Scholars recover from goal down to progress

Oct 23 2008

CHASETOWN 2 COLWYN BAY 1, FA TROPHY 1ST QUALIFYING ROUND REPLAY, TUESDAY 21ST OCTOBER

CHASETOWN booked their place in the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy on Tuesday night after coming from behind in the second half of their replay against Colwyn Bay, writes Dave Goddard.

The Scholars welcomed back Chris Slater on loan from Port Vale, while Danny Smith replaced Dean Perrow who had suffered a hamstring injury in the 2-2 draw in North Wales on Saturday.

The visitors had the best of the first half, although Chasetown forced a corner right from the whistle, Mark Branch’s kick heading straight to keeper Matthew Parry.

After just three minutes Neil Black latched onto a long throw-in for the Bays’ first attempt at goal, but his shot went just wide of the near post.

Two minutes later Danny Smith cut in from the left to cross to Craig Holland whose rocket shot brushed the crossbar, before a Mark Branch cross was headed away and the ball was taken straight up to the other end, but Richard Teesdale’s challenge halted Black’s cross.

On 13 minutes Danny Smith blasted in a 30-yard shot from the right, only to see his effort clatter off the post.

The visitors enjoyed the majority of the possession if not the chances, but it was the Bays who took the lead on 41 minutes when Scott Lycett charged onto a Dean Canning free kick to power the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Half time: Chasetown 0 Colwyn Bay 1.

Manager Charlie Blakemore fired his players up with a trademark half-time team talk, and the second half began with two quick free kicks in the centre taken by Mark Branch, the second producing a fine save from Parry who dived to his right.

Robert Hopley then attempted to round the Chasetown defence on 51 minutes, but Vaughan Thomas blocked his run well for a corner.

Two minutes later the Scholars were level, when Danny Smith stole into the area seemingly from nowhere to fire home a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

The goal breathed new life into a match that had begun to slow, and five minutes later Holland sent a left-footed shot under Parry’s body to put the home side ahead.

Parry had a lucky escape on 72 minutes when he let a Danny Smith header slip through his grasp, the ball going wide of the post for a corner. The resultant kick ballooned into the box, with Teesdale heading on and the ball ending up in the net having appeared to come off a defender, but the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper.

The game’s tempo then reduced once again following a period of end-to-end play, with home skipper Adie Smith displaying some fine defensive skills and Matthew Wood blocking a Danny Smith cross, but the Scholars held out to make up for Saturday’s defeat.

Chasetown will face Northern Premier side North Ferriby United in the next round of the Trophy, but it’s back to league action for the Scholars this Saturday as they face Soham Town Rangers.

Chasetown: Price, J Branch, M Branch, A Smith (c), Thomas, Teesdale, Holland, Parsons, Birch, D Smith, Slater. Subs: Harris, Miller, Onokah, Williams, Dyer.

Colwyn Bay: Parry, Mitchell, Wood, Coverley, Challinor, Hughes, Canning, Lycett, Black, Hopley, Edwards. Subs: O’Mahoney (Edwards 61), Jackson, Brandreth.

Goals: Lycett 41, D Smith 53, Holland 58.

Referee: Mr M Perry.

Bookings: Canning 35.

Attendance: 341.