Cheshunt 4

Tommy Wood 12  90+3

Vas Vasiliou 44 (pen)

Tobias Braney 51

Cray Valley PM 4

Dan Bowry 3

Freddie Parker 34

Denzel Gayle 46

Tom Beere 54

Attendance 383

Entertainment 5/5

Star Man Tommy Wood Cheshunt

Cheshunt came back 4 times against play off contenders Cray Valley & can reasonably feel they could have secured a home win, with two penalties not given, two given, one scored, one saved. 

Cray Valley got off to a flier with their speciality set piece goal when Dan Bowry flicked home from a corner with a well executed downward header just inside the near post. Cheshunt responded immediately when Sam Granville put Vas Vasiliou through on a 50 yard run, the diminutive winger held off the attentions of the defence to cross low for striker Tommy Wood, goalscorer Bowry tried to cut the cross out, but turned to face his own goal by Vasiliou’s speed, he could only touch the ball on and Wood gleefully slammed home an equaliser. Cray Valley were a constant threat with their long ball & pace up top, Denzel Gayle on the left their ‘out ball’ threw dangerous crosses low and mixed it up shifting onto his left foot for a shot given the opportunity, but was well marshalled by Bradley Roberts.

Cheshunt had a penalty claim turned down with a decision to give a free kick right on the edge preferred, the visitors wall did its job and Cray Valley escaped. There was frustration in the stands as a partisan crowd felt further decisions were being missed or went against the home side, including in the build up to the visitors second goal, where a foul went unpunished, Although it has to be admitted once through Freddie Parker did read the defensive header back early & nipped between keeper & defender to restore the Cray Valley lead. Cheshunt restored parity with a Vas Vasiliou penalty on the stroke of half time when a slick passing move across the face of the Cray Valley box released Bradley Roberts with a run on goal, Denzel Gayle had tracked back, but was the wrong side and a clumsy challenge gave referee Bowles an easy decision to award a penalty, but Gayle avoided a card. 

Cheshunt once again allowed the visitors to take advantage at the start of the second half , when a low cross from the left squirted all the way through to Denzel Gayle, whose goal bound shot took a wicked deflection to loop into the net for the lead once more.  Cheshunt’s assured passing in midfield bought another equaliser when right back Lordon Akolbire ran onto a through ball & crossed for Tobias Braney to slide home at the far post. 

Cheshunt were on top now & dealing with the long ball & pace approach from the visitors, until a needless foul thirty yards out gave Tom Beere the opportunity to strike a thunderous free kick into the top right corner, giving R’avan Constable no chance of a save.

With thirty to go Cheshunt took advantage of their fresh  leg substitutions and continued to play their passing game knowing they would create opportunities, Cray Valley defended their lead desperately, some times too much so and finally Cheshunt were rewarded with another penalty, At first it looked as if Valley keeper Max Ovenden had made an amazing save low to his right, but it was  Valley captain Oshilaja who cleared after pulling a Cheshunt player out of his way, he saw red for his second yellow card within ten minutes, and Vasiliou once again stepped up. this time keeper Max Ovenden guessed right & saved from Vasiliou, but undeterred by the setback the Ambers forced another corner deep into time added & striker Tommy Wood emerged from a crowd of players to force the ball home for a much deserved equaliser.

Photos: Amy Eve Photography,  see more here

Ambers: Constable, Bryan-Waugh (Muyembe 40), Roberts (Murphy 81), Thomas (c), Gauthier (Akolbire 43), Da Silva, Vasiliou, Granville, Wood, Munns (Hall 70), Braney (Thomas 73)
Cautions: Munns, Granville

Millers: Ovenden, Williams, Oshilaja (c), Bowry, Chambers (Waldren 63), Gayle (Ademiluyi 47), Black, Anau (Coombes 76), Beere, Shomotun (Barrington 75), Parker (Coker 84)
Caution: Oshilaja
Dismissal (second yellow) Oshilaja 90+2

Referee: Benjamin Bowles
Assistants: Stephen Macken and George Rampling