Chesham United FC

Chesham United Man of the Match: Adam Martin

Chesham went down to their first defeat of the season, against a Taunton side that finished in last season’s play-offs. Chesham were not helped by a series of injuries that meant they had used all their substitutes by the start of the second half, but were ultimately undone by two goals from corners. Ryan Blake came in for Bradley Clayton who was injured in Tuesday night’s win over Beaconsfield, and two other changes saw Kieran Murphy and Eoin Casey replace Steve Brown and Romario Hart.

After a quiet opening Chesham took the lead after 12 minutes, when Billy Adcock’s free kick into the home area was played across goal by Mark Kirby and Eoin Casey headed in from close range.  However the lead was to last only two minutes, as Matt Wright was left unmarked to head in Shane White’s corner to equalise.  Midway through the half Jeanmal Prosper was forced to go off with Dave Pearce coming in on the right and Ryan Blake dropping back to full-back, then three minutes later Billy Adcock was unable to run off an earlier injury and was replaced by Jefferson Louis with Eoin Casey dropping back into midfield.  Just after the half-hour mark a Dave Pearce free kick found Jefferson Louis who could only misdirect his header across goal.  However it was the home side who broke through a minute later, Lewis Hall finding space on the home left and squaring for Matt Wright to side-foot into the roof of the net.

Chesham made their third substitution at half-time, as Kyle Watson was unable to continue and Ryan Phillips came on for his debut.  Chesham had a let-off when Mark Kirby’s clearance went straight to Andrew Neal, but he mishit his shot across goal.  Chesham’s equaliser just after the hour mark was something of a gift, when Adam Martin’s long throw eluded everyone at the near post and came to defender Jamie Price could only slice an attempted clearance into his own net.  Chesham then came close when home keeper Lloyd Irish made a double save from Dave Pearce and Mark Kirby, then a Dave Pearce cross came to Jefferson Louis whose side-foot effort was comfortably saved by Irish.  However on 70 minutes a Zac Smith shot came off a defender for a corner, which White again took and Harry Kite stole in at the far post to head in.  Chesham increased the pressure late on and Dernell Wynter’s shot was deflected just wide.  At the other end Ben Goode saved at the feet of Ryan Brett after Ed Palmer’s shot had been blocked in the area, but Chesham threw everything forward in a late bid to secure a point.  Deep in stoppage time a long-range effort from Jefferson Louis was tipped over by Irish, then Ben Goode went forward when Adam Martin took a long throw and Goode had a shot on the turn which was blocked for another corner.