East Men’s League

Premier A

CHELMSFORD made it three wins in a row on Saturday and put daylight between themselves and the relegation zone with a late victory on Saturday. Despite dominating large periods of the game, Chelmsford were not able to put the game to bed until two goals in the last 10 minutes sealed the win.

Having lost 7-4 at Bishop’s Stortford and put under intense pressure from the first whistle earlier in the season, Chelmsford entered the game expecting an early battering. However, this never materialised and Chelmsford were able to exert immediate pressure on their opposition. This was duly rewarded when Marc Pike found himself in space on the right edge of the D, and despite scuffing his shot, the ball bobbled under the keeper’s foot from a tight angle to give Chelmsford the lead.

This early setback seemed to sting Stortford into life, and they gradually played their way back into the game. Both sides looked dangerous on the break, forcing a number of short corners apiece, but it was the visitors who were able to take advantage when a deflected drag flick found its way past the outstretched stick of Jason Evans in the Chelmsford goal.

The second half continued in the same pattern, and within minutes of the restart Stortford found themselves ahead with a goal that was almost a carbon copy of the first. Unfortunately for Stortford, this was to prove their last meaningful attempt on goal as the superior fitness of Chelmsford became evident as the game progressed. With 20 minutes remaining, a break from David Hunter from sweeper created space at the top of the area for a clear shot on goal. Once again the finishing from Chelmsford was poor as Hunter sliced his shot wide, but Vasan Veerapalam was on hand to nudge home at the far post.

Both sides were now pushing for the winner and Chelmsford deservedly regained the lead when another break from Hunter resulted in a cross field pass to his brother Adam at the top corner of the D. With the Stortford keeper wary of the presence of other Chelmsford forwards hovering in the goal mouth, the Chelmsford skipper’s early shot went through a crowd of players and nestled in the bottom corner unchallenged.

By now Stortford were deflated and in the dying minutes George Mann seized on a stray pass round the defence a battered a first time shot past the stranded keeper.

Chelmsford now sit seventh in the table and next week travel to struggling Crostyx where they will hope to repeat their 5-2 home success earlier this season.