This weekend Chet entertained Paradise Lounge (Lichfield) in a top of the table clash (first v second).
The hard season, holiday, other sporting and work commitments are beginning to take their toll; Chet could only muster 13 players for what is traditionally their hardest game of the season. The shortage of numbers is the downside of trying to operate with a minimum number of players to keep the squad as happy as possible; eventually we will pay the price. On the positive side Mark Griffiths hopes to become available soon, Phil Irons is returning to training after knee surgery and Chris Ridge will be home from university for some evening games in April 2010.
Fortunately Paradise Lounge suffered similar manpower problems; their team was not as strong as it has been in the recent past.
Stephen Bailey split his working day to play. He commenced work at 7.00 am; arrived at the ground at 10.00 am; was asked to play out of his normal position before returning to work immediately after the game. He did however score his first two goals of the season in what was the man of the match performance. Bailey was denied a hat trick; he netted in the 80th minute only to find the referee had blown for a previous infringement when allowing Chet an advantage would have been a better option.
This was Chet’s best performance of the season; they dominated play from the start. The rearranged formation; Bailey and Ryan Tait in midfield; Jason Rowley up front worked perfectly.
Bailey’s first goal came after seven minutes; Tait fired a free kick in from the left; the cross was met by the advancing Bailey who steered the ball home from eight yards.
Chet were in complete control. Gavin Horsfall’s 35th minute corner was headed home by Bailey who found himself completely unmarked in the six yard box.
Three minutes later an incorrect offside decision ruled out what would have been Chet’s third goal.
The second half was much the same; Mark Morris (Paradise Lounge) appeared from nowhere to clear a goal bound shot off his own line.
Paradise’s respite was short lived; in the 51st minute Chet scored one of their best goals of the season. Tait, who was having an excellent game in midfield, worked the ball to Dan Lowndes; he advanced down the left before accurately picking out Jason Rowley who had found space eighteen yards out; Rowley’s first touch was a perfectly placed shot that bought just rewards.
The visitors pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute when a harsh penalty decision went against Chet.
This was a good all round performance; the thirteen players who took part gave their all. Everyone excelled; the season is going well.
Next week we travel to Aldridge Airport, Walsall to play Freemans (Great Barr) who are one of the teams challenging for honours; this will prove to be a much sterner test.
