Chesham United 2-0 Bromsgrove Rovers

[Simon N]

Chesham:

1. Richard Hayward
2. John Kyriacou
3. Sam Ledger
4. Nick Leach
5. Danny Talbot
6. Lewis Laws
7. Steve Obeng
8. Steve Wales
9. Chris Bangura (booked 67 mins)
10. Phil Turner
11. Dom Marsala (goals 7, 22 mins)

Subs:
12. Kevin Cotton (for Marsala 75 mins)
14. Danny Gudgeon (for Obeng 88 mins)
15. Dave Fotheringham
16. Conner Baker
17. Liam Farrell (for Bangura 78 mins)


Chesham took advantage of Bromsgrove’s recent misfortunes to cruise to a comfortable win. There were many parallels with the Aylesbury game a few weeks ago – once-proud opponents fallen on hard times, an early two-goal lead wrapping up the points, and further chances going begging. Bromsgrove finished the game without mustering a single shot on goal, and although I don’t keep stats I don’t recall them winning a corner.

There were two changes to the starting line-up, Lewis Laws replacing Mark Lambert who started a two-match suspension, and Phil Turner making his first start of the season in place of Darrell Cox who was again missing due to work commitments. Danny Gudgeon and Dave Fotheringham were on the bench after recovering from injury. Bromsgrove sacked their manager in the week and fielded only eight of the squad of sixteen for last week’s defeat by Leighton. Chesham took control of the game from the start and scored in the seventh minute when Phil Turner crossed from the right, Chris Bangura challenged and the ball ran through to Dom Marsala who lashed it into the net from six yards. Danny Talbot’s free kick was headed down by Sam Ledger to Steve Wales who miskicked in front of goal, then Phil Turner controlled the ball in the area and it ran to Steve Wales but his shot hit Turner and went out for a goal kick. However in the 22nd minute Steve Obeng seized on a hurried clearance and slipped the ball forward for Dom Marsala who made it 2-0 with a powerful drive. Chesham continued to carve out chances, Obeng glancing a header wide from Talbot’s corner, then Steve Wales broke through the middle and keeper Karl Lewis appeared to get a fingertip to the resulting shot but the referee gave a goal kick. As half-time approached Lewis made a smart stop to keep out Steve Wales’ angled drive.

Bromsgrove made a double substitution at half-time, but in the opening minute of the second half Chesham were awarded a free kick on the right-hand edge of the area and Danny Talbot’s shot hit the bar and bounced out. Steve Wales then brought the ball down in the area and stabbed it over the bar, Lewis made another good save from an angled drive from Phil Turner, and Steve Obeng had a free header from a Talbot corner but nodded over the bar. Turner and Wales then combined to put Chris Bangura through but Lewis came out to block, and Bangura’s flick sent Wales away but he knocked the ball too far forward and Lewis saved. Midway through the half Bromsgrove threatened for the first time but Richard Hayward charged from his goal to clear from Nathaniel Waite, but in the next minute Sam Ledger rose at the far post to head across goal but nobody was there to take advantage. In the 81st minute it seemed as if Chesham had to score when Phil Turner was clean through but his final effort was blocked, and the ball came to sub Liam Farrell who attempted to work a shooting opportunity but the visiting defence got back to clear. Late in the game Turner got on the end of a long clearance from Richard Hayward and lifted the ball over Lewis but wide of the goal, then Lewis made another good save from Turner’s left-foot shot. In the last minute of normal time Hayward again had to rush from his goal to clear from sub Adrian Hylton, but Bromsgrove played out the last minute of the game with ten men when defender Jordan Street was forced to go off after they had used all their substitutes.