Farnborough 1-3 Chesham United

[Simon N]

Chesham:

1. Richard Hayward
2. John Kyriacou
3. Sam Ledger
4. Nick Leach
5. Danny Talbot
6. Mark Lambert
7. Dave Fotheringham
8. Steve Wales (goal 64 mins)
9. Leon Archer (goals 15, 22 mins)
10. Chris Bangura
11. Danny Gudgeon

Subs:
12. Adam Parker (for Bangura 74 mins)
14. Kevin Cotton (for Archer 87 mins)
15. Ollie Adedeji
16. Steve Obeng (for Gudgeon 78 mins)
17. Conner Baker


Chesham advanced to the last eight of the Red Insure Cup with this win over high-flying Farnborough. Considering the league positions of the two clubs, this was a remarkable game which Chesham totally dominated and could have won by a bigger margin, while Farnborough looked nothing like a team nine points clear at the top of the premier division.

Chesham were unchanged from the win over Rothwell, while Farnborough made six changes to their starting line-up but still included seven first-team regulars. The opening minutes were largely uneventful although Richard Hayward had to come out from his goal smartly to claim the ball at the feet of Craig Dobson. However Chesham took the lead in the fifteenth minute thanks to some calamitous defending by the home side, when Steve Robinson attempted to play the ball back to keeper Stuart Robinson but Leon Archer stuck out a foot to win the ball and slotted into the empty net from a narrow angle. Seven minutes later Danny Gudgeon won the ball in midfield, Steve Wales lifted the ball into the space behind the home defence and Leon Archer ran through to slip the ball into the corner of the net to make it 2-0. Farnborough came close for the first time in the match two minutes later when Bobby Hopkinson’s shot was parried by Richard Hayward and cleared as far as Owen Price whose cross hit the bar although it would have been a freak goal had it gone in. Hopkinson had another shot turned away by Hayward, and from the resulting corner Adam Doyle’s header clipped the top of the bar, but the home side failed to put the Chesham goal under serious pressure, while Chesham were still looking the more dangerous side. However in the 44th minute left-winger Craig Dobson made for the by-line and the ball seemed virtually out of play when Nick Leach lunged in and brought Dobson down. Richard Hayward parried the resulting penalty from Kezie Ibe but Ibe followed up to score. Deep in stoppage time Steve Wales got to the by-line on the right and drove the ball low across goal but Chris Bangura was unable to convert from close range.

Chesham continued to take the game to the home side, and seven minutes into the second half Leon Archer’s dummy saw the ball come through to Steve Wales who sent Archer clear, but his first touch was too heavy and the ball rolled into the arms of Stuart Robinson. Four minutes later the home side’s chances were hit when left-back Sacha Opinel, who had been booked for dissent in the first half, was about to take a throw when he twice swore at the linesman and was inevitably shown a second yellow card. Chesham took full advantage eight minute later when Chris Bangura hooked the ball from the centre circle down the right where Steve Wales was able to run on and lob the keeper for Chesham’s third. Farnborough’s only worthwhile effort of the second half came shortly afterwards when Steve Robinson’s header from a corner was cleared by Mark Lambert. Farnborough then made a triple substitution, two of the players coming on being first-team regulars but it made little difference. Chesham were still looking the more likely to score and had another chance deep in stoppage time when sub Steve Obeng dribbled along the by-line and pulled the ball back to the unmarked Dave Fotheringham whose first-time shot from fifteen yards flew wide.