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Chelmsford City 7-3 Staines Town, Saturday 24th March 2007, Chelmsford Sport & Athletics Centre, Kick-Off 3:00pm, Ryman League Premier Division.
Ten goals were scored in one of City's all-time classic games at Melbourne as another seven Chelmsford strikes kept them clear at the top of the Premier Division. Kezie Ibe bagged a hat-trick and Ricky Holmes converted twice to help the Clarets to a stunning win against late-arriving Staines who endured an afternoon to forget. This match was destined to be incident-packed even before it began, with some of the Town players, as well as Referee Mr Child, finding the heavy traffic on the M25 a substantial obstacle to their journey to the County Town and, as a result, kick-off was delayed to 3:25pm, the visitors starting the game with only ten men. The alterations made to Chelmsford's starting line-up were enforced, but for different reasons. Steve Ward was not fit to appear in the centre of defence so young Bryan Glover deputised. Jeff Minton also missed a rare match through injury so Spencer Knight was drafted-in to take his place in a re-arranged team. Staines began life in the game feistily and a competitive opening resulted in an early booking. However, the team with reduced numbers incredibly took the lead in the 15th minute, Dean Thomas applying enough pressure on full-back Jay Conroy to force him into scoring in his own net past scrambling goalkeeper Ashley Harrison. Chelmsford had threatened with a couple of corner kicks at this point but they only took four minutes to equallise. Fiston Manuella, appearing against his former side, played the ball in to the feet of Holmes in the box and he was able to turn and shoot under the despairing dive of Shaun Allaway. On 25 minutes Staines were finally up to the standard eleven players on the pitch due to the arrival of Dave Sargent and shortly afterwards they supplied Mark Nwokeji in sufficient space to half-volley goalwards with his left foot, forcing Harrison to push the ball away. However, Town would only be up to their full quota of players for ten minutes, with ex-Claret Andre Scarlett pushing a deep cross onto the underside of the crossbar with his hand to prevent a goal and this resulted in his instant dismissal by the Referee. Lee Boylan then slammed home the resulting penalty kick in the absence of regular taker Minton. Two minutes later City began to assert some control on proceedings with a third goal. Holmes danced past a posse of players before eventually striking onto the foot of the post, with Ibe lurking to take full advantage of the rebound from a few yards out. There was still time before the interval for the Clarets to go close as Holmes' header over Allaway was nodded off the line by captain Matt Flitter and a Chris Duffy corner also picked-out Boylan in the area for him to divert his header onto the upright. Any City fans half-expecting their side to cautiously protect their lead beyond the break were pleasantly surprised three minutes into the second half as a visiting defender failed to effectively clear a routine ball from a long delivery so Ibe robbed him of possession and dispatched low into the net to make the score 4-1. Staines, however, were in no mood to give-up easily and Nwokeji crept inside from the left flank to find his strike partner Ali Chabaan unmarked at the far post though he rattled the post with his effort. Chabaan again worried the hosts' defence as his long-ranger was acrobatically finger-tipped away by Harrison on 53 minutes though their short spell of pressure was rewarded when, in the 55th minute, Nwokeji's swivel and strike deceived the City 'keeper as it squeezed under him into the goal. Bryan Glover was then forced to leave proceedings with the pulled muscle he sustained in the first few seconds of the period though Chelmsford went on to record a 57th-minute fifth goal courtesy of Spencer Knight. Holmes sprinted past the attentions of a couple of defenders on the right wing and delivered a teasing low centre which found it's way to the left midfielder at the far post who composed himself before placing out of the reach of Allaway into the goal. A powerful Boylan free-kick dropped a foot wide in the aftermath though Staines' persistence became apparent again in the 63rd minute as a shot was parried by Harrison but into the path of the predatory Nwokeji who gratefully bagged Staines' third goal. True to form City's response was instant, taking only a further two minutes for Ibe to collect the ball, turn and curl a sublime shot into the bottom corner, making the score a sensational 6-3 with 25 minutes remaining. A short goalless period followed, but a seventh did find it's way in ten minutes from the end, Holmes charging unassisted down the right and then cracking a dipping strike over Allaway but under the crossbar to cap a prominent personal performance. Chelmsford left the field to an ovation, although their plucky Middlesex opponents will take their place in club history having contributed to a thoroughly entertaining match which is sure to attract City's latest four-figure crowd back for more in the future. City: 1 Ashley Harrison Staines Town: Shaun Allaway, Jake Newton, Darren Campbell, Dave Sargent, Matt Flitter, Andre Scarlett, Kevin Warner, Gareth Risbridger, Dean Thomas, Mark Nwokeji, Ali Chabaan. Subs: Craig Maskell, Jermaine McGlashan, Jordan Kiffin, Aston Ventour, Adam Thompson. Bookings: City: Ibe (86, foul). Staines: Campbell (3, foul). Sent Off: Staines: Scarlett (35, deliberate handball on the goal line denying a goal-scoring opportunity). Referee: S.A. Child (Beckenham). Assistant Referees: A. Langsdon (Wivenhoe) and M. Davidson (Colchester). Attendance: 1,010. City Man of the Match: Kezie Ibe. |
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By
Chris Evans
(Picture by Matt Bradshaw)
