CHESHUNT 1 REDBRIDGE 2
Ryman League Division 1 North
Saturday 31st January 2009
Harry England reports.....
Two clubs in similar league positions took each other on at Theobalds Lane on a freezing Saturday afternoon. After the away visit earlier in the season ended in a 1-0 defeat for The Ambers, and a nasty injury which has sidelined Mark Gradosielski for the remainder of the season, Cheshunt were looking to make amends and win the game. Simon Peddie once again faced his old side for Redbridge, whilst Ashley Harris started in goal to replace Chris Goodchild who was ill. Tom McGowen made his first start for the club since the first game of the season against Aveley, whilst Nick Thorogood took the captains armband as Glen Parry was out with a suspension after his sending off against Waltham Abbey.
The visitors got themselves in front after just three minutes, as ex-Amber Simon Peddie's long ball somehow squeezed past Ashley Harris, leaving Carl Bruce to calmly roll the ball home. The equaliser came just five minutes later, as it looked like the game was going to be a thriller. Ola Akkinawo gave a neat flick to Kai Ramshaw who spun a ball high into the air around the penalty spot. It looked like a simple catch for Neil Finn, but Gavin Taylor got in there first and nodded the ball into the net.
It seemed a fairly balanced game, and Mark Nougher volleyed Earl Sterling's teasing cross way over a few minutes after the goals. Bradley Harrison tried to take his tally to two in two games, as he fizzed a twenty-yard drive just wide of the left-hand post.
On the half-hour mark, a great move put together by Michael Pelley and Akkinawo left Taylor in the clear. The ball bobbled under his feet but he managed to get a shot away, wrong-footing the goalkeeper, who somehow managed to get a fingertip to the shot and push it away; a brilliant stop. Three minutes later, Pelley was again involved, this time in a shocking miss from just two yards. The cross came in from the left, and Pelley slid in, getting right under the ball and sending it over. A minute later, Akkinawo was smashed to the floor by Mark Nougher who couldn't handle the explosive winger's pace, and ended up with a booking for his troubles.
Eight minutes before the break, Ashley Harris brought down Hakay Araba who was through on goal, and was slightly lucky to get away with no card. Araba stepped up confidently to the penalty spot, and hit a low, powerful drive into the bottom left, way out of the unlucky Harris' reach.
Five minutes later, Nougher had the ball in the net for the visitors, but the ball had gone out for a goal-kick in the build-up according to the linesman. In stoppage time of the first-half, Araba was booked for a foul.
The second-half was by far a dismal performance from both sides, with nothing to note except a chance for Dan O'Connor where he somehow wriggled through the defence, but had his effort denied by the fingertips of Finn in goal for Redbridge. Nick Thorogood picked up a booking for the Ambers for a slide where no contact was made, but Cheshunt couldn't find an equaliser and succumbed to a 2-1 loss.
Cheshunt: Harris, Pelley, McGowen (Churchouse 78'), Thorogood (c), Johns, Harrison, Akinnawo, Ramshaw, Taylor, O'Connor, Tresadern (Boyce 65')
Unused: Bradford, Crooks, -
Redbridge: Finn, Matson, Alder, Peddie, Ellis, Higgs, Laxton, Sterling (Humphrey 69'), Araba, Nougher, Bruce
Unused: Green, Haley, Darby, -
Attendance: 139