Sevenoaks Town 2-2 Chesham United - Lowly Sevenoaks have just taken them to the wire and should've won, says proud boss Micky Collins

Sevenoaks Town 2 – 2 Chesham United
Location	Greatness Park, Mill Lane, Seal Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5BX
Kickoff	17/09/2016 15:00

SEVENOAKS TOWN  2-2  CHESHAM UNITED
The Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 17^th September 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Greatness Park

SEVENOAKS TOWN manager Micky Collins says he’s feeling gutted after his side came so agonisingly close to pulling off their third FA Cup shock – as super-sub Barry Hayles, 44, got Chesham United out of jail with a last-gasp equaliser.

The Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division club attracted their second highest ever crowd as 426 watched a gripping FA Cup Second Qualifying Round tie.

The club’s record crowd at Greatness Park to watch their first team was when 526 saw Maidstone United claim the Kent League title with a 4-0 win at Greatness Park on 22 April 2006.

Sevenoaks Town were bottom of the league that day, but under the chairmanship of Paul Lansdale and Collins, this historic FA Cup run is firmly putting the club on the map for the first time in its 133-year history.

Sevenoaks Town defeated lower-league Sporting Club Thamesmead (2-1) in the Extra Preliminary Round in front of 72 fans at Greatness Park, before 101 fans watched them stun Ryman League Division One South side Horsham here with a 4-2 win.

The Oaks came away from another Ryman One South side with a goal-less draw, before 280 fans saw them knock out Lewes in the club’s greatest ever night with a 2-1 win in the replay.

Chesham United play two leagues higher in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier League and arrived at Greatness Park sitting in tenth-place on 12 points from nine games. 

They reached The FA Cup Second Round last season and they got off to a flying start here today as physically strong target-man Brad Wadkins chipped in his fourth goal of the season after only 180 seconds.

But Sevenoaks Town deservedly equalised on the stroke of half-time through impressive winger Harrison Carnegie, whose diving header then gave the Kent side the lead six minutes into the second half, with his fourth goal of the season.

Desperate Chesham United manager Andy Leese threw on Hayles in the 66^th minute and the striker rescued his side with a heartbreaking tap-in, the goal timed at 46:18, to grab a second bite of the cherry at Amy Lane on Tuesday night.

“Gutted, gutted with that. I thought we were the better side. I didn’t think Byron Walker’s goal for the third one was offside. Three-one up and it’s game over and we’ve shot ourselves in the foot in the last two minutes of the game,” said Collins during the post-match press conference.

“Last couple of minutes we should’ve put the ball in the corner, we haven’t, we’ve been naïve to try to go for a third one, got caught with a sucker punch.  They didn’t have a chance in the second half really.

“We’re still in the Cup, which is amazing but actually on the balance of play, I think we deserved to go through.”

Chesham United created an opening when Bruce Wilson’s free-kick was knocked down by left-back Toby Little and striker Ryan Blake’s hooked shot was caught by Oshane Brown at his near post.

But Chesham United swiftly opened the scoring when Wadkins chipped the ball over the advancing Brown and dropped into the middle of an empty net.

Collins said: “Mistake from us.  We know what their strengths were. I think we dealt with that.  Their number 10 (Wadkins) does win headers, we let him, it wasn’t a problem.

“But we’ve actually panicked a little bit in the first five minutes. A big crowd were here and we got caught under the ball and they’ve gone through and scored.

“To be honest, I think it done us a favour because I think for 20-25 minutes we were the better side!”

Sevenoaks Town left-back Greg Benbow cut the ball back to winger Kieron McCann, who cut inside to whip in a quality cross from the left which was gathered by Ashlee Jones, as striker Yacine Gnahore failed to get the decisive touch.

Direct Chesham United flashed a shot past the left hand post through Matt Taylor, whose long throw into the penalty area was cleared out to him, before Taylor’s cut back from the left by-line was cut out by an alert thinking Brown at his near post.

A big kick from Chesham keeper Jones was flicked on by Wadkins down the left and Blake took a touch before dragging his shot across the keeper and past the far post from 20-yards after 16 minutes.

Wadkins aerial dominance was to be a threat for Sevenoaks Town during the first half but he was snuffed out after the interval.

Collins said: “We knew what he’s about, he’s a big strong lad and they play direct football and try to get the ball into him.  Sometimes you don’t have to go and challenge these people. You’re not going to score 50 yards from goal, so you can actually let them have it a little bit, put a little challenge in, but what we’ve got to do is work hard to win the second ball and I thought we were fantastic at doing that today.”

But as soon as Sevenoaks Town realised that putting the ball up in the air was going to be meat and drink for former Dartford central defender Mat Mitchel-King, and played the ball on the deck, was when they were at their best.

Stephen Camacho played a low pass for Byron Walker to chase down the left channel, he won the ball off Mitchel-King on the by-line, skipped past right-back Brett Longden, but his angle was too tight and his weak shot was gobbled up by Jones at his near post.

Dave Pearce’s long throw into the Sevenoaks box was flicked on by Wadkins at the near post and Brown caught the ball comfortably.

Chesham’s second corner of the game arrived in the 33^rd minute, Pearce cut the ball back to Wilson, and Pearce’s cross from the left was hit on the volley by Adam Martin, the ball went comfortably wide of the target.

Sevenoaks striker Walker hit a speculative left-footed chip over the crossbar from 30-yards.

Chesham striker Blake played the ball to Matt Taylor, who played right-back Logden on the overlap and his cross was glanced past the far post by Wadkins’ header, who was put-off by his marker Jack Miles, who was immense in the replay win over Lewes.

Another corner from Pearce was met at the far post by Wadkins’ header, down and past the near post from six-yards.

The first poor decision from the match officials came in the 39^th minute.

Pearce’s corner from the right was met at the far post by Martin, the central midfielder clearly planting his free header past the right-hand post. A corner was somehow awarded.

But Sevenoaks Town’s eye-pleasing brand of passing on the deck football got it’s reward as Carneige produced a great finish – in between Mitchel-King and Benji Crilley – with 44:29 on the clock.

Walker played the ball inside to Carnegie, who bent his right-footed 20-yard shot around the diving keeper, the ball nestling into the bottom right-hand corner.

“All off a sudden, Harrison right on half-time, a great bit of skill and scored and at one-all I fancied us,” said Collins.

“I said if we were within one goal at half-time and we come down the hill, I fancy us and I was nearly right.

“We worked on how we wanted to get in, the guys executed the game plan perfectly. We worked on it on Wednesday night and we didn’t deserve to go in behind at half-time. 

“I’m not being funny, if you’re a neutral and you came to watch today and you saw them two leagues above, we did ourselves proud today.”

It was the perfect time to score and when asked his thoughts inside the home porta-cabin during the interval, Collins said: “Keep it up! We know how to get in, we knew how to isolate them in certain places and stuck to what we’re good at and I thought we came out flying in the second half.

“I looked at it and thought if we go two-up we’ll go three up and then it’s game over. Unfortunately we got the second one, in my opinion we got the third one but they disallowed it and then I thought we were comfortable to hold on and then we’ve just shot ourselves in the foot!”

Sevenoaks Town caught the imagination of their first-time fans by taking the lead, five minutes and 50 seconds into the second half.

McCann fed Camacho, whose run with the ball took him towards the by-line down the left and he floated over a great cross towards the far post where an unmarked Carnegie buried his diving header into the bottom right-hand corner from six-yards.



HERO: Harrison Carnegie heads home Stephen Camacho's cross to give Sevenoaks Town the lead over Chesham United at Greatness Park
Photo: Alan Coomes

Collins said: “Steve’s played really well today, he hasn’t been in the side much recently and he's come on, done a lovely little jink down the left, great little cross to the far post and Harrison’s there to nod it in.

“At that stage then I’m thinking we’re going on and win this and really didn’t see us drawing or losing, but that’s football.”

Half-time substitute Jerson Dos Santos’ pace and trickery was causing problems for Chesham right-back Longden during the second half as Sevenoaks Town’s football was a joy to watch.

He beat his man down the left, cut the ball back to Benbow and Jimmy Rogers played the ball into McCann’s path, his first time drive sailing over the Chesham bar from 25-yards.

Collins was full of despair when they had a third goal controversially chalked off for offside in the 59^th minute. 

Carnegie, cut inside and played the ball to McCann, who was now playing in the middle, and his low drive from 25-yards forced Jones to dive to his right to parry and Walker steered the rebound into the bottom near corner.  He raced off to celebrate, not realising the offside flag was raised.



DENIED: Sevenoaks Town striker Byron Walker (number 10) has this goal controversially ruled out for offside.
Photo: Alan Coomes

That controversial decision has kept Chesham United in The FA Cup and it left Collins furious.

“He’s onside! He’s actually this side of the defender and because he’s so quick, the linesman’s actually guessed it and he’s thought he must be offside, no actually he wasn’t so they’ve got that wrong!  That’s a major, major turning point in the game for us because at 3-1 it’s game over!”

A free-kick was put into the Sevenoaks box by Chesham keeper Jones and Edwards headed the ball away.  Carnegie collected the ball in his half, slipped but maintained possession and sped forward and whipped in a great cross to the unmarked Walker.  A poor touch allowed Martin to clear his lines.

Hayles won his side a free-kick and substitute Drew Roberts’ right-footed free-kick from 25-yards would have curled into the bottom near corner, but Brown got down low to his left to hold on to the ball well beside the foot of his near post.

Collins said: “Great hands! He’s done well Oshane. He had no chance with both of the goals really. Since he’s come in (for the injured Rob French) he’s been excellent.”

Sevenoaks Town had chances to smash the nails into Chesham United’s coffin during the final 10 minutes.

Edwards’ one and only corner was cleared out to Carnegie, who lashed his left-footed drive over the top of the near post.

An even better chance arrived when Carnegie won the ball in his half and he played a sublime ball that released Walker in behind full-backs Logden and Little on the break and he swept his left-footed shot agonisingly just over the crossbar.

Collins said: “When you think how many times we broke the lines and got in the box, especially second half, and we blazed it over three or four times.

“There were two or three like that where we just couldn’t get home. I think if we had got the third there’s no way they were going to come back with a draw or get a win.

“Our game plan worked and we got into areas that we wanted to punish them but we just haven’t put the icing on the cake.”

Carnegie had another impressive performance and if he carries on playing like he has against Lewes (replay) and today, higher league clubs will be knocking at the door to sign him.

Collins said: “We knew they were going to come out and kick him and try to disrupt him but the guy’s got class and when you get the ball to him and we’ve got three or four players like that, at times I think we showed our class today.”

Chesham United threw eight yellow shirted players forward as they went for it late on.

They got in behind Sevenoaks for the only time when left-winger Pearce rode John Lord’s tackle on the left hand side of the penalty area cut inside to cut the ball across the face of goal, cutting out keeper Brown, and Hayles has earnt a good living and tapped his right-footed shot into the back of the net to break Sevenoaks’ hearts.



DESPAIR: Sevenoaks Town boss Micky Collins (kneeling down) cannot
watch as Barry Hayles, 44, gets Chesham United out of jail with a last-gasp equaliser
Photo: Alan Coomes

“We just got caught,” admitted a bitterly dejected Collins.

“Instead of us doing the natural thing there and putting the ball in the corner and seeing the time out and being professional – we haven’t! 

“We’ve been naïve and we’ve tried to go for another goal. We just got caught and they’ve played a great ball out and the guys quick and he’s turned us and they’ve squared it and it’s an open goal.

“It’s just a sucker punch. It’s The FA Cup isn’t it? You can tell how much it meant to them, how much their bench celebrated so he’s got to be under pressure, the amount of money they’re paying and the level they’re at and lowly Sevenoaks have just taken them to the wire and should’ve won!”

However, Sevenoaks Town almost claimed the victory they deserved with the last kick of the game.

The excellent Dos Santos set up Camacho, his low right-footed drive forced Jones into diving low to his left to make the save.

“We had a game plan, you know me, we do it professionally and we had a plan and today we nearly executed it and unfortunately we didn’t get it over the line.  I’m very proud of them, very proud of the boys,” said a chocked Collins.

“We’re just disappointed, gutted, but we are in the hat, but we’re not actually through to the next round, yet.

“I’m not being funny, we’ve lost one game in 24, so it’s disappointing that we haven’t – in front of a great crowd, the club’s second biggest ever crowd, we haven’t actually got the win.”

Chesham United cannot play this poorly again on home soil at Amy Lane on Tuesday night and will be favourites to progress in the replay.

But don’t rule out Sevenoaks Town pulling off another great result to keep this record FA Cup run going.

“The players are disappointed. That tells you the level we’re at that you can play a team two leagues higher and you’re disappointed and that tells you about the character we’ve got now,” said Collins.

“Now we’ve got to pick ourselves up and we’ve got to go there Tuesday and make a good account of ourselves. That’s going to be tough, we know that and if we really didn’t get a result today, it was always going to be very difficult but we’re still in the hat. It will be nice Monday to see who we’ll get, hopefully we get a really rubbish draw and if we do go out Tuesday it won’t be the end of the world.

“But I’m very proud of them today, very proud of the club, the way we put it on today. It shows you the mark of where Sevenoaks Town is nowadays.”

Sevenoaks Town have slipped down to the bottom five in the league table after picking up six points from three games.  They have five games in hand on league leaders AFC Croydon Athletic (21 points).

“We haven’t got a league game on Wednesday and then we concentrate on The FA Vase (at Corinthian) next Saturday so now we’re going to have three league games then up to the next two weeks so that’s hurting us a bit,” admitted Collins.

“It doesn’t help us for our end goal and our end goal is to finish as high as we can in the league and try to push that on and we’ve falling behind now rapidly and the last thing we needed was another Cup game midweek but that’s happened so we’ll deal with that as we go.

“I’ve got to try to organise getting 16-18 lads over to Buckinghamshire on Tuesday night to put on a performance. I won’t even think about the Vase until were either through to the next round or out.”

When asked what it will take to win the replay, Collins replied: “Don’t know yet! I’ll think about that one, didn’t think we’d get that far to be fair watching that second half. I thought we’d go through and we wouldn’t have to worry about it so now I’ve got to put my thinking cap on and we’ve got to look at it and see who’s available because we’re going to struggle with work and stuff like that and formulate another plan and push it forward and see what we can do.”

Chesham may be the end of the Metropolitan Line but this FA Cup tie is not over yet!

Sevenoaks Town: Oshane Brown, Chris Edwards, Greg Benbow, Stephen Camacho, Jack Miles, John Lord, Harrison Carnegie, Jimmy Rogers, Yacine Gnahore (Jerson Dos Santos 46), Byron Walker, Kieron McCann.
Subs: Andy Constable, Gary Stock, Andre Trenton, Tom Menditta, Corey Holder

Goals: Harrison Carnegie 45, 51

Booked: Oshane Brown 58, Kieron McCann 88

Chesham United: Ashlee Jones, Brett Longden, Toby Little, Mat Mitchel-King, Benji Crilley, Adam Martin, Dave Pearce, Matt Taylor (Drew Roberts 66), Ryan Blake (Barry Hayles 66), Brad Wadkins, Bruce Wilson (Sam Youngs 56).
Subs: Matt Nolan, Stephan Hamilton-Forbes, Shaun Reece

Goals: Brad Wadkins 3, Barry Hayles 90

Booked: Brad Wadkins 29, Mat Mitchel-King 87, Adam Martin 89

Attendance:  426
Referee: Mr Tristan Greaves (Godalming, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Tom Ellsmore (Woking, Surrey) & Mr Andy Mawby (Woking, Surrey)


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