Chawton Make a Splash in Cup Semi-Final!

ADSFL Division 7 Cup Semi-Final
4 March 2012

CHAWTON ATHLETIC 2
LINDFORD 0

Starting XI:  Martin Booth (GK).  Jamie Oakley (RB), Jake Channon (CB), Marc Taylor (CB), Kyle Bale (LB).  Pete Goodall (RM), Danny Taylor (CM), James Harvey (CM), Andy Vickers (LM).  Ben Hodkin (FW), Ryan Furey (FW).
Substitutes:  Carl Waterfield, Ashley Brooks, David Nicholson, Mikey Phillips
Referee:  Derek Taylor

A second postponement at the Jubilee for this tie was not enough to stop this game from going ahead, as the match was switched to the slightly less waterlogged Lindford pitch.  Chawton overcame giving up home advantage to triumph and reach their first cup final since the re-birth of the club in 2010!


The pitch was heavy, but playable, and the rain light.  In the conditions, it took both sides a while to warm up and the first fifteen minutes merely presented half chances for each side.  Possession was fairly even and neither keeper looked in any real danger.

The first clear cut chance fell to Chawton though, as a back pass was penalised by the referee, who awarded the Yellows an indirect free kick inside Lindford's area.  Ben Hodkin knocked it to Jake Channon to hammer it towards goal, but his shot was also towards the keeper.  He spilled his shot, but nobody was close enough to follow it up.

Lindford finally got a decent chance on goal from a corner.  Despite beating the Athletic keeper, they could not beat Pete Goodall on the line who cleared the ball.

This kick started Chawton into life and they duly put the Lindford defence under a sustained period of pressure.  Martin Booth in goal had to be alert to Lindford's counter attacks and was forced into a couple of saves before the half time whistle came.

With the late pressure, the away could feel hard done by at not being in front against the division's second placed team.


Chawton started the second half as brightly as they ended the first, and an Andy Vickers corner was headed home by Channon to give the lead.

The pitch was really starting to get more boggy and this contributed to some misplaced passes.  One pass that was not misplaced was that by James Harvey to Hodkin just before the hour mark.  Hodkin slipped in the surging Danny Taylor, who slid the ball past the keeper to put the Yellows 2-0 up and provide a little daylight between the teams.

By this point the game was getting pretty even and indeed a little tetchy.  Mikey Phillips came on, after Vickers had taken a knock from a late tackle, to provide some fresh impetus.

But it was the other winger Goodall that was catching the eye, with his runs causing no end of problems for a tiring Lindford backline.  One such run provided a glorious chance to put the game beyond the home side's reach, but unfortunately he just put his shot past the far post.

Lindford were trying desperately to grab a goal back, Marc Taylor having to clear a corner or two.  Tackle began to fly in and one opposition player was shown a yellow card for one too many frustrated kicks at Danny Taylor.

With barely five minutes on the clock, Lindford thought they had pulled one back when the ball fell to the striker who was clean through and lifted the ball over an advancing Booth in goal.  But Athletic's 12th man, Mr A. Puddle came to there rescue as the exasperated Lindford player saw the ball stop on the line with Channon reacting quickest to clear the ball!

The match ended to a cheer from all those in Yellow, with the score 2-0.  A second final for Chawton Athletic, the first since the new administration took control, and they will be hoping to go one better than they did in the 2010 Runwick Cup final.


There were some outstanding performances on the day.  Danny Taylor dominated the midfield, ably assisted by James Harvey breaking up the play.  Ben Hodkin put in a captain's game up front, working hard to track back in the second half to protect the lead.  Pete Goodall had an excellent game on the wing for the second week running, a performance only lacking a goal to top it off.  Martin Booth in goal pulled off some good saves to help preserve the clean sheet.

Elstead Lighting Man of the Match:  Jake Channon.  The centre back dominated the back line and broke the deadlock with a cracking header.

Man of the Match, Jake Channon

Chawton Plough Through P&H.

ADSFL Division 7
26 February 2012

CHAWTON ATHLETIC 4
PLOUGH & HORSES RESERVES 1

Starting XI:  Martin Book (GK).  Jamie Oakley (RB), Jake Channon (CB), Marc Taylor (CB), Kyle Bale (LB).  Pete Goodall (RM), James Harvey (CM), Danny Taylor (CM), Mikey Phillips (LM).  Ashley Brooks (FW), Ben Hodkin (FW).
Substitutes:  Elliot Watkins, Andy Vickers, Will Rietzler, Kieran Lenachan.
Referee:  Jay King.

Following two narrow defeats in 2012, Chawton Athletic finally got their calendar year off the ground with a well deserved victory over Plough & Horses Reserves at the Jubilee.

Ben Hodkin opened the scoring.

Straight from the off, the Yellows quickly got into their stride.  It was less than ten minutes before they got on the scoresheet.  Ashley Brooks crossed from the left channel to Ben Hodkin, who's shot was initially blocked.  But he reacted quickest to the rebound and slotted home.

Chawton began dominating possession, with Plough limited to counter attack opportunities.  But it was one of these that led to the equaliser after 18 minutes. The away side broke down their left flank and the striker found himself goal-side of the centre backs and slipped it in off the far post.

This gave Plough their best spell of the game and Martin Booth was forced into a low save at the striker's feet to keep the scores level.

James Harvey marauds forward!

That spell lasted a mere three minutes before a thunderbolt from Jake Channon put Athletic ahead again.  His speculative shot from thirty yards bounced down off the crossbar and went back in off the keeper.  The linesman ruled the initial shot had crossed the line before the keeper's touch, thus sparing his blushes!

Starts for Brooks and Pete Goodall looked good moves as they worked hard to keep their place and Channon in the centre of defence was generally clearing all Plough's balls pumped into the box.

Martin Booth collects the ball.

Some good skills from Danny Taylor, surging forward, set up Hodkin, but his shot was well held by the keeper.  But a few minutes later it was 3-1.  Kyle Bale's cross was met by Hodkin, but again his initial shot was saved.  The keeper couldn't quite get the ball under control, and Hodkin poked it in from the goalie's hand.

And a minute before half time it was four.  Again, some skilful work from Danny Taylor allowed him to find space for a cross which alluded his marauding midfield partner James Harvey.  But Ashley Brooks made no mistake with a cool finish into the corner, reinforcing manager Marc Taylor's decision to start him.

The game was 4-1 at half time.

Jamie Oakley... not fouling!

The second half was almost all Chawton.  Within five minutes of the restart, Bale had a good run down the left flank and crossed for Brooks to hit first time.  His shot rebounded off the crossbar and was cleared from danger.  From that clearance, Jake Channon lost the ball trying to clear and set the Lough striker clean through.  However, he chased back and put in a crunching recovery tackle that averted the danger.

The first substitution came after 56 minutes with Brooks coming off to an ovation from the bench and being replaced by Kieran Lenachan - making his debut after his deadline day transfer.

A ball forward from Hodkin found Lenachan within moments of coming on, his cross found Mikey Phillips who couldn't get his shot on target.

Mikey Phillips takes a shot.

Goodall saw a cross fumbled by the Plough keeper but his reaction header was then cleared.  It was to be his last act of the match and again was congratulated for his efforts when coming off, Elliot Watkins his replacement.  This moved Bale further forward.

Phillips had a chance to atone for his earlier miss, but mishit his shot at the far post resulting in an easy clearance.  Plenty of endeavour from the Athletic winger, but unable to find the clean shot needed.  With Taylor's final roll of the dice, Phillips was replaced by Andy Vickers with a little over quarter of an hour to play.

Jamie Oakley had been battling hard all game and he knocked a ball through to James Harvey on 75 minutes.  Harvey steadied himself but dragged his shot narrowly past the far post.

Debutant Kieran Lenachan given a welcoming hug!

Into the last ten minutes and the Yellows forced a corner.  This was whipped in to the far post where it was met by the head of Channon, his shot whacking the crossbar and bouncing clear.

There was still time for a couple more shots on goal before the final whistle, but Bale had the best chance and saw the keeper save his shot.

There was even still time for Plough to have a final go at goal, but Booth in goal was equally up to the task and easily saved.  That was to be the last action of the game and Chawton finished 4-1 winners, unable to add to their half time advantage.


A hard fought win with plenty to build on.  The four week lay off had taken its toll on some players but some much needed pitch time ahead of this Sunday's big cup match (weather permitting).  Pete Goodall worked hard down both flanks and Ashley Brooks provided some good movement up front with Hodkin to create some openings.  Jake Channon was again dominant in defence, with a solid Martin Booth behind him.

Elstead Lighting Man of the Match:  Danny Taylor.  Ran the midfield with James Harvey and set up some clear cut chances, including an assist for Brooks' goal.

Man of the Match, Danny Taylor.