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Chelmsford City 1-1 Aldershot Town, Saturday 11th November 2006, Chelmsford Sport & Athletics Centre, Kick-Off 3:00pm, F.A. Cup sponsored by e.on First Round Proper.
City’s F.A. Cup run continued after a 1-1 draw at home to Nationwide Conference side Aldershot Town earned them a replay in front of 2,838 spectators and the Match of the Day T.V. Cameras in Melbourne. The Clarets had gone ahead through Jeff Minton's 51st-minute penalty though a freak Ben Chenery own goal within minutes meant Chelmsford now venture to the Recreation Ground for a second attempt at toppling the Hampshire side on Tuesday 21st November. A bumper crowd kept the turnstile operators busy as City played host to their debut First Round match at their new base and their first home draw at this stage in around twenty years. The Management Team were able to welcome back Steve Ward to the heart of defence after injury, likewise left midfielder Spencer Knight who was fielded on the wing. The first ten minutes saw both sides have a crack at goal via a free-kick, firstly Darren Barnard dropping his effort wide of the post from 25 yards then Mario Noto for City seeing his deflected over. But in the 14th minute the Clarets could easily have gone ahead. Knight squeezed a cross in which came off the top of Kezie Ibe's head at the vital time and the deflection for the corner allowed Fiston Manuella to nod over against his former club. Mid-way through the first half came two guilt-edged opportunities for the hosts who amazingly failed to take advantage of either. Ibe dribbled trickily between a bunch of defenders right in the corner and delivered a low centre to Knight who was unable to get enough on the ball to guide it past Nikki Bull in the Shots' goal. Noto was then guilty of missing an even more open chance when Ricky Holmes burst down the right wing and laid-back to him in space but with the goal gaping the ball got stuck under his boot. As the half ticked away several yellow cards were brandished by Referee Mr G.D. Horwood as tackles went flying in and the match became more competitive. Bull almost cost his side a couple of minutes before the break, dropping a Minton corner kick when coming to collect but honours were even at half time. Upon the resumption, it took City just six further minutes to break the deadlock from the penalty spot. Knight struck out of the blue from distance and onto the upright and in collecting the rebound Ibe was brought to ground by Rhys Day for a penalty. Minton remained calm and collected to smash the ball down the centre of the goal and trigger fanatical celebrations from the home supporters. Four minutes afterwards came an opportunity for Chelmsford to double their lead, Ibe heading off-target from a Conroy free-kick delivery, but the slender advantage was to ultimately last just eight minutes. A sign of things to come arrived as Mark Molesley executed a well-controlled volley left of the penalty box which Richard McKinney caught at chest height. But on 59 minutes, on the other flank, David Lee placed an inquisitive cross low into the area and Ben Chenery was unable to deal with it effectively, getting the crucial deflection that took the ball over the line despite McKinney clawing it back out again in vain. Aldershot had equalised. Chances then arrived for both teams and Lee, not content with creating just one goal, struck from long range at the feet of McKinney for the former Northern Ireland Youth 'keeper to collect. At the other end, a dead-ball situation led to Chenery gaining a sight of goal though he was unable to make amends as his effort looped high over the bar. With eight minutes remaining Aldershot almost handed their opponents the second own goal of the match when a flicked defensive header from a corner forced John Grant to clear off his own line to safety. Within seconds, Marcus Gayle managed to break through the home rearguard though a full-stretch Clarets leg came to the rescue and the ball ran through to McKinney. In the end both teams could have finished with a place in Round Two but Aldershot will be pleased to have left a difficult encounter with a replay and the extra revenue generated from that second match will be useful for City. Though Chelmsford Boss King is confident heading into the next meeting of the two and the next stage is by no means out of the question based on this performance. City: 1 Richard McKinney Aldershot Town: Nikki Bull, Dean Smith, Darren Barnard, Ricky Newman, Rhys Day, Andy Edwards, Mark Molesley, David Lee, John Grant, Marcus Gayle, Joel Grant. Subs: Louie Soares, Sean Ridgeway, Ryan Williams, Phil Anderson, Louis Wells. Bookings: City: Conroy (30, foul), Noto (33, foul), Manuella (39, foul), Chenery (39, unsporting behaviour), Minton (51, excessive celebrating). Aldershot: Newman (16, foul), Gayle (39, unsporting behaviour), Barnard (80, foul). Referee: Mr G.D. Horwood (Luton). Assistant Referees: Mr G. Kett (Thorpe St. Andrew) and Mr A. Symonds (Gorleston). Fourth Official: Mr M. George (North Walsham). Attendance: 2,838. City Man of the Match: Fiston Manuella. |
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By Chris Evans
(Picture by Matt Bradshaw)
