CHESHUNT 2 HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS 3
Ryman League Division 1 North
Saturday 20th February 2010
An even opening ten minutes saw both teams serve notice of attacking intent, Tom Broadhurst for Heybridge nearly latching on to a short back pass from Glen Parry, Luke Dodd quickly out to clear and save the Cheshunt skipper. At the other end a clever ball from Boniek Forbes nearly put Bradley Harrison in on goal, but the Cheshunt striker was caught on his heels and failed to connect. Parry atoned for his earlier error twice making crucial tackles to thwart the dangerous Broadhurst. Gary Schillachi took note and blocked a Heybridge attack from right back, travelled forward and looked to build a Cheshunt attack from the right; Bradley Harrison drew the foul as a push in the back prevented the move building. The resulting free kick was however too close to Jamie Bowyer in the Heybridge goal and the keeper saved with no challenge. Bowyer was then called into action twice more when first he narrowed the angles forcing Harrison to shoot over after a neat one two move with Boniek Forbes, and then forced to fly hack clear as Cheshunt speedster Chris Meikle chased a Jordan Lumsden through ball. Jake Gibson the Heybridge right back was finding plenty of space and able to advance regularly to provide a threat from wide, a willing outlet as Heybridge repeatedly repelled a buoyant Cheshunt. With only one striker Heybridge opportunities looked limited as the Cheshunt midfield & defence closed down support players quickly. The Swifts limited to an occasional long range speculative effort wide from Tom English and an on target free kick which Luke Dodd gathered comfortably. Cheshunt broke the deadlock when Bradley Harrison lunged forward in the six yard box, tangling with keeper Bowyer, the ball squeezed out from between them and Chris Meikle was at hand to tap home from short range for his tenth league goal of the season. Heybridge pressed for an equaliser, the busy Harrison Chatting blazing two attempts high & wide from distance before reverting to crossing the ball where Heybridge looked more dangerous. Gary Schillachi showing calm awareness to head behind from in front of his own goal to deny Broadhurst an easy header from such a cross.
Tom English opened the second half for Heybridge in a more prominent role and most Heybridge attacks used him as a pivot, in an advanced midfield area. In the same area for Cheshunt Jordan Lumsden put Meikle through, but the shot on goal was weak and easily covered by Bowyer the Heybridge keeper. When Bowyer wandered from his six yard box it was Lumsden who saw the opportunity early, but his attempted lob was too long in the air to trouble the keeper and Bowyer saw it out, wide of the mark. Ten minutes into the second half Dave Hicks advanced through central midfield and flicked up a pass inside from Forbes, as the ball dropped Hicks smashed an unstoppable volley just inside the left hand post, a goal worth the entrance fee on its own. Heybridge redoubled efforts and the troublesome Broadhurst finally saw reward for his hard work on the hour, when he received the ball back to goal, and a smart turn and low shot across the keeper found the back of the net. At this stage Cheshunt continued to play their football, Angus McLachlan curled a left foot shot just wide, & Gary Schillachi saw the Heybridge defence open up before him as clever runs from colleagues drew players out, alas a right foot shot from distance cleared the far post. Heybridge bought on Perry Sansford and switched to three up front to chase the game with fifteen minutes to go, and were rewarded with an equaliser on eighty three minutes when Cheshunt failed to clear convincingly and the ball fell to Broadhurst in the inside right position & he again shot low across Luke Dodd to score in the opposite corner. Five minutes to go, and neither side were settling for a draw, smart interplay between Lumsden, Harrison & Meikle created the shooting opportunity for Harrison, only to be blocked by solid defending by Nathan Smith. Harrison returned the favour putting Meikle through with a diagonal ball, Meikle checked to wrong foot the Heybridge defender and opened his body to curl a shot past the outstretched Bowyer, only to see the ball rebound off the far post. Heybridge too were having their moments, Broadhurst on a hat trick rose highest and got everything right in heading downwards, the post this time coming to Cheshunt’s rescue. Defensively neither side looked secure, but it was Cheshunt in defending deeply and not clearing effectively who paid the price. A ball swung into the Cheshunt box dropped in the six yard area and as bodies flew in from both sides to claim, it was Perry Sansford, Heybridge substitute, who managed to steer the ball over the line to rob Cheshunt of all the points.
Cheshunt: Dodd, Schillachi, Mountford, Parry, Williams, Hicks, Lumsden, McLachlan, Forbes (Tresadern), Harrison, Meikle subs not used Dos Anjos, Dearie, Thomson, Ogunkoya
Att: 161