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Hendon 0-3 Chelmsford City, Saturday 18th November 2006, Claremont Road, Kick-Off 3:00pm, Ryman League Premier Division.
Chelmsford ensured they go into the huge Aldershot F.A. Cup clash second in the Ryman Premier Table with a convincing victory at Claremont Road. Focus can now turn entirely to the First Round Proper Replay on Tuesday night thanks to a Jason Hallett-pressured own goal, a Jeff Minton penalty and a late strike from Ben Chenery all in the second half which continued City's rise towards the top. Little change was made to the side which recorded the same scoreline at home to Folkestone Invicta on Monday. Minton returned to the centre of midfield in place of Gavin Heeroo while Spencer Knight was fit to resume his position on the left meaning in-form Kezie Ibe dropped to the bench. Matches between these two sides in North London had historically been low-key and last season's respective fixture finished as a dull 0-0 draw. This occasion seemed to be going the same way as after half an hour all the spectators had to get excited about was a Mario Noto angled strike onto the outside of the stanchion and later wayward free-kick while at the other end the Dons' Dean Green hacked an effort comfortably over the crossbar. Then, as the hosts became visibly unsure about several of their clearances from defence, Minton placed a free-kick into the box which found its way to Ricky Holmes whose 31st-minute scissor-kick dropped narrowly wide. Minton himself went mightily close just before the whistle with a drilled effort inches off-target from distance but the interval arrived without a blemish to either goalkeeper's copy book. However, seven minutes after half time Chelmsford moved up a gear and took the lead. Following the breakdown of a Hendon attack, Minton emerged with the ball and worked Hallett in with an open shot on goal. His effort was destined to fly just wide past the far post but back-tracking defender Wayne O'Sullivan, who had endured dreadful luck throughout the game, embarrassingly put the ball into his own net. Around the hour mark Noto tried his luck and connected well with a 30-yarder which rocketed into the arms of goalkeeper Richard Wilmot and Holmes also went close as he cut inside from the right wing and saw his cross blocked. The home side were occasionally able to fashion shots on goal but they were often of more danger to the neighbours in the adjacent Clitterhouse Road than City 'keeper Richard McKinney. Meanwhile, the 65th minute brought about City's fatal second goal. Hallett was about to nudge home a simple chance on the turn from a few yards but was pushed over and from the resulting penalty kick Jeff Minton tucked his eleventh of the season under the body of Wilmot. Ben Chenery is more known for preventing goals than scoring them but with fifteen minutes remaining he made a sufficient nuisance of himself to register Chelmsford's third. A Holmes header from a corner had been tipped over the bar moments earlier which led to the corner that broke to the Clarets' skipper who swivelled to cut the ball back into the roof of the net from a difficult angle, receiving the congratulations of every team mate once he did so. To their credit, struggling Hendon continued to compete and on 81 minutes a right-wing delivery was helped onto the post by Chenery's opposite number with the Captain's armband, Lee O'Leary. Also, with a point seemingly to prove, right back O'Sullivan dribbled his way to the edge of the box before hammering just over the bar. City still looked capable of netting a fourth with Noto, Hallett and Holmes taking part in a triple effort of strikes in quick succession with only seconds left. In the end a 3-0 win was more than enough to lift the Clarets to second place amongst a posse of five clubs at the top with equal points. City: 1 Richard McKinney Hendon: Richard Wilmot, Jon Munday, Wayne O'Sullivan, Jazz Rose, James Parker, Dean Green, Bontcho Guentchev, Lee O'Leary, Brian Haule, Rakatahr Hudson, James Burgess. Subs: Takumi Ake, Jamie Busby, Adilson Lopes, Belal Aiteouakrim, Danny Rouco. Bookings: City: Hendon: Munday (32, delaying the restart), O'Leary (65, dissent). Referee: Mr Chris Miller. Assistant Referees: Mr Gary Colby and Mr Scott Millar. Attendance: 306. City Man of the Match: Ben Chenery. |
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By Chris Evans
(Picture by Matt Bradshaw)
