Chesham Utd 1-0 Slough Town

Aug 4 2010 By Greg Burns at The Meadow

CHESHAM United were put through their paces by a physical Slough as they continued their pre-season winning run.

Defender Chris Elsegood headed the winner in stoppage time to earn the win after a hard-bought battle between the two rivals.

United boss Andy Leese continued to run his eye over a number of trialists with ex-Luton goalkeeper Shane Gore between the sticks and with former Canvey Island striker Gabriel Fanibuyan hoping to continue his pre-season scoring form.

Former Scotland U17 and Rushden & Diamonds winger Lewis Halford, 18, was hoping to impress if called upon from the bench.

The last time the Rebels visited The Meadow they were hammered 4-0 in the play-off final in May and have reshaped their squad in a bid to go one better this season.

With Slough also managed by former Chesham boss Steve Bateman it looked like being United's toughest and most competitive friendly to date after comfortable wins over Thurrock and Potters Bar Town.

And judging by some of the early tackles flying in by both sides it was all set to be a feisty encounter.

The home side took the game to Slough from the outset but had to wait until 13 minutes for their first effort of note when Fanibuyan curled a speculative effort past the post.

Slough's first sighter came five minutes later when Mark Lambert misjudged a headed clearance which fell kindly for Sean Sonner who failed to connect properly and scuffed his shot wide.

It was a scrappy first-half which was summed on 35 minutes when Steve Wales fizzed a ball into the box which rebounded into the path of Steve Obeng who mishit his shot and the danger was cleared.

Chesham played more of the football but their play in the final third continued to let them down.

Half-time changes saw Leese introduce Dom Marsala, Elsegood, Rob Bartley, Leon Archer and Ricci Crace for Neil Sharp, Sam Ledger, Wales, Chris Bangura and Danny Talbot.

The changes did little to dampen the frantic nature of the game with both sides desperate for a win and no-one pulling out of any 50/50 challenges.

But clear-cut chances were at a premium with former Beaconsfield SYCOB striker Craig O'Connor turning and shooting wide from 20 yards out on the hour mark and Marsala attempting a cheeky lob eight minutes later but lifting his effort clear of the bar.

The first real chance of the match fell to Slough striker Sonner who could only glance a Paul Coyne cross agonisingly wide of the post on 72 minutes with substitute stopper Bobby Smith stranded in the Chesham goal.

The Rebels came even closer on 81 minutes when Smith could only parry a Simon Martin effort with John Kyriacou forced to clear the ball off the line.

Halford made an immediate impact from the bench and used his trickery to create a yard of space only to see his strike come back off the post with six minutes to go.

But just as the game was heading towards a stalemate Elsegood rose highest to meet a Halford corner to give Chesham the win in the dying seconds.

One thing is for sure; both sides left the pitch knowing they had been in a game.

UNITED: Gore (Smith 65), Kyriacou, Ledger (Elsegood 46), Lambert, Sharp (Bartley 46), Obeng (Gudgeon 65), Talbot (cpt) (Marsala 46), Fotheringham, Fanibuyan (Halford 78), Bangura (Archer 46), Wales (Crace 46).

Subs (not used): Stephenson, Farrell.

SLOUGH: Jackson (Gumms 46), Sweeney, Murphy, Neil (C O'Connor 46), Seeby (Gill 88), Yeboah (Breen 89), Coyne, Ngody (Martin 46), Sonner (Mendy 89), T O'Connor, Swift.

Subs (not used): Perks.