uxbridge291005

Thursday 01st September 2005

Denness dealt a blow as Chats lose at Uxbridge

Saturday 29th October 2005	Southern League Division One East	Neil Sanders reports from Honeycroft
Uxbridge	2	Lake 43 Feeley 67
Chatham Town	1	D. Larkin 90

Chatham welcomed back skipper Steve Best for the trip to Uxbridge, but were dealt a blow before the kick off when Rob Denness was refused permission to play due to the cast on his injured wrist. This was a surprise as the week before he had been given the all clear, writes Neil Sanders.

Chats dominated the first half and top scorer Brendan Cass was close to opening the scoring twice in the first 15 minutes. After winning possession in midfield, Best set up Cass to cut inside his opponent but saw the shot flash past the far post.

The second attempt was even closer. Brooks and Amadi combined well before a low cross was flicked goalwards by Cass, however the inside of the post came to the keepers rescue.

Uxbridge took the lead two minutes before the break with their only shot, on or off target, of the first half. Stuart Lake lashed the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards after finding space on the left.

The goal clearly gave Uxbridge a boost and they came out in a more positive mood for the second half. Lee Tunnell swung and missed the ball in the six yard box and Lake should have scored his second when he skied the rebound over after Louis Green had saved from ex-Chelsea man Mark Nicholls.

They did increase the lead after 67 minutes. Green kept out another effort from Lake, but Feeley was first to the rebound to make it 2-0 from close range.

Uxbridge defender Kevin Swift was dismissed in the 69th minute after receiving his second yellow card in quick succession. The home side ended up with four other yellow cards to go with the one red, which didn't seem unreasonable.

Danny Larkin scored for Chatham in stoppage time with one of his trademark left foot free kicks, but it was too little too late.

A disappointing result in the end and a trip which some Chatham players and supporters will probably remember as much for the verbal abuse received, as for the game itself.

Uxbridge: Pelton, Cleary, Weedon, Swift, Bamford, O'Leary, Swift, Feeley (Holmes 86), Tunnell, Nicholls, Lake. Subs: Fox, Gill, Dawson.

Chatham Town: Green, Binks, D.Larkin, A.Larkin, Bourne, Best, Solly, Brooks, Amadi, Cass, Walker (Boyle 45). Subs: Garrett, Miles, Finn.