HARLOW TOWN 4 CHESHUNT 2
Isthmian League Cup 2nd Round
Tuesday 25th November 2008
Harry England reports...........
An eventful night at Barrows Farm nearly didn’t happen at all after an admin problem at the league meant that there were no Officials present for the game. Some frantic telephone calls and 40 minutes late the game finally kicked off at 8.20pm.
The home side were into their stride quickly with James Bunn forcing Chris Goodchild into a fine save in the third minute and they continued to make the early pace. The pressure soon paid off as Bunn fed Jamie Richards who shot low across goal to open the scoring. Things were not looking good for the Ambers but gradually we started to get a foothold in the game and gain some possession. As confidence grew we started to create chances, the clearest of which fell to Ashley Taylor-Forbes who blasted over from point blank range after some good work from Clark Akers down the right. Mervin Abraham then gave the striker the chance to make amends but this time Taylor-Forbes’ effort crashed off the post and wide.
Forty minutes in and Cheshunt were level when Michael Filletti’s angled free kick flicked off the head of Hawks defender Beckett Hollenbach and gave Simon Overland no chance. Cheshunt tails were up now and we continued to go forward looking for the second - and it came in stoppage time. Abraham’s short range effort was brilliantly saved by Overland but he could only parry the ball into the path of the advancing Taylor-Forbes who was brought down by Hollenbach. Clark Akers stepped forward and sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot and Cheshunt went into the break with a 2-1 lead.
Harlow came out fired up after half time and were soon level when Mark Taylor’s cross from the right was knocked back in by Danny Green for Bunn to head home. Harlow could have taken the lead soon after as Jamie Richards and Green (twice) went close and Cheshunt nearly paid the price for a slow start again. Both sides continued to go for the win though and the game was evenly poised when the decisive moment came on 75 minutes. Gavin Taylor went down in the box under a heavy Harlow challenge and there looked a strong case for a penalty but the ref waved play on and Harlow broke up field chasing Overland’s clearance. Unfortunately for Cheshunt, Goodchild made a rare error in allowing the ball’s bounce to deceive him and Jamie Richards gleefully prodded the ball home into an empty net to give Harlow the advantage.
This only served to galvanise the Cheshunt side who immediately went looking for the equaliser and so nearly got it. Bradley Harrison’s free kick caused confusion in the home defence and debutante Michael Pelley latched onto the loose ball to unleash a fierce drive that cannoned back off the post.
The game was finally killed off in the 83rd minute when Danny Green scored his second, a tremendous strike from fully 30 yards that flew into the top corner – a goal worthy of winning any game. There was still time for Goodchild to save well at full stretch from Tashan Adeyinka but the game was already won and Cheshunt were left wondering what might have been.
Cheshunt: Goodchild, Pelley, Parry (cpt), Filletti, Dobson, Harrison, Taylor-Forbes, Prestedge, Akers (Taylor 72), Roberts (Ramshaw 84), Abraham.
Not used: Harris, Toner, Scott
Harlow Town: Overland, Taylor, Hollenbach, Chapman (Charles 45), Kear, Kirby, Lalite (Peagram 90), Holding, Richards,Bunn (Adeyinka 82), Green.
Not used: Ponter.
Attendance: 118