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Dereham Town 2-2 Chelmsford City, Saturday 30th September 2006, Aldiss Park, Kick-Off 3:00pm, F.A. Cup sponsored by E.ON Second Qualifying Round.
City came nail-bitingly close to an early exit from the F.A. Cup after a Spencer Knight equaliser secured a replay against Dereham. The visiting Clarets took a 15th-minute lead through Kezie Ibe but by 58 minutes the Ridgeons Premier club had reversed the arrears, leaving Chelmsford to scramble a replay with sixteen minutes left. With an unchanged starting eleven fielded, Jeff King's only squad changes were to place Mario Noto and Ricky Holmes on the bench in place of Liam Hopkins and Mitchell Lowes. The hosts were clearly motivated for the cup tie and after just 8 minutes had their first effort on goal, a volley which seared wide. But expected service was resumed on the quarter-hour mark with Ibe running at the defence who backed-off and allowed him to side-foot past goalkeeper Nathan Pauling and into the bottom corner or the net. He could have added his second minutes later as Spencer Knight's knock to the far post from the left flank was just out of reach of the former Canvey Island striker's head. Knight's deliveries were proving a useful weapon for City and in the 23rd minute one of them provided Tony Battersby with the opportunity to flick a header agonisingly onto the crossbar and over. As ever, Chelmsford still needed to concentrate in defence, especially on 27 minutes after Danny Wright took the ball round 'keeper Richard McKinney only for a covering defender to sweep away the danger. A possible turning point in the match arrived in the 40th minute, Ibe claiming a penalty for being tripped in the area which Referee Mr Blackledge waved away and straight up the other end McKinney's palms were stung by a strike again from Wright. Though it proved to be third time lucky for Town's front man who handed his side a shock leveller on the stroke of the interval. Wright had time at the far post to bury low into the goal and give Chelmsford some thinking to do at half time. Almost instantly City perked-up and Jeff Minton's volley just before the whistle, coupled with a Knight cross that dropped onto the roof of the net the other side of the break, showed the Clarets intended not to be embarrassed. A short 55th-minute lay-off to Battersby as he took a touch and watched his strike tipped onto the post added weight to the away side's quest for another lead. But it all went horribly wrong three minutes later. The ball spent a virtual eternity in the City box waiting to be cleared and right-back Oliver Willis delighted the home supporters by stabbing home Dereham's second goal. Rattled, City poured forward knowing they now had to score to stay in the competition. Ibe had an angled header blocked off the line by Sam Willis and Noto and Holmes were added to the mix to try and create more chances. Holmes' impact was immediate as Ibe again had a penalty appeal turned down and the youngster shot across Pauling's goal, requiring the Dereham custodian to turn the ball away. Relief was evident amongst the swell of away supporters as Chelmsford managed to pull level on 74 minutes. Following some build-up down the left, Knight battered the crossbar with his first-time shot but remained alert enough to follow-in with his head and guide the ball over the line for his second goal in successive games. Noto later saw a free-kick fly over the bar and Ibe nearly tricked his way through the whole defence as injury time ticked-away, though the side from two levels below City were worthy of a replay and Jeff King will be grateful his side are still in the competition. City: 1 Richard McKinney 12 Jason Hallett Dereham Town: Nathan Pauling, Oliver Willis, Craig Herrington, Paul Nichols, Andrew Gleave, Adam Gusteron, Sam Willis, Danny Wright, Daniel Self, Graham Barrett, Matt Amis. Subs: Brendan Foley, Jordan Blyth, Neil Renaut, Danny Beaumont, Nicky Howell. Bookings: City: Minton (42, foul), Manuella (47, foul). Dereham: Gleave (25, foul). Referee: Mr M. Blackledge (Peterborough). Assistant Referees: Mr D. Stobbard (Bury St. Edminds) and Mr K. Grimwood (Bury t. Edmunds). Attendance: 472. City Man of the Match: Kezie Ibe. |
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By Chris
Evans (Picture by Matt Bradshaw)
