This week’s game was going to test our squad to the full with injured Caleb, Pat and Tyler and with Comberton riding high in the league.
Chatteris started very passively with the first pass of the game being intercepted and putting us on the back foot. Comberton had some success down our flanks and with their right full back doing his Rory Delap impressions with the longest throws in the league our defence had to hold firm. Several times the recently returned Joe Baker did very well covering behind the defence to clear or sweep up. Keeper Jamie Hughes had to stretch to his full extent on 16mins to keep out a high Comberton shot.
As the half progressed Chatteris settled into the game and tried to pass around a strong Comberton defence. On 20 mins the ball was laid back to the edge of the box for Josh Joyce to strike a decent low shot to the corner of the net only for the Comberton keeper to dive brilliantly and push the ball past the post.
Chatteris’s tackling seemed a little off key and much of the better first half chances fell to Comberton, who, however only troubled Jamie that once and a correctly dis-allowed goal for off side.
On 25 mins Gary Jackson skilfully beat his man and sent a high far post cross which eluded the keeper and found the far corner of the net.
HT CTYFC B 1-0 Comberton
After some harsh words at half time Chatteris started very brightly and were gaining more and more success. After dominating the first 5 mins or so Comberton broke down the middle and their striker poked the ball past the on-rushing Jamie to equalise.
The next 20 minutes was one-way traffic and Chatteris showed some of their better passing skills to create a number of good chances. 44 mins Joyce’s shot was blocked on the line after he had beaten the keeper all ends up. On 53 mins Mitch Dawson unleashed a cracking shot high only to see the Comberton keeper pull off an incredible save tipping the ball over the bar. Captain Frankie Ransome won a header of a Jackson corner only to see the ball scrape the bar and Jackson himself tried to repeat his first half goal with a cleaver lob which the keeper just managed to tip around the post. From the resulting Joyce corner a ricochet hit the inside of the post but alas eluded the net.
One minute later in the 61st minute Comberton pumped a long ball forward and despite having covering defenders the one striker managed to get his shot across Jamie and into the far corner, much against the run of play!!
The last 9 minutes were frantic but Comberton held firm to somewhat pinch the result. To be fair a draw would have been respectful to the balance of play (both half’s) If one team was going to pinch the game it looked like Chatteris, but like in the cup defeat to Hardwick, Sometimes you just don’t quite get what you may deserve.
MOTM went to the very impressive Joe Baker bearing in mind the length of time he’s been out injured with a back problem. It was good to see him back in form.
Defeat does not totally deflate us, we are now eight points behind leaders Eaton Socon with a game in hand and we still to play them away. All is not lost but a huge effort is now needed. |
