Chessington & Hook vs Molesey

Our second home game on the bounce saw us against an in form Molesey team, who had recently won 4 successive games although had lost the previous two.

A positive reaction was needed following our own defeat to Camberley and this looked to be a tough ask given the line up was denied the services of Mark Daniels, Leon Canning, Andrew Weir, Shane Graham Malik Buari and captain Scott Todd.

However a week of wheeling and dealing had seen an already sizeable squad bolstered by the arrival of Matt Holley, James White and Paul Bogle.

The usual scrappy opening saw the only effort on goal from Molesey although that went high and wide.

Again we gradually came into the game and our competitive edge in midfield saw us begin to take a degree of control. The deadlock was broken midway through the half, when Adam Cheadle released Daryl Swaby whose cross was headed home by Reece Jackson. Just a minute later, a well delivered free kick from debutant Holley saw Reece Jackson head his second to give us a two goal advantage. For us we got to the half without the usual drama although it should be noted that Michael Sharpe was again competent in the Chessington goal whenever he was called upon.

The first goal of the second half was always going to determine the nature of the game and that message was surely passed onto the team. Again we put ourselves under un- necessary pressure by conceding when we failed to deal with a deep corner, which was headed against the bar twice before finally being headed home. The nerves were there for all to see as the clock ticked down, and the turning point came when Michael Sharpe made a good save to deny what seemed a certain equaliser only for us to score thirty seconds later. A half cleared cross falling to Daryl Swaby who swept home to restore the two goal cushion. A flurry of late substitutions ran the clock down further and late in stoppage time player coach Martin Jackson hit a well directed free kick which was turned onto the post to deny us a fourth goal.

A welcome three points to keep us at the business end of the table.