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Match Reports

Saturday 28th Jan.12

Chesworth Rovers 3 v 0 Steyning Strikers

Scorers: Henry (3)

After the disappointment of last week’s no-show from Hurstpierpoint Colts, the boys resumed winning ways with a good team performance against determined opposition who always give Chesworth a good game. The highlight was an excellent hat-trick from Henry, and all the boys gave a good account of themselves with some neat passing, solid defending and effective surges from midfield.

The game was very open from the start, and Steyning actually began on top, with the ball mainly in Chesworth’s half for the first few minutes. The visitors’ first break down the right resulted in a clearance, and soon after Chesworth responded with a great through ball that found Josh in space, only for his shot to be easily gathered by the excellent Steyning keeper. Steyning continued to hold the upper hand and went very close when they swung a free kick over from the right and the striker’s free volley went wide. Josh and then Tim both had shots at the other end after some nice passing play across the pitch; Josh’s spun wide after beating the keeper who then safely caught Tim’s effort.

After 10 minutes, Chesworth started to press. Connor H collected a goal kick and passed to Harry, who found Jack on the edge of the area, but the winger just over-ran the ball as the keeper collected. The need to keep up the pressure saw the boys moving the ball well, with another move involving Connor, Benjy and Josh nearly coming off.

Luke replaced Jack W-L in the first substitution, and Chesworth continued to keep the Steyning goalie busy, as he cleared shots and back-passes alike. Jed made way for Henry. Steyning again broke down the right and the winger put over a lovely low cross that CJ intercepted in the nick of time with the ball spinning clear.

Chesworth’s much-needed opening goal came after 22 minutes. A lovely move down the left finished with Josh getting to the goal line as his marker seemed to stop, then crossing the ball low for Henry to touch in on the volley at the near post. Three minutes later Chesworth had a penalty as Harry was brought down, only for Jack to screw his spot kick wide. The keeper then made a brave stop at Jack’s feet as the striker drove into the six-yard area.

Chesworth’s pressure was rewarded with their second goal. Henry collected on the left, took it into the area and placed a lovely shot to the keeper’s left into the far corner.

Jack W-L replaced Ewan as the half came to a close and Jed came on for a hobbling Josh.

Benjy and Harry made way for Tom and Josh at the start of the second half. The first move of the half led to Chesworth’s third. Tim played in Henry down the left and the hat-trick hero shot hard and true to beat the keeper at the near post.

Ewan replaced CJ and the game settled down into a midfield battle with the tenacious Steyning players often getting to the ball first and Chesworth showing a tendency to crowd the ball. Chesworth never looked in too much danger of conceding though, with the defence solid and using the ball well when breaking down the Steyning attacks. Having said that, they were still unable to add to their own tally in the final 28 minutes. Jack put over a lovely corner that was cleared to Luke, whose shot cleared the bar. When Steyning did get a free kick within striking distance of Chesworth’s goal, Tom collected comfortably.

Benjy replaced Josh. Chesworth had another free kick that led to the goalie saving Henry’s attempt to nab a fourth goal and Ewan covered beautifully at the other end to support Connor. Harry came back on for Jack F and immediately went on a mazy dribble that ended with the ball going just wide. Both teams were starting to tire in the mud as Chesworth toiled hard to break Steyning down with Jed and Tim scrapping for every ball in midfield until Tim made way for Josh. The visitors’ typically obdurate defence held firm as two corners from Harry threatened to catch them out, with Tom connecting with the second but unable to find the target.

At the end of a tough match in testing conditions, Chesworth sit proudly at the top of the league with a 100 per cent record with five games to play.

Saturday 14th Jan. 12

Crawley United 0 v 6 Chesworth Rovers

Scorers: Josh (2), Harry (2), Benjy, Jack F

I need to start this report with an apology to our wonderful goalkeeper and defenders: Sorry guys, but (again) there’s not a lot I can say about you! You dealt with everything that came your way with aplomb, tackled well, didn’t give the strikers any room, covered perfectly, were comfortable on the ball and distributed nicely – but by my reckoning only about seven or eight of the sixty minutes were played in the Chesworth half and, remarkably, Tom didn’t touch the ball at all until about the 41st minute. Still, all great teams are built on a solid defence, so take a bow for a clean sheet, but don’t blame me for not appearing much in the story!

The kick off for the boys’ first match for six weeks was delayed by more than half an hour to allow most of the frost to come out of the pitch, and on a bright, chilly day Chesworth upheld their 100% season’s record with a comfortable victory against a side that had beaten Roffey Robins in December.

Chesworth dominated from the start and looked to make the most of a very wide pitch, with Tim twice feeding Jack F on the wing. The Crawley defender clearly had his orders and dispossessed the Chesworth player each time, the second time for a corner that was cleared.

The first goal was a beauty as CJ broke down a dangerous-looking Crawley attack and passed to Jack F on the half way line. Rather than try to beat his man, Jack played a lovely through ball to Harry, who outsped two defenders and tucked the ball delicately along the ground into the bottom left-hand corner.

A good break down the left followed as Henry got to the goal line and won a corner. This was cleared but resulted in a free-kick, also cleared. Jack W-L won it back and found Harry who turned it onto Jack F. The winger’s shot was saved, and Benjy was fouled as he collected it. Jack F’s free kick took a slight deflection as it found the left side of the goal to make it 2-0.

A few minutes of midfield play ensued, with Josh, Tim and Benjy pretty much in control but not quite getting it to the front three. Benjy hit the post after being fed by Connor H, and then the two of them made way for subs Archie and Luke.

On a rare Crawley drive forward Jack W-L was beaten to the ball half way inside his own half but recovered brilliantly to rob the striker in the penalty area. Chesworth continued their attacks and the keeper saved well from Jack F after Harry played it square in the box, having picked the ball up from Henry’s cross. Archie’s free kick from 25 metres went wide as it just eluded Harry and Henry. The pressure continued until half time as first Tim then Jack couldn’t quite get enough power on their shots to beat the goalkeeper.

Tom, Benjy and Connor H came on at the start of the half in place of Harry, Henry and CJ, with the rearrangement giving Josh especially a free rein on the left which he fully made the most of in a storming performance. Within five minutes he had scored two goals and put the match out of Crawley’s reach.

First the ball broke from midfield to Benjy, who fed Tom on the edge of the penalty area. Tom held the ball up beautifully before slipping it to Josh who had just a yard of space on the left of the area. He looped it over the keeper into the far right-hand corner.

A similar goal followed two minutes later as this time Tim found Josh, again in an old-fashioned inside-left position, and although the keeper stuck out a hopeful leg he had no chance as Josh sent him the wrong way.

On 40 minutes, as the ball was punted into the Chesworth half, Tom advanced from his goal line for his first kick of the match. The ball returned to the right hand side of the Chesworth defence but was comfortably dealt with.

Chesworth were playing some lovely football as though the sun on their backs was really warming them up. Soon enough, some nice interplay on the right ended with Benjy collecting and lobbing the keeper to make the score 5-0. Henry and Harry came back on to replace Josh and Jack F.

The sixth and final goal came when Archie won a clearance and Tim battled past three opponents before passing into the middle of the box from where Harry picked his spot and let fly; the keeper could only parry the powerful shot into the net.

With the final substitutions, CJ, Jack and Josh came on for Tim, Jack W-L and Reece. The pace lulled for a few minutes and not much happened as Chesworth hit their typical “winning easily and it’s half-way through the second half” fallow period. They lost a bit of rhythm and passing, but woke up with four minutes to go and peppered a few shots towards goal with a tenacious Luke winning the ball well on the right.

A highly satisfactory start to the new year sees the boys half way through their league programme in second place, three points behind Roffey with three games in hand, and with a semi-final of the cup against Upper Beeding to come.

Saturday 3rd Dec.11

Roffey Robins 2 v 6 Chesworth Rovers

Scorers: Tim, Henry, Jack (2), Harry (2)

A hotly anticipated match that started evenly and then went Chesworth’s way as they asserted control at all parts of the pitch. Some nicely taken goals and intelligent performances all round from keeper to forwards saw Chesworth home, although the match ended early for two players through injuries.

Chesworth started nervously and were hesitant in defence as Roffey put together the first attack. The boys didn’t settle for a few minutes and the home team looked more composed on the ball. Chesworth thought they had scored on their first attack as Jack F lobbed the keeper and Tim helped it in, but the officials ruled it offside.

Chesworth scored the goal they needed to settle their nerves after six minutes, the move starting with Ewan breaking down a Roffey attack with a great tackle. He moved the ball through to Jack F who played in Tim running through on goal. Tim steadied himself and beat the keeper with a powerful finish.

The game settled into a rhythm with two seemingly well-matched sides. Archie’s match unfortunately lasted only ten minutes as a ball struck hard from close range hit him directly in the right eye and he had to be carried off, replaced by Jed. Roffey attacked from the restart and were unlucky that a forward didn’t get on the end of a great ball across goal, but just a minute later they were level. The Chesworth defence didn’t deal with a long high ball, which fell to the left winger, whose cross found the number seven in space. He made no mistake from 10 metres to make it 1-1.

The goal seemed to spur Chesworth into action and they gradually got on top, scoring another three before the break. First Benjy picked the ball up on the left and played a lovely cross over the defence to Jack F on the right side of the area. Jack beat the advancing keeper to the ball and slotted home for 2-1. Harry and Reece replaced Jack W-L and Tim, and the Chesworth number nine was soon on the scoresheet as he made no mistake from close range, with the referee overruling a flag for offside. Jack F made it four when he ran onto a through-ball from Josh.

Roffey continued their tactics of playing a high back four which rather played into the hands of Chesworth’s speedier forwards, and Henry twice beat the offside trap before half time after being sent through by Jed and Josh. However he skewed one wide and on the other occasion was robbed at the last minute by a defender chasing back.

Chesworth began to dominate at the start of the second half, although Tom had to be alert to time his dive perfectly to stop a nicely-placed shot.
Henry again beat the Robins’ defence at the half-way line to run onto a through-ball and this time made no mistake as he outpaced his marker and shot beautifully across the keeper to nestle the ball into the net off the far post.

The sixth goal came from a lovely move. Tim fed Jack F on the right and the winger put over a first-time cross on the stretch. Harry showed great anticipation and reaction to beat the keeper to the ball, take it round him and score into an empty net. 6-1.

Chesworth then had their usual fallow period half-way thorough the second half. With the match seemingly safe they took their collective feet off the pedal and, not for the first time this season, let the other team come back at them. Tim broke from defence at one point, and as he slightly overran the ball went into a crunching 50/50 tackle with a Roffey midfielder. While the ball went back towards the Chesworth goal and was lobbed into the net from 20 metres, Tim became the second Chesworth player to have to leave the pitch with assistance, nobbled by a rather swollen ankle.

With 15 minutes to go and the game at 6-2, it became a bit scrappy with all the action in midfield, and the main attacking coming from the home team. The Chesworth defence held firm, with good interventions from each of the back four. The claret and blues saw out the game without further major incident and recorded a highly satisfactory win.

Saturday 26th Nov.11

Chesworth Rovers 7 v 0 Crawley United

Scorers: Tim (3), Josh, Henry, Jack, Archie

A highly satisfactory performance from Chesworth, who clearly enjoyed playing their first league match at Holbrook since 1 October. Crawley broke on a number of occasions and applied some pressure towards the end, but Tom and the defence were rarely troubled with Connor, CJ, Ewan, Reece and Caleb holding the line well. There was good tackling, control and passing from Archie, Benjy, Jed and Luke in midfield, Jack was rampant on the wing again despite a decent opponent marking him, while Josh and Henry shared the spoils down the left, and Tim, given the chance to lead the front line, popped up with three goals. Crawley were useful opponents as always, but Chesworth were just too strong in all departments.

The first goal was typical Chesworth and came after three minutes. Jack broke down the right, outsped the defenders to the goal line and pulled the ball back across goal for Josh to tap in. Crawley pressed forward once or twice in the first few minutes but Chesworth’s defence dealt with the threat nicely. Jack repeated his dash to the goal line, but this time Archie’s shot went wide after the cross was headed out. Josh started a lovely move as he beat two men and slotted to Tim who turned and passed across goal to Jack whose first-time shot hit the post, only to be judged offside anyway.

We didn’t wait long for the second goal as Benjy fed Jack in his favourite position; 12 yards out to the right of goal, and Jack made no mistake with a powerful finish.

Chesworth continued to break from midfield, with Josh, Tim and Jack all denied by a quick defence when running onto through balls, while the Chesworth back four swept up Crawley’s occasional breaks. The home side’s third goal was an identikit version of the first although this time Jack picked up the ball centrally just five metres in the Crawley half. Again he got to the goal-line and this time it was Tim at the near post to steer the ball home.

Luke and Henry came on for Benjy and Connor. Henry was soon in action as Josh’s through ball shredded the defenders, but the striker’s shot hit the keeper’s legs. There were two more incidents before half time as first Jed’s clever lob was just retrieved by the keeper and then Jack had a penalty shout turned down as he was bundled off Archie’s through-ball.

Benjy and Connor replaced Jack and Ewan at the start of the second half, and Chesworth’s fourth was not long in coming. Henry was crowded out in the middle of the area so he sent Josh free wide on the left. Josh played it back to Jed on the edge of the area whose cross could only be parried by the keeper into Tim’s path as he followed up. 4-0.

The fifth was started by Reece’s great tackle on the half-way line to break up a Crawley move. The left back fed Josh down the wing and he teed Henry up nicely for a trademark powerful left-foot finish.

Tim and Josh made way for Caleb and Jack and Chesworth settled into a pattern of peppering the Crawley box with passes and crosses, holding the midfield well and using the ball intelligently. After a few minutes of pressure, a ball from the right found Archie on the edge of the area and the midfielder, while not connecting perfectly, saw his shot go over a crowd of players and bounce into the far corner of the net for 6-0.

Josh, Tim and Ewan replaced Jed, CJ and Henry for the last seven or eight minutes and Tim completed his hat-trick with a nice chip. At 7-0 Chesworth eased off slightly which allowed Crawley to end the match with some pressure on the Chesworth goal, giving Tom and the defenders something to think about. However Chesworth rode out the game for a nice win.

Saturday 12 Nov.11

Steyning Strikers 2 v 3 Chesworth Rovers

Scorers: Ewan, Josh, Benjy

Phew! The Chesworth contingent blew a collective sigh of relief at the final whistle as Rovers clung on to record a narrow win that could, and maybe should, have been rather more comfortable. Despite having about 75% of possession, Chesworth found it very hard to break down Steyning’s traditionally strong defence and goalkeeper, while the opposition’s midfield and strikers also played well to frustrate Chesworth and take their chances when they arose. The visitors finally won thanks to a tenacious and slightly contentious goal from Ewan, an own goal by Steyning’s keeper and a peach of a header from Josh. To say they made it hard for themselves is an understatement, and the game against Roffey Robins on 3 December is shaping up nicely as a pivotal match in the season’s story.

Chesworth went on the attack from the start with some good passing football on a large, wide pitch that should have played to Jack F’s and Henry’s strengths out wide. Steyning, however, are a tidy side and neither winger could assert their command over the defence. It was eight minutes before there was an effort on goal, Benjy shooting over the bar after a lovely build up featuring CJ and Jack F. Chesworth continued to press and when Archie set Henry free on the left, the winger outpaced two players but skewed his shot just wide. Jack F broke consistently down the right wing, but was often foiled by the last tackle. Josh had a shot after Archie and Henry combined to set him up, then Henry collected a beautiful pass from Tim but the shot again went just wide.

Tom’s first touch in goal – a back pass – came after 17 minutes, such was Chesworth’s control of the game, but there was still no way through the Steyning rearguard action. Tim broke into the area with a couple of defenders, but couldn’t get his shot away before Henry sent over a perfect corner that bobbled around the six yard area without anyone getting a touch. Tim lobbed a lovely pass over a defender’s head to Henry who shot powerfully towards the top corner; the keeper just got his fingertips to it and pushed it against the post and across the goal.

The Chesworth defence coped confidently with Steyning’s breaks and Chesworth finished the half with another close call as Archie’s spinning shot from 20 metres landed on the roof of the net,

Jed and Jack W-L came on for Henry and Jack F at the start of the second half. Within seconds of the restart Chesworth took the lead as a long clearance from Josh found Harry, who played it forward as Ewan ran from defence to poke the ball goalwards. The keeper got to the ball but it crept over the line, although there was confusion as the linesman gave the goal but the referee didn’t see the flag and took a minute or so to get confirmation.

The lead lasted barely three minutes as a Chesworth clearance fell to a Steyning midfielder who lobbed the ball into the middle of the goal area. A striker was the first to respond to the high bounce and managed to get his head to the ball, which looped over Tom and bobbled over the line to make it 1-1.

Chesworth responded positively and attacked relentlessly, although no one could get to a ball lobbed dangerously into the Steyning goal area. Harry’s lovely chip from the edge of the area just cleared the bar after Tim and Benjy worked a clever throw-in. Archie and Harry made way for Jack F and Henry.

The play started to get a bit desperate at Chesworth felt time – and the game – ticking away. Josh broke down the left and played the ball into Jack F on the penalty spot; Jack turned but three defenders closed him down immediately and his shot went for a corner. Jack put over a beautiful cross that Benjy headed goalwards. The keeper went to punch it but could only help it into his own net to give Chesworth the lead again.

Archie came on again for Tim, but the play became scrappy as Chesworth sought to make the game safe. Jack began to get more space down the right and Jed was winning the ball well in midfield, but the clarets lost possession at crucial moments as the last pass went astray. Jed agonisingly hit the post after Josh played the ball back to him from the left, and the tension mounted as the match teetered on a knife edge. With seven minutes to go, CJ picked up the ball upon the half way line and fed Jack on the right. Jack sent over a high, lobbed cross to Josh who, perfectly positioned, cushioned his header with skill and accuracy to plant it beyond the keeper’s flailing effort.

Tom E replaced Josh and showed good skill up front, but there was still a sting in Steyning’s tail as a breakaway ended with a striker beating the Chesworth defence to a through ball and slotting neatly past Tom to set up a very nervous final few minutes for Chesworth. Steyning actually finished the match on top, but it was too little, too late as the final whistle came to Chesworth’s rescue and their 100% record for the season remained intact.

Saturday 8th Oct.11

Heron Way Cup 2nd Rd

Greenway 0 v 12 Chesworth Rovers

Scorers: Jack F (5), Henry (4), Jed, Caleb, Benjy

Chesworth eased into the quarter-finals with a good win against Greenway, with Jack F again in rampant form ably assisted by Henry’s contribution of four goals. In truth it’s hard to wax lyrical about the defence as they had precious little to do, although Jack W-L tried valiantly to get on the scoresheet with a few shots from distance. Tom touched the ball about five times in the whole match. Caleb celebrated his seasonal debut after injury with a fine goal and Paul showed there’s a softie lurking somewhere by making birthday-boy Archie captain for the day. Greenway left the field with their heads held high after showing some good skill and battling to the very end, but the reality was that Chesworth were just too strong.

Luke, Caleb and Jack W-L started on the bench as Chesworth began the game on the attack on a small and bumpy pitch, playing towards an alarming dip from the left of the goal to the far corner flag. Jack F’s first foray was offside but the first goal wasn’t long in coming. Archie won the ball in midfield and it rebounded to Jack very wide on the right. He beat two defenders and played in a low cross that the keeper fumbled. Henry ran in, won the loose ball and tapped in. Chesworth kept the ball almost constantly in the Greenway half with the home side doing some desperate defending. When the ball did cross the half-way line, CJ or one of his colleagues swept up easily.

Henry repaid the compliment to Jack for the second goal as the left-winger popped over a cross that evaded Tom and landed just behind Jack who trapped, turned and made no mistake from close range. The third soon followed as Chesworth won a corner after a nice move that saw Connor H feed Benjy whose shot was headed away. The corner was cleared to Archie who played it into Jed. Jed’s shot from outside the area squirmed under the keeper for 3-0.

Jack W-L came on for CJ, and was immediately involved in Greenway’s first attack as he chased back nicely. Any thought of a Greenway comeback were soon dashed though as Jack scored two in two minutes to complete a hat-trick and make it 5-0. First a free kick went across goal, was retrieved and put back into the middle for Jack to score, and then he picked the ball up in midfield and weaved through the defence.

Jack W-L tried the first of his pot shots from near the half-way line that looked like going in but dipped towards the goalie’s grateful hands. A minute later, Henry was again on hand to turn the ball into the net after a mistake by the keeper to make it 6-0.

Luke and Caleb replaced Archie and Reece. Greenway had their closest chance of the match when a player punted the ball high and long over Tom’s head, but the Chesworth keeper ran back to cover and put the ball out for a corner under pressure. It was Tom’s first touch of the match. Henry tried a lovely curling free kick that just went over the bar, and a few seconds later Benjy played a lovely lob over the defence and Henry ran in to head the bouncing ball past the keeper into the net. Another cross ran right across goal to a concerted “oooooohhhhh” from the vociferous crowd.

With the last kick of the half a Greenway free kick was beautifully collected by Tom.

CJ replaced Connor H at the start of the second half. Chesworth started on the offensive again and Jack W-L tried again from well outside the area but the Greenway goalie saved nicely, and repeated the feat a minute later from Jack F. Greenway continued to battle and Chesworth got stuck in as well, with one such skirmish on the edge of the Greenway area resulting in the ball falling for Henry who made no mistake to make it eight..

Archie and Reece came on for Henry and Jed. Benjy played Jack F out wide and Jack’s cross was touched on but cleared off the line. Chesworth were never far away from adding to their lead though and the next came from Caleb, hovering just to the right of the penalty spot as play developed on the right. As the ball came over, Caleb connected nicely to celebrate his return to the side (the manager’s response to his left back’s goal of “what are you doing up there?” was, we think, light-hearted banter, though we can never be too sure!).

Jed and Connor H came back on as Ewan and Tom E gave way. And Chesworth soon won the ball in the middle again and played it out to Jack on the right, who gave a little skip and blasted past the keeper for 10-0. Jack F scored a copy-cat goal a minute later as Jed slid it over; the finish was clinical. Luke nearly did a Wayne Rooney, not by getting sent off but by attempting a flying overhead kick from a corner that was in the right direction but collected by the keeper. Jack F went off for Henry for the last few minutes, in which Benjy scored the twelfth by trapping a lovely corner from Henry, spinning and firing home.

Chesworth now play Hurstpierpoint Colts in the quarter finals.

Saturday 1st Oct.11

Chesworth Rovers 8 v 1 Ashurst Wood

Scorers: Jack F (3), Tim (2), Harry (2), Henry

Brian Clough always used to say that legendary goalkeeper Peter Shilton wasn’t his last line of defence, he was the first line of attack (boys, you’ll have to Google them), and Chesworth played like that against Ashurst Wood. Plenty of attacks started at the back, playing through midfield to the strikers or bringing the ball forward and releasing the forwards at the right time. The team strengthened their lead over Roffey Robins at the top of the league table, extending their goal difference to 19 to the Robins’ 13, wrapping the game up by half time against a well-organised Ashurst Wood team who came to try and play some decent football.

Luke, Benjy and Ewan started on the bench as Chesworth began in very lively fashion, CJ breaking up an attack and sending a pass down the line to Jack F who skinned two defenders before seeing his low cross fail to get a touch. Reece then sent Jack F clear, the striker out-running the defender again. The keeper hesitated to come and collect Jack’s over-hit approach, allowing him to round the keeper and slot home. A few moments later Tim blasted over; Jack F was first to the goal kick and scored his and Chesworth’s second.

Ashurst Wood were showing nice touches, playing the ball around, but had no punch up front, with CJ, Connor H, Jack W-L and Reece comfortably mopping up whatever came their way. They were reduced to long shots that Tom covered nicely in goal.

Meanwhile the strikers fell foul of the offside trap a bit too much, but when the ball was played out of midfield to Henry he crossed to Harry who made no mistake low to the keeper’s right, to make it 3-0.

Jed and Josh were both seeing plenty of the ball in midfield, holding the ball up well and using it intelligently; Jed especially seemed to be involved in everything while Josh pushed forward and tried his luck with a good shot. As half time approached, Tim scored a quick brace. First a good save by the Ashurst Wood keeper fell nicely for him 25 yards out and he lifted the ball beautifully over the defence and goalie, and then Benjy, on for Jack F, played a lovely lob over a defender for Tim to touch delicately in at the near post. In between, there was more good Chesworth play with the boys running off each other nicely, Ewan came on for Jack W-L, and Connor and CJ combined to break down a good move by the opponents. With the last kick of the half, Harry shot into the side netting from a fluent Chesworth move involving Tom B, Jed and Henry

Luke, Jack W-L and Jack F replaced Connor, Tim and Jed at the start of the second half. It was soon 6-0 as Henry sent Jack F clear. He was again too fast for the defence to complete his hat-trick and take his tally to 11 for the season (19 including friendlies).

Luke tried a pot shot at the keeper, and then Benjy split the defence with another lovely assist that allowed Henry time to pick his spot and touch it past the goalie.

With a 7-0 lead, Chesworth seemed to take their collective feet off the gas for most of the rest of the half, something that is becoming a bit of a habit. The temp slowed noticeably and there was more play in the middle of the park. Ashurst Wood took advantage and held sway for a few minutes, scoring with a deft side-footed lob over Tom from an acute angle. Tim, Connor and Jed came on again for CJ, Henry and Josh and the game continued to ebb and flow with just one or two sparks of action in the penalty areas, notably when Harry broke clear to the left and was tackled just as he was lining up his shot. The best move of the half saw Jack W-L giving Ewan a good call to leave the ball to him; he controlled nicely and played it wide. Tim, bursting through two defenders in the middle collected the cross but hit his shot high and wide.

The final sub of the game came as Paul replaced Jack F with Josh for the last few minutes. Jed made a move down the left, twice beating an opponent with the Hooper-Ridsdale shuffle before winning a throw from trying it a third time. Harry wrapped up the scoring by shooting through a crowded defence after being teed up by Jed.

Three games into the league season and it’s looking good for Chesworth, and the away clash with Roffey Robins on 3 December already looks like a humdinger in waiting

Saturday 24th Sept.11

Dorking Saints 2 v 9 Chesworth Rovers

Scorers: Jack F (2), Jed (2), Josh, Henry, Archie (pen), Reece, Tim

Another comfortable win for Chesworth that takes them to the top of the table on goal difference from Roffey Robins. Dorking’s pitches have always been on the small side and today’s was no exception, but Chesworth still used the flanks well. At times though they tended to rush their passes and lose possession, with Paul clearly looking for improvement in both that area and in keeping close to the opposition when they have the ball and at set pieces.
Paul started with an interesting 4-1-2-3 formation, with Jack W-L, Ewan, CJ and Reece across the back, Archie in a holding midfield position behind Benjy and Josh, and Jack F, Harry and Henry up front. Tim, Jed and Tom E started on the bench.
Chesworth dominated from the start and put a couple of attacks together immediately, although Dorking also broke through the middle far too easily without threatening Tom’s goal. The first goal was a peach as it came directly after Tom saved a Dorking attempt. His clearance found Archie who played it to Jack F who found Josh. Josh sent Jack F clear on the right; the winger beat his defender and passed across the face of goal. The ball eluded Henry but Josh had continued a run from midfield and scored at the far post.
The second was not long in coming and was more route-one. A clearance came to Jack, he played a long ball to Henry who ran on and smashed a left-foot shot into the net off the underside of the bar. Jack F continued to find space on the right and was denied twice, first by an excellent save and then by a defender who could only push him off the ball. Archie converted the resultant penalty for Chesworth to take a 3-0 lead.
Chesworth were playing well and moving the ball around with one-touch and two-touch football and Dorking posed little threat even when they got the ball in Chesworth’s half, with the defence mopping up any potential danger. Jack W-L, Reece, Ewan and CJ all moved the ball out of defence intelligently to keep possession. When the home side did get clear on the right, Tom made a lovely save low at his near post.
Jack W-L started to play a little more forward, linking well with Jack F. One gorgeous pass sent Jack F clear, only for the ball across the goal to be deflected. From the corner, Benjy tried some trickery and an overhead shot but he was off target.
Reece got on the score sheet for the first time this season when a corner broke to him on the edge of the area. The keeper tried to trap Reece’s hopeful right-foot shot but it bounced under his foot into the net. Tim and Jed came on for the last five minutes of the half only for Dorking to score. A free kick came off Archie and deflected towards the Chesworth goal; an attacker got to it first and looped the ball over Tom from close range.

Tom, Tim and Jed replaced Harry, Josh and Benjy at the start of the second half, and Chesworth soon added to their lead with Jed scoring two excellent quick-fire goals. First a throw from the left went through a crowd of players and Jed ran in to lob the keeper from close range. A minute later, Tom held the ball up with his back to goal then touched a short pass to Jed on the edge of the area. Jed hit a powerful first-time shot that kept straight and low as it flew into the bottom right hand corner of the net. Jack F then exploited hesitation in the Dorking defence to sneak in and slide the ball past the keeper to make it 7-1 to the visitors.
Although well in control, Chesworth’s play started to look a little ragged as though the comfortable lead made them lose a bit of discipline. Instead of controlling, looking up and passing they took to hoofing it too much, and lack of calling for the ball led to some scrappy stuff in the middle of the park. Jack F still got clear a couple of times, again denied by the keeper but then getting on the end of Henry’s cross that the keeper could only touch to Jack with his outstretched foot. The winger made no mistake for Chesworth’s eighth.
Josh, Benjy and Harry replaced Archie, Henry and Jack F for the rest of the match. Dorking scored a second after Tom got his hands to a corner only to see the ball fall to a Dorking player. He mishit it but another followed up to make it 8-2.
The Dorking keeper continued to play well, denying Benjy after he battled well on the edge of the area, while a minute later a corner came off Benjy’s knee and was headed off the line. Tim also had header saved by the goalie following a corner, but the gutsy keeper could do nothing about Chesworth’s ninth that came at the end of a lovely move featuring Ewan, CJ, and Jack W-L, who slotted the ball through the middle to Tim, the midfielder beating the offside trap and sliding home under the keeper.

Saturday 17th Sept.11 (Heron Way Cup)

Horsham Tigers 0 v 13 Chesworth Rovers
Scorers: Jack F (4), Harry (2), Luke (2), Tim, Henry, Benjy, Connor H, Archie (pen).

Chesworth gained an expected victory against C division opponents in their first-ever cup game on a bumpy and well-grassed pitch. The boys put in a solid performance against the Tigers’ massed defence, taking their goals well, and was notable for full-back Connor Heathcote’s second goal ever for the club and first for two years! The Tigers’ goalkeeper played a blinder in the second half and was unlucky to be on the receiving end of so many goals.

Your reporter missed the first half due to an inconsiderate oil-spill and the closure of the A24. Despite only being 1-0 up after 15 minutes, Chesworth asserted towards the end and led 6-0 at half time, with Jack F scoring twice with one each for Harry, Henry (a lovely header), Tim and Benjy.

In truth, there is not much to report as the story of the second half was one of Chesworth dominance and trying to find a way through Tigers’ rearguard action, with a goal – including a few beauties – coming every few minutes as reward.

Luke started the scoring with a nice break through the middle before Jack F teed himself up nicely with a touch over his head and then blasting home. Chesworth’s players continued to take pot-shots, mainly blocked, although Henry and Reece both beat the defence only to see their shots go high and wide.

On one occasion when the ball was played wide by Luke as an alternative to shooting at the defence, Jack F beat two players and got to the goal line to play it back to Henry whose shot crept past the far post.

Jack F scored Chesworth’s ninth, finishing a move started in defence and carried forward by Tim who claimed the assist. Harry added a tenth from Luke’s burst through the middle, while Connor H’s superb shot into the far corner from wide in the penalty area was his first goal since scoring in the 18-0 win over Broadbridge Heath in October 2009.

To their great credit Tigers showed great spirit and kept fighting, but couldn’t get past Chesworth’s midfield more than a couple of times and then found Ewan, CJ, Connor H, Reece and Jack W-L in extremely solid form at the back. Soon enough, Luke added the twelfth before Tim went close after controlling nicely high to his right and forcing a good save.

Archie’s coolly-taken penalty, wide of the keeper’s dive to his left, completed the scoring shortly before the end, a victory that earns Chesworth a second-round tie against Greenway.

Saturday 10th Sept.11

Chesworth Rovers 7 v 2 Cranleigh Comets
Scorers: Harry (2), Jack F (2), Archie, Tom E (2)

Chesworth started their first league campaign with a comfortable win against opposition who beat them last season, although their play lacked the fluidity of their performances in the friendlies and left Paul commenting that there was still work to be done! The team’s pre-season experience seemed to pay off as they seemed far more comfortable with the 11-a-side format than Cranleigh, using the width of the pitch well with Jack F again rampant down the right and Henry finding lots of space on the left.

Cranleigh actually had the first attack but Tom B cleared and Chesworth’s first move was impressive as Jack beat the full-backs for speed and put in a lovely cross that Henry poked just wide. Jack’s next cross was into an empty box as his pace caught out everyone. The deadlock was broken when Chesworth cleared a Cranleigh corner, Tim brought it clear and fed Henry who beat a couple of men and played a lovely through ball to Harry. The number nine ran on and coolly slotted home for 1-0.

The second goal was similar as Tim fed Harry who this time went to his left and scored with his left foot. Playing nicely down the right, a lovely move from Connor H to Ewan to Jack F led to another ball across the face of the goal and Henry’s shot was cleared off the line. Cranleigh managed to break a couple of times and Tom B rescued a dangerous moment when he had to dive to save a ball coming across his goal. From his clearance Connor H played another lovely ball to Jack F; this time the winger took it on by himself as he cut into the goal area and shot low into the far corner of the net.

Cranleigh pulled one back that survived the application of the offside rule before Jack F increased the lead to 4-1. Tom B again had to make a save, this time high above his head, after a lovely lob from an opponent following a corner. Chesworth attacked immediately, Jack F won a corner which broke to Archie on the edge of the area whose lob evaded the keeper’s outstretched arms.

Chesworth didn’t start the half well, and after a few minutes of scrappy play, a Cranleigh forward took advantage of hesitation in the defence and beat Tom wide to his right to make it 5-2.

Although Chesworth couldn’t pick up the passing movements from the first half, Jack F continued to raid down the right. His first run ended with him shooting wide, the next needed a save for the keeper that rebounded to Tom E who made no mistake from three metres. Tim then hit the bar with a lovely lob following a nice move from a corner and a few minutes later a good corner into the box again found no-one attacking it.

The game entered a quiet period with neither side really dominating and most of the play in midfield coming to nothing, although Chesworth went close from a corner and only a desperate saving tackle stopped Tom breaking clear.

Tom E scored the final goal in the same manner as the sixth as he pounced on a Tim shot that was only parried by the keeper.

Wednesday 7th Sept.11

Chesworth Rovers 6 v 1 Southdown Rovers
Scorers: Jack F (3), Henry (2), Tom

Chesworth got off to a flyer at Forest school as they scored with their first attack, and it was a beauty. From the kick-off the ball reached Reece at left back, he moved it up the left flank for Henry who in turn found Harry breaking into the left side of the area. The number nine crossed to Jack F, who was running in to poke the ball into an unguarded net.
Tom’s first touch in the Chesworth goal didn’t come for five minutes as Chesworth pressed, Benjy’s pass to Jack F on the edge of the area resulted in the home team’s top scorer in the friendlies hooking the ball onto the bar.
Southdown’s first attack was beautifully cleared by Ewan who found Harry. Harry’s lovely touch to Jack F resulted in an excellent save by the useful Southdown keeper. Henry then shot wide after Southdown gave away possession on the half way line. Chesworth continued to pepper the goal to no avail as Henry and Tim went close and the keeper bravely plucked the ball from Jack F’s feet as he tried to round him.
Chesworth had an escape when Southdown, getting into the match, had a goal disallowed for offside, and just before half time Chesworth increased their lead when Harry found Henry whose rare right-foot shot crept in at the far post.

Southdown started the second half with more purpose and soon pulled a goal back when their striker beat the Chesworth defence for speed and shot low under Tom’s dive. Their joy was short lived though as Harry collected a throw and lobbed the ball into the box. It was only half cleared to Jack F whose volley crept through a crowd of players and past the unsighted keeper. 3-1.
Although Southdown continued to gain confidence playing downhill, the Chesworth back four resisted well, and it was the home side that scored next when Tom’s perseverance beat the plucky keeper at the third attempt. Jack F continued to menace in front of goal; he fed Luke who just skewed wide, shot wide himself after beating the keeper, collected a pass from Jed and set Tom free only for Tom to drive past the post, and finally collected a poor goal kick, played a lovely one/two with Tom and rifled into the roof of the net for 5-1.
Jed and Henry combined well for the sixth goal, and the final whistle blew to signal an end to four excellent friendlies that should have set the boys up for an exciting season.

Saturday 3rd Sept.11

Three Bridges United 1 v 5 Chesworth Rovers
Scorers: Jack F (2), Tom, Archie (pen), own goal

Chesworth’s third pre-season friendly was a clear-cut win that wasn’t quite as comfortable as the scoreline suggests. There were some lovely moves and excellent individual performances but the boys were probably feeling the effects of three games in a week. Nevertheless, with one friendly left the team can look forward to the league season with three excellent wins under their belts and a justifiable sense of optimism for the challenge ahead.
Chesworth were on the attack from the start and Harry threatened up front, foiled by the offside flag and then by a decent tackle from a hesitant Three Bridges defence. Both Jack and Henry just failed to connect with good passes after nice moves involving three or four players, and Chesworth won two corners that were well cleared. Three Bridges threatened intermittently but Ewan and Jack W-L combined well at the back to snuff out the attacks, and when keeper Tom did need to collect the ball an excellent clearance found Henry who sent Jack F clear only for the Three Bridges goalie to save well.
Three Bridges started to gain confidence and assert some pressure, gaining their reward by taking the lead against the run of play. A free kick just outside the area on 20 minutes was nicely placed over the Chesworth keeper to put the home team 1-0 up.
Towards the end of the first half the game became a bit scrappy with chances at both ends coming only from free kicks. Tom saved a similar one to the earlier goal then the Three Bridges keeper saved well from Jack F. In the final minute of the half Archie perfectly weighted a free kick from the centre circle into Jack F’s path and the in-form striker made no mistake to earn Chesworth parity at half-time.

Only two minutes of the second half had elapsed when a Chesworth throw broke to Jed who laid it on to Tom to the right of goal. Tom’s shot hit a defender but trickled in to give the away side the lead.
Three Bridges came into the game more, but the goals came at the other end for the rest of the match as the claret and blues defended well. Having seen a Three Bridges shot sail just past the angle of the post, Benjy went close for Chesworth, before a dangerous Three Bridges break ended with Caleb clearing off the line. More desperate defending followed as Three Bridges sensed that Chesworth were tiring, with another goal-line clearance saving the visitors. When Chesworth broke they still showed excellent skill and teamwork; one move started with Jed feeding Benjy who ran on and returned to Jed who slotted through the defence to Tom. A tackle sent the ball back to Josh, who fed Archie on the right. His low cross just evaded Tom and Tim as they ran in.
A couple of minutes later Archie was fouled in the box and stepped up to rifle the penalty to the keeper’s left to give Chesworth breathing space at 3-1.
Cheworth lived dangerously as play ebbed and flowed and twice more cleared off the line. Play down Chesworth’s right focused on Jack F after he came back on, and he soon scored Chesworth’s fourth after he collected a through ball and a ricochet off the keeper before coolly rounding a defender to score from an angle.
A few minutes later Reece ballooned over on the turn from another excellent Henry corner. Yet another corner, played into the box by Henry, seemed safe in the keeper’s grasp only for it to drop into the net for an own goal. The game ran its course with a couple more Chesworth attacks but no more goals.

Wednesday 31st Aug.11

Chesworth Rovers 11 v 1 Horley Town
Scorers: Archie (2), Tim (2), Tom (2), Josh (pen), Jack F (3), Harry

The boys followed Saturday’s excellent win with an extremely promising performance against plucky but eventually outclassed B-league opposition. They passed well from the start, keeping possession and the play in their opponents’ half. Henry made the first break down the left only to see his cross cut out, but the breakthrough soon came as a move on the edge of the area broke to Archie on the right who controlled and slotted home for 1-0.
Josh came into the game driving forward from midfield and nearly got on the end of Henry’s cross, before collecting the ball deep, beating two or three opponents and only just failing to lob the keeper.
A Horley free kick led to a corner and a few minutes of pressure, with their first shot of the game nicely collected by Tom high to his left.
Horley’s attack was short-lived and the next chance fell to Harry who had to stretch and could only fire over the bar. Henry’s confident runs down the left led to a lovely cross from the by-line that Archie stooped to meet with a nice header to make it 2-0.
The third goal swiftly followed following an excellent move: Connor H broke down a Horley attack with a well-timed saving tackle, Archie cleared to Harry who powered down the right and sent over a pin-perfect cross to Tim, who wrong-footed the keeper. 3-0.
More good moves followed: Josh met a clearance with a header that found Tim who looped it right to Harry, and the Horley keeper saved the number nine’s shot with his feet. Jed fed Archie whose cross was just too close to the keeper, Tim rattled the bar and Jed’s nice touch on for Tim looked like a goal until he was well tackled.
The Chesworth defence was coping well with the few Horley attacks, but just before half time four players converged on a through ball on the edge of the area. Tom got there first but his clearance unluckily hit the oncoming Horley striker and the ball rebounded agonisingly into the goal, 3-1.
Jack F came on and immediately started asserting down the right with his first cross just failing to get a touch from a striker.

The second half was one-way traffic as Chesworth piled on the pressure. Jack F had a sight of goal but unselfishly passed to Tom who couldn’t quite stretch to meet it. No matter; a couple of minutes later Josh dribbled into the area and laid off to Tom in a similar position and the striker made no mistake. It was 4-1 – and when Tom found himself in an almost identical position two minutes later he again lobbed the keeper to make it five. Benjy nearly got in on the act when a beautifully-worked corner involving himself, Jack F and Connor H ended with Benjy hitting the side netting.
The goals now came thick and fast as Horley understandably wilted under the constant attacks. A penalty gave Josh the chance to make it 6-1, before Jack F made no mistake after winning the ball on from the edge of the area. Chesworth even seemed to up the pace, with the defence barely needed, and forced mistakes from the Horley players although the goalkeeper bravely kept some of the attacks at bay and overall had a good match!
Harry collected a goal kick and dragged his shot wide, but the resultant goal kick went straight back to him and he made no mistake, slotting past the despairing keeper’s outstretched legs. Jack F scored his second and Chesworth’s ninth before Tim added the tenth following good work by Benjy and a rebound off the keeper. Jack F completed his hat-trick, and the last action of the match happily favoured the plucky Horley keeper as he made a triple save at Jack’s feet.

A very satisfactory performance all round although the defence was rarely tested.

Saturday 27th Aug.11

Worthing United 0 v 3 Chesworth Rovers
Scorers: Henry (2), Jed)

Chesworth started their season with a good win against a useful side, sadly missed by your reporter. By all accounts the boys played very well and deserved the win.