Chesham up to second with home victory

Apr 23 2012 By Guy Martin at The Meadow

Chesham United 2-0 Frome Town

THE ever-ambitious Andy Leese was not entirely satisfied on Saturday despite his side easing past Frome Town at The Meadow.

Although first-half goals from James Potton and Chris Watters gave Chesham the win, they are still not guaranteed a play-off place.

Leese was pleased with his players’ performance in the first half but believed they took their foot off the gas after Frome right back Josh Brigham was sent off in the 56th minute.

“I thought our system worked well in the first half and we dominated the game really,” he said. “It made it a bit easier when they went down to 10, but we didn’t have much of a cutting edge in the second half.

“We could have added a couple more goals but didn’t take advantage. I always felt we controlled it but possibly didn’t have that desire in the final third.”

With two of this centre backs unavailable, Leese played habitual left back Danny Gudgeon in the centre and said the makeshift back four explained some nervy moments early on.

But the impressive crowd of 439 soon had their nerves calmed with a goal. John Kyriacou’s corner from the right was headed in by Potton from just outside the six-yard box in the 12th minute.

The fans were appealing for a penalty four minutes later but the referee dismissed the claims for handball. A minute later, Bruce Wilson went close with a shot from 30 yards.

Frome had a series of corners and attacking throw-ins, which forced Chesham keeper Shane Gore to come to punch and catch crosses on numerous occasions.

However, his opposite number could do nothing to stop an excellent second goal for the hosts in the 30th minute.

The lively Potton took it past a defender with a sublime piece of skill before his pass from the right was finished by Watters to make it 2-0 at the break.

Simon Thomas could have scored a third soon after the interval when he failed to connect with a cross, but the win looked more certain when the referee showed a straight red after Brigham’s vicious lunge.

It made for a pedestrian ending to the game in which Potton, Dave Fotheringham and Steve Wales went close to adding to the score.

GENERALS: Gore, Kyriacou, Lambert, Gudgeon, Wilson, Talbot, Fotheringham (Scott Thomas 81), Potton, Wales (Archer 72), Simon Thomas (Wadkins 77), Watters

Subs (not used): Watson, Cooper

Booked: Gudgeon (65 mins)

Attendance: 439