borehamwood221005

Thursday 01st September 2005

Missed chances cost Chatham

Saturday 22nd October 2005	Southern League Division One East	Neil Sanders reports from Meadow Park
Boreham Wood	3	Watters 36 Cox 68 Archer 87
Chatham Town	0

Chatham visited the runaway league leaders without injured midfielders Steve Best and Steve Searle. Andy Garrett partnered Matt Solly in the centre, whilst Mark Brooks started alongside Brendan Cass up front, writes Neil Sanders.

Both sides went close with headers from corners early on. Boreham Wood then thought they had scored when a Michael Black shot was deflected in past Louis Green. However the assistant's flag was up for offside long before the ball hit the back of the net.

They did take the lead 10 minutes before half time. Chris Watters curling free kick from 25 yards gave Green no chance, although Chatham were left wondering why the free kick had been awarded in the first place.

Cass had two half chances on the turn for Chats but both just cleared the bar. Green prevented any further score before the break when he made the save of the match to keep out a close range volley.

Chats nearly equalised early in the second half when Andy Larkin's header hit the bar, but then went further behind after 68 minutes. Lee Harvey found Darrell Cox running into the box and his right foot shot found the net via a deflection off Matt Bourne.

Subsitute Israel Amadi had Chatham's best chances in the second half, when his pace twice enabled him to get behind the Wood defence. One shot just cleared the bar, whilst the other was well saved.

Glenn Billenness was also unlucky to see his header tipped over the bar after good work from Amadi and Brooks.

The league leaders had the final say when their dangerous front pair combined for the third goal after 87 minutes. Cox held the ball up well to create space for Archer, whose classy outside of the foot shot curled into the top corner from 18 yards.

Overall Boreham Wood justified their top spot and were the best side Chatham have faced this season. However, Chatham did create enough chances to have got something from the game, and will be keen to get some points against lower placed teams Wivenhoe Town (at Maidstone Road on Tuesday night) and at Uxbridge next Saturday.

Boreham Wood: Imber, Harvey (Stephenson 88), Moran, Williams (Balic 75), Smith, Black, Garrard, Samuel, Cox, Archer, Watters. Subs unused: Burrows, Morgan, Horton.

Chatham: Green, Boyle, D.Larkin, A.Larkin, Bourne, Garrett (Amadi 68), Binks (Billeness 75), Solly, Brooks, Cass, Walker (Finn 61). Subs unused: Fewell, Miles.