AFC Hayes 2-5 Chesham United

[Simon N]

Chesham:

1. Richard Hayward
2. Conner Baker
3. Sam Ledger (booked 58 mins)
4. Nick Leach
5. Danny Talbot (goal 45 mins (pen); booked 72 mins)
6. Mark Lambert
7. Dave Fotheringham
8. Steve Wales (goal 11, 61mins)
9. Leon Archer
10. Adam Parker (goal 50 mins)
11. Kevin Cotton

Subs:
12. Ollie Adedeji
14. Chris Bangura (for Parker 68 mins)
15. Danny Gudgeon (for Cotton 68 mins; booked 85 mins; goal 89 mins)
16. Phil Turner
17. Steve Obeng (for Baker 78 mins)



After five postponements Chesham and AFC Hayes finally got this second-round League Cup tie out of the way. This is one of Chesham’s lucky away grounds as they have now scored 14 goals in the three matches they have played here.

There were three changes to the starting line-up, with Richard Hayward returning after suspension, Conner Baker making his debut in defence and Kevin Cotton returning in midfield, replacing Ollie Adedeji and the suspended John Kyriacou. Danny Gudgeon and Steve Obeng were originally due to start but were stuck in traffic and replaced by Baker and Cotton. Mark Lambert dropped back into the right-back slot with Conner Baker playing on the left and Sam Ledger in the middle. Denilson Vicente, who played one game as a sub for Chesham last season, was missing from the AFC Hayes side due to suspension. Against a side who have lost their last eleven league games Chesham took control early on, and took the lead in the eleventh minute. Danny Talbot took a free kick from out on the left touchline, the ball was headed out and Steve Wales collected and fired into the roof of the net from just inside the area.

Chesham continued to dominate the game and Steve Wales collected a rebound and fired across goal, but midway through the half the home team threatened for the first time when Craig Tomkins broke clear but Richard Hayward came out to block. The game went into a quiet phase until five minutes from half-time when a home corner was taken low to Tomkins whose shot from the edge of the area was well parried by Hayward. At this stage Hayes were well in the game but Chesham’s second goal on the stroke of half-time effectively ended the contest. The home defence was set to clear when keeper Aaron Bufton charged out to collect the ball, but Dave Fotheringham just got there first and Bufton’s challenge took the man rather than the ball. Danny Talbot tucked away the resulting penalty.

Five minutes into the second half Chesham scored the goal of the game, thanks to a brilliant run by Wales who picked up the ball just inside the Hayes half, sprinted past two defenders and rounded a third to reach the by-line and square for Adam Parker to tap in. Five minutes later Chesham were preparing to defend a free kick when a flare-up between Sam Ledger and Hayes’ Mark Burgess saw Burgess sent off for striking Ledger in the face. Shortly afterwards Steve Wales seized on a misplaced pass in the middle of the home half, ran clear and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper to make it 4-0. By now Chesham were in total control and Leon Archer sent Wales away on the right but Bufton came out to block, then Bufton was forced to save from his team-mate when Wes Beckles turned a Wales cross towards his own net. Chesham made a double substitution and both were soon into the action, Danny Gudgeon setting up Chris Bangura whose shot was just wide. However Chesham relaxed and allowed the home team a consolation when home sub Dennis Maharjan blocked a clearance from Sam Ledger and ran through to score. Bufton tipped over when Chris Bangura turned a Talbot free kick goalwards, then Bangura slipped the ball through to Archer who side-footed wide. As the game drew to a close Wales cut inside from the right onto his left foot but shot just wide, then Danny Gudgeon scored Chesham’s fifth with a shot from the edge of the area that Bufton should have saved. Deep into stoppage time Craig Tomkins broke clear on the right and slotted the ball past the advancing Hayward to give Hayes a second consolation.