CHESHUNT 3 EAST THURROCK UTD 4
Ryman League Division 1 North
Saturday 6th September 2008
Harry England reports......
Cheshunt snatched defeat from the jaws of victory this afternoon and will wonder how they failed to hold onto a three-goal lead. This seven-goal thriller will go down as possibly one of the greatest comebacks in footballing history!
East Thurrock had the first chance of the game just three minutes in, as Kurt Smith hit his shot over from a Scott Holding free-kick. The Ambers were unphased by this move, and just two minutes later opened the scoring. Yohance Lewis, who has been in fine form this season, added to his impressive record with a good hit. The run from Ashley Taylor-Forbes was mesmerizing, and he showed great vision to put the ball perfectly into Lewis' path, and he struck the ball into the roof of the net with his left foot.
Another wave of attack was forced on East Thurrock by Cheshunt, as Gary Schillachi won the ball high up the pitch. It fell kindly to Reece Prestedge, who in turn gave it to Yohance Lewis. The cross was slightly too heavy, and was cleared, but came back moments later. Yohance Lewis was once again in the thick of the action, as he directed the ball away from the 'keeper and was brought down. Strangely the goalkeeper wasn't booked, but the penalty was given, and Ashley Taylor-Forbes confidently struck the ball down the middle to double the lead.
Cheshunt were perhaps lucky to escape unpunished in the eleventh minute, as Graeme Butler was fortunate his mis-kick went for a corner, and not an own-goal from Scott Holding's low cross! The Ambers broke superbly from the corner, going from one end to the other in seconds, but unfortunately the move came to nothing. Five minutes after this, Taylor-Forbes was put through by Lewis, and was unlucky not to double his afternoon's tally. His shot rebounded off of the East Thurrock 'keeper, and hit him again for a goal-kick.
Relentless attacks from Cheshunt continued, as The Ambers showed some of the best football the fans have seen for some time. Eventually they were rewarded, again, in the eighteenth minute. An inch-perfect cross from right-back Gary Schillachi was met by Taylor-Forbes, who rose higher than everyone else at the back post to head home for 3-0.
Gary Schillachi had a golden opportunity to make it 4-0 in the twenty-sixth minute, but he smacked his shot way, way over and wide. Then it all fell apart. Ricky Dobson was unfairly judged to have handballed in the penalty area. He was on the floor when Kurt Smith's shot hit him, and the referee judged this to be a bookable offence. Martin Touhy converted the penalty by placing it into the 'keepers bottom-left corner on thirty-eight minutes.
HALF TIME
Cheshunt looked to make up for a shaky end to the first-half in the second, as early on Yohance Lewis beat the offside trap to setup Boniek Forbes, who wasted the chance by taking too long to shoot or pass. East Thurrock thought they had a goal back on fifty-six minutes, after some sloppy defending led to Martin Touhy's shot falling into the path of the offside Kurt Smith.
Five minutes after this however, the visitors did get a goal back through Martin Touhy again. Harry Ricketts came charging from his line, outside the area, and Touhy rounded him, before taking on Graeme Butler and rolling home. It was a sloppy goal to concede from Cheshunt's point of view, but the next was criminal. Less than sixty seconds after the restart, Max Cornhill won the ball and ran through a motionless defence, before slotting home.
That quickfire double left East Thurrock on level terms, and brimming with confidence. However, Cheshunt wasted a chance to regain the lead, as Jackman's rasping drive was turned away at the top-corner, and the newly-introduced Darren Williams headed the corner wide at the back post.
On seventy-two minutes, predictably East Thurrock took the lead. Martin Touhy completed his hat-trick as he latched onto a perfect Lee Williams cross to head home at the far post.
Controversy followed on the eighty-minute mark, as Daniel Bradford collided with the East Thurrock goalkeeper in a 50/50 challenge. After both received lengthy treatment, Bradford was booked by the referee, as was Mervin Abraham for daring to argue with him.
The game became scrappy towards the end, as The Ambers desperately tried to spare themselves the humiliation of the loss, and the tackles started flying in. East Thurrock saw Lee Williams booked for ploughing into Graeme Butler. Butler smashed the ball over from fifty-yards, in a desperate bid for glory, and Yohance Lewis saw a similar effort go wide too. Dan Bradford had a half-chance to equalise in the dying seconds, but his shot was along the floor to the 'keeper.
Altogether it was a dismal second-half from Cheshunt who will be kicking themselves for losing what should have been three-points wrapped up after twenty-minutes.
Cheshunt: Ricketts, Schillachi, Parry (c), Butler, Dobson (Williams 66'), Gradosielski, Taylor-Forbes, Prestedge, Jackman (Bradford 73'), Lewis, Forbes (Abraham 66')
Unused: Whincup, Harrison
East Thurrock United: Wray, Newby, Holding, Wood, Haines, Williams (c), Sammons (Lee Cornhill 57'), Max Cornhill, Smith, Touhy, Harrison (Llewellyn 22')
Unused: Bajowa, Stevens, Simmons
Attendance: 185
