CHESHUNT 1 WALTHAM FOREST 0

Ryman League Division 1 North
Saturday 22nd November 2008

Harry England reports...........

Cheshunt could have been forgiven for thinking they had the three points in the bag against third bottom Forest who had been struggling with problems both on and off the pitch this season, but in the end the home side were just grateful to have won the game.

Both sides had chances in the early exchanges with Michael Filletti cutting out Perry Burns’ scoring opportunity in the fourth minute and Clark Akers heading narrowly wide soon after for the home side after Glen Parry’s long throw. In the ninth minute though it was Akers that latched onto a long ball through the middle, his first touch taking the ball past the defender before shooting confidently past Elliott Justham in the Stags goal to open the scoring.

Any hopes of the away side crumbling though were wide of the mark as the visitors created chances. Burns scuffed a shot past Goodchild and saw the ball cleared from the goalmouth by Ricky Dobson and Filletti. Aaron Scott’s careless backheel nearly proved costly minutes later as Joel Palmer seized on the loose ball and struck from distance to produce a decent stop from Goodchild.

Tony Fraser was next to threaten for Forest as he again took advantage of Scott, beating him down the left flank before crossing to Yacine Hamada whose shot came back off Filletti before being scrambled clear.


Play continued to ebb and flow with both teams creating chances, Akers looking most likely to add to his and Cheshunt’s tally. On 37 minutes the midfielder turned superbly to create space for himself before knocking the ball into Mervin Abraham’s path. Abraham moved it on to Yohance Lewis whose powerful shot took a deflection before being stopped by Justham in the visitor’s goal.

Early in the second half and it was Hamada who was the villain for the Stags as he blazed over from point blank range with the goal at his mercy. Fraser then similarly failed to take his chance when well placed before Joel Palmer’s left footed strike found the side netting after the striker had rounded Goodchild.

Cheshunt were hanging on and as the clock ticked closer to time a Forest corner created mayhem in the home area until Michael Toner cleared brilliantly from the line. The away side’s appeals were waved away as the linesman confirmed that the ball had not crossed the line. Substitute Ashley Taylor-Forbes had two clear chances late on to make the scoreline more comfortable for the home side but both went begging as we hung on to secure the victory.

Cheshunt: Goodchild, Scott, Parry (cpt), Dobson, Filletti, Harrison, Toner, Prestedge (Ramshaw 83), Akers (Taylor-Forbes 53), Lewis (Roberts 64), Abraham.
Not used: Harris, Bradford

Waltham Forest: Justham, Boateng (Brookes 64), Roberts, Ramkin (cpt), Ojelabi, Harrison, Burns, Stanley, Palmer, Hamada, Fraser (Harris 90).
Not used: Quinn, Walsh, Jeanny

Attendance: 139