CHESHUNT 2 OXHEY JETS 1
Herts Senior Cup Semi-Final
Tuesday 24th February 2009
Harry England reports.....
The Ambers made things difficult for themselves as they narrowly progressed to the final with a 2-1 victory against Spartan Premier side Oxhey Jets. Ashley Harris kept onto the the number 1 shirt, with new signing Joe Taylor on the bench. Nick Thorogood took the captain's armband after Mervin Abraham was late to the game, meaning a late swap put Tom Tresadern in the first XI, dropping Abraham to the bench.
An action-packed first-half kicked into life on ten minutes, as Michael Pelley hit a hopeful thirty-yarder, the goalkeeper palming the ball away though. Four minutes later, Jamie Arthur's shot was gathered by Harris. On fifteen minutes, the Ambers went ahead through Clark Akers. He turned well on the edge of the area, firing a left-footed shot goalbound, but his effort was blocked by Ashley Taylor-Forbes, whose effort was put out to the edge of the area, for Akers to hit a powerful drive into the bottom corner. Ten minutes later, the scoreline was doubled, as an Ola Akinnawo low cross was chested down by Harrison who, with his back to goal, turned and rolled the ball past Chris Walker. An Oxhey attack led by Wayne Gaddy was launched just before the half-hour mark, ending in Adam Lowton volleying wide, and somehow earning a corner. Skipper Marc Ayres' resulting header was excellently saved by Harris. Moments later Taylor-Forbes went rampaging down the left wing, putting in a low cross which Ritchie Johns attempted to diving header. The ball slowly spun goalbound, catching Walker by surprise, and he did well to recover and tip the effort past the post. On thirty-five minutes, the visitors pulled one back, and it became apparent that the game wouldn't be easy. Jamie Arthur was on the end of a long-ball, getting away from his marker Michael Pelley before rolling home to pull one back. Two minutes later Tom Tresadern hammered a volley way over, then Harris had to make another excellent save when Lowton beat the offside trap and went through. Just before the interval, Arthur was booked for a push on Glen Parry, and five and a half minutes were somehow played for stoppages!
Chances were aplenty in the second-half too, although neither side could add to their tally. Harrison's header was well tipped-over by Walker early in the half, before Glen Parry was brought down by Wayne Gaddy on the edge of the area. Taylor-Forbes tried an optimistic effort from the tight angle, catching Walker by surprise, who pushed the ball away. The referee then caused controversy as he booked Glen Parry, despite his linesman flagging for a foul the opposite way. After conferring, he also booked Nathan Roberts for the incident, and then got his cards out again eight minutes from time as Gaddy was booked for dissent. Lowton then had his team's best chance of the half, as a cross was tipped on by Harris, leaving him with an open goal to head into from a yard, but he miraculously put his effort over! As Oxhey threw the men forward to get an equaliser and take the game to extra-time, Cheshunt took the opportunity to launch counter-attack's of their own. Taylor-Forbes was denied by a last-ditch tackle, before Harrison was booked for dissent. The last action of the game was substitute Dan O'Connor's effort from the right which was well saved by Walker.
Cheshunt now face the winners of Stevenage vs. Leverstock Green (Wednesday 25th) in the cup final.
Cheshunt: Harris, Pelley, Parry, Thorogood (c), Johns, Harrison, Akers (Abraham 65'), Boyce, Taylor-Forbes, Akinnawo, Tresadern (OConnor 83')
Not used: Pigden, McGowen, Taylor
Leyton: Walker, Brown, Grace, Ayres (c), Harding, Gaddy, Roberts, Turner (Bywater 87'), Lowton, Arthur (Bull 52'), Ingham
Not used: Wyatt, O'Mara, Jenkins
Attendance: 91