out for a corner off the head of the diving goalkeeper.  An Adam Martin long throw caused chaos in the home area and twice Chesham players had efforts blocked close to the line, but the equaliser finally came in the final minute of normal time.  Dave Pearce’s left-wing corner was partially cleared, Bradley Clayton’s effort came back off the post and Mark Kirby fired in the loose ball.

Early in the second half the home side had a spell of pressure.  Michael Bryan’s corner was headed towards goal by Anthony O’Connor but Sam Jenkins cleared off the line, then Ben Tricker’s long ball was turned across goal by George Moore but Liam Ferdinand could only stab the ball over from close range.  Just after the hour mark Jake Cass came on and played a minor part in Chesham’s winner six minutes later.  After a Cass cross from the right eluded everyone the ball came to Lewis Rolfe on the left, and Rolfe cut in onto his right foot and crossed back into the area.  Home keeper Matthew Hall misjudged the flight of the ball and eventually clawed it away from under the crossbar, but the linesman on the far side flagged that the ball had crossed the line.  Harrow came back and Liam Ferdinand fired over after a Michael Bryan corner had been cleared.  However Chesham were looking the more dangerous side and Jake Cass forced a save from Hall, then headed wide from a Dave Pearce free kick.  Cass had another header which was easily saved by Hall, then Mark Kirby’s through ball sent Bradley Clayton clear to shoot high over the bar with only Hall to beat.  Harrow threw players forward in a frantic last few minutes and won a free kick just outside the Chesham box, which George Moore took and his low shot somehow beat the wall but came back off the post.