Chesham United 3-0 Atherstone Town

[Simon N]

Chesham:

1. Richard Hayward
2. John Kyriacou
3. Sam Ledger (goal 79 mins)
4. Nick Leach
5. Ollie Adedeji
6. Mark Lambert
7. Dave Fotheringham
8. Steve Wales
9. Leon Archer (goal 72 mins)
10. Chris Bangura
11. Danny Gudgeon (booked 27 mins)



Subs:

12. Adam Parker (for Bangura 68 mins; goal 75 mins)
14. Phil Turner
15. Dom Marsala (for Gudgeon 60 mins)
16. Alex Duffy
17. Jack Pattison



Chesham ended a run of six games without a win against an inexperienced Atherstone side. Chesham dominated the game but looked short of confidence in front of goal, but there was always the feeling that if one goal came, then others would follow. That was the way it turned out as a burst of three goals in seven minutes decided the outcome.

Danny Gudgeon replaced Dom Marsala in the only change to the starting line-up. None of Atherstone’s players appeared in the corresponding fixture last season, and they did at least try to play decent football, but some of their players were barely out of the youth team. Chesham dominated the first half from the start and in the ninth minute Steve Wales ran on to Chris Bangura’s pass, keeper Nathan Woakes slipped as he came out but Dave Haywood got in a saving challenge. Shortly afterwards Woakes parried a fierce drive from Mark Lambert and the ball ran loose in the area but Atherstone were able to scramble it away. Steve Wales then got on the end of a low cross from Leon Archer but the effort was blocked and Woakes was able to dive on the ball, then Chris Bangura laid the ball back into the path of Dave Fotheringham who fired over from 15 yards. However Atherstone occasionally looked dangerous on the break and a left-wing cross from Kieran Robinson was turned goalwards by Simeon Smith but Sam Ledger and Richard Hayward combined to keep the ball out.

In the next minute Dave Fotheringham’s ball in from the left sent Leon Archer clear but Woakes came out to block, then Atherstone missed a great chance when Robbie Banks’ right-wing run ended with a low cross to the unmarked Smith who turned the ball wide of the near post. However Chesham resumed control of the game and a long cross from John Kyriacou found Sam Ledger unmarked in the area but he was unable to divert the ball goalwards. Chris Bangura then headed over from Steve Wales’ free kick, Archer and Bangura combined to set up Steve Wales whose shot was tipped over by Woakes, Sam Ledger headed in John Kyriacou’s cross but was flagged offside, then in stoppage time Ledger’s header from Steve Wales’ corner was tipped over by Woakes.

After the interval Chesham tried to find a way through but frustration began to creep in and the game became scrappy. However midway through the half Chesham brought on Adam Parker, and within four minutes Archer’s flick sent Leon Archer clear down the left, Woakes came out but Archer slipped the ball past him, controlled and slotted the ball into the net from an acute angle. Three minutes later Parker rose at the far post to head in John Kyriacou’s cross, then Steve Wales’s free kick from the left touchline was headed in by Sam Ledger at the far post. Atherstone brought on two 17-year-olds and the game ended quietly with Kieran Robinson having a shot deflected wide, then at the other end Steve Wales cut in from the left but fired across goal. In stoppage time Atherstone missed a chance to grab a consolation when Stuart Hendrie blazed over from just inside the area.