Chessington & Hook vs East Grinstead Town

This just was not our day.

Further changes forced on Manager Glynn Stephens were eased by the returning Gary Puckett who formed a new centre half pairing with John Quigley, although late fitness tests on Simon Langley and Andrew Heath saw both of those ruled out.

The game was played at a much better tempo than the previous two with player/coach Martin Jackson creating the first chance for Shane Graham who’s first touch saw the opportunity gone. With Chessington enjoying the better of the game the same player should have opened the scoring when latching onto a fine pass inside the full back only to drag his shot tamely wide.

Although there was the occasional threat from East Grinstead, Mark Daniels calmly dealt with things when needed and defensively we looked secure.

On the half hour Scott Todd’s twenty five yard free kick hit the bar in what was the closest either side came in the first half to breaking the deadlock, although a number of intricate passing moves involving Todd, Darren Smith and Reece Jackson should have resulted in more opportunities but the final ball was lacking.

Having this time avoided conceding just before half time, we were able to start the second half on level terms and with the incentive of scoring first still intact we took the game to our opponents.

Clear cut chances in the first twenty five minutes were few and far between but we had a grip on the game and it did appear that there would only be one winner.

With just under fifteen minutes to go from a Chessington corner a clearance was part controlled, part handled by the East Grinstead forward and with play allowed to continue a sweeping move resulted in another headed goal conceded. Whilst the decision didn’t help our own defensive lapse proved costly.

The response was good as in the space of the next five minutes Shane Graham hit a well struck volley into the side netting, and had an extremely strong appeal for a penalty turned down when a shot destined for the corner of the net clearly struck an outstretched arm. Still Chessington came back strong. Time was against us but with six minutes on the clock Scott Todd was brought down two metres in the penalty area and with the linesman waving furiously all in the crowd expected the award of what would have been the most clear cut of penalties all year. To everyones amazement a free kick was given on the edge of the area from which a training ground move saw substitute Malik Buari hit the cross bar. Twice the woodwork having denied us.

There was one last opportunity when a further foul on Todd resulted in a free kick delivered by the same player to Cheadle, whose downward header was met on the full by Reece Jackson only for his goalbound effort to rebound to safety off the goalkeepers knees.

An undeserved exit from the FA Vase at the first hurdle.