Chatham Town 1-1 Horsham YMCA - Strikers had no luck in front of goal, says O'Brien

Saturday 22nd August 2009

CHATHAM TOWN 1-1 HORSHAM YMCA
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 22nd August 2009
Mike Green reports from Maidstone Road

Remember THAT goal that David Beckham scored at Selhurst Park from the halfway line all those years ago? Well those present at Maidstone Road saw something very similar from Steve Hafner as Chatham Town battled back to get a more than deserved point against a rugged Horsham YMCA side.

Hafner’s moment of brilliance (or some may say luck) came on the half-hour with the Chats a goal behind. The home side were rewarded a free-kick, just on the half-way line, and Hafner, spotting YMCA goalkeeper Simon Lockwood out of position, duly flighted the ball beyond the despairing keeper’s outstretched left arm and into the roof of the net for a goal that is surely one of the early contenders for goal of the season.

In truth, Alex O’Brien’s young side deserved their slice of luck and after recovering from going a goal down did enough to warrant gaining all three points.

That said, YMCA came to Maidstone Road clearly with more than a point in mind as they exploded out of the blocks.

On six minutes, only a stunning reflex save from Chatham keeper Richard Stroud denied John Westcott.

The former Tonbridge Angels winger got on the end of a super cross from Tom Lawley and seemed to have the easiest of chances to side foot home at the far post, yet somehow Stroud spread himself to make a super save.

Chatham’s first chance of note arrived on 20 minutes when the industrious Matt Solly made room for himself on the edge of the Horsham YMCA box and poked the ball goal wards and looked on in anguish as the ball went just wide of the visitors left post with keeper Lockwood motionless.

With the home side’s front two of Brendon Cass and Justin Ascheri working tirelessly to create space for each other, the pair almost combined the opening goal at the midway point of the opening half.

Stroud’s long goal-kick was flicked on by Ascheri for his strike partner but Cass couldn’t just reach the ball in time as the keeper came out to smother the ball.

Such as the openness of the game that Horsham YMCA then went up the other end and opened the scoring.

Lockwood’s long kick wasn’t dealt with by the home side and Lawley picked the ball up on the left, cut inside, and then curled an absolute gem into the top left hand corner of Stroud’s net from 20-yards giving the former Carshalton Athletic keeper no chance at all.

Hafner’s moment of brilliance then levelled the score-line at the half-hour mark and the sides went in at the break level, which on reflection was a fair scoreline.

Just as in the first half, the visitors were fastest out of the blocks after the break with Lawley only denied a second by the base of the right post.

On 54 minutes, a fine long through ball from Ashley Probets sent Cass in a footrace with defender Tom Graves, which the former Dartford striker won, only to see his shot go straight at the advancing Lockwood.

At the other end, the Chats were thankful to a brilliant saving tackle from Brad Potter, after Shaheen Sadough had beaten the home side’s offside trap.

With just eight minutes to go, Ascheri was released down the left and his fierce drive was turned aside magnificently by Lockwood at his near post, and from the resulting corner, Cass sent a header wide when he really should have done better, having more time than he perhaps realised.

Ascheri, again, then got away from three defenders, with just four minutes remaining, only to shoot straight at Lockwood, but in the end the Chats were yet again thankful to Potter for a second brilliant saving tackle, this time to deny Lawley as the winger looked destined to shoot with seconds remaining.

Chatham boss O’Brien, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, said, “I was very pleased with our second half performance, but in truth, after watching that opening 45 minutes, I think I would have gone home myself at half-time!

“That said, and especially after we lost Richard Avery at the break, I thought we bossed the game and with a bit of luck the front two would have both got on the score sheet.

“That said, a point’s a point, even if we’ve dropped two at home.

“I could look at it that we’re now unbeaten in two games, but our real test is going to come on Tuesday, when we’re away to Croydon Athletic.”

With the Chats having taken four points from their opening three games in their return to Ryman League Division One South, O’Brien and his assistant Lew Watts are surely content rather than happy with their team’s start and whilst a lot will be learnt of this young side in midweek we will surely must have to wait a while longer to really assess their chances come April.

Chatham Town: Richard Stroud, Brad Potter, Ashley Probets, Matt Solly, Richard Avery (Tom Davey 46), Ben Payne, Steve Hafner (Michael Dodsworth 70), Jim Lyons, Brendon Cass, Justin Ascheri, Mark Green (Lee Barnett 46).
Sub: Dan Ellis.

Goal: Steve Hafner 30

Booked: Ben Payne 25

Horsham YMCA: Simon Lockwood, Steve Metcalf, Nigel Brake, Luke Gedling (James Virgo 70), Tom Graves, Martyn Flack, John Westcott (Mark Pulling 78), Michael Huckett, Shaheen Sadough, Tom Manton, Tom Lawley.
Subs: Drew Cooney, Paul Elliott, Tom Rand.

Goal: Tom Lawley 24

Attendance: 157
Referee: Mr Alex Neil (North Cheam, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Nick Brown & Mr Daniel Machnik