Chasetown Reserves were defeated for only the second time in the Midland Combination League Reserve Division this season on a disappointing afternoon in Leicestershire.
The game began in frantic fashion with little football played as both sides made hard work of the blustery conditions.
The first chance on 10 minutes fell to the visitors, Paul Lavin’s high ball into the box held up in the wind and the ball dropped invitingly to Tom Billingham who shot tamely at Heather keeper Lawrence.
On 15 minutes, Webb collected a hopeful ball forward on the right. With Chasetown keeper John Green stranded out of position the Heather forward turned and curled is shot just wide of the far post.
A high ball forward was missed by Christopher Lewis but Heather’s Webb was denied an effort on goal by the alert Scott Embrey.
A Webb free kick from wide on the Chasetown right found the head of Fisher, but the home side’s defender headed straight into the hands of the grateful Green.
With 10 minutes of the half remaining Dan Rock’s low cross from the left found the unmarked Billingham who dragged his effort wide from close range.
Neat interchange by Heather’s Sippirts and Holsate on the Chasetown right, saw the later get to the by-line before crossing for Fisher, who’s strike on goal rebounded off the post before hitting Scholars keeper Green and behind for a corner to the home side. From the resulting corner Webb found the head of Fisher who headed just over from five yards.
On 38 minutes, Daniel O’Callaghan latched onto Chris Horton’s flick on, but Heather keeper Lawrence was alert and quickly off his goal line to block the midfielder’s effort on goal.
On the stroke of half time Billingham battled his way through three challenges before releasing Rock wide on the left. He in turn found Horton on the edge of the penalty area, but despite shaking off the attentions of White, the emergency striker shot over from 15 yards, meaning the game remained goalless at the break.
The second half began much the same as the previous 45 minutes, both sides guilty of needlessly relinquishing possession cheaply.
The first chance of the half fell to the home side, Robinson found Slimm on edge of the box, before playing the ball into Sippirts who shot tamely at Green.
Daniel O’Callaghan’s in swinging cross from the right touchline was just evaded the in rushing Rock. Then Embrey’s ball into the visitors’ penalty area found Billingham, whose speculative overhead kick went wide of Lawrence’s left hand post.
With half an hour remaining Dean Perrow was introduced to the action for his first game after his long injury lay-off on his way back to a first team return.
Jack Farmer won the ball on the right before switching the ball inside to Embrey who’s lofted through ball saw Daniel O’Callaghan cut inside Statham before striking on goal but his effort was comfortably collected by Lawrence.
On 65 minutes Farmer found himself in space on the left and played the ball into Rock, but his effort went high and wide of the goal from 25 yards.
A short while later Jamie Hawkins fed the ball into Perrow, but the striker failed to trouble Lawrence in the home goal from 20 yards. Then Perrow’s close range effort from Daniel O’Callaghan’s cross was blocked by Heather centre half White.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, Chris Lewis headed narrowly wide from a Hawkins free kick. However, in such a tight game the margin between success and failure is tiny, and so it was the home side who opened the scoring on 84 minutes. A high ball forward was misjudged by substitute Tom O’Callaghan which let in Sippits who spotted Green off his line and the Heather midfielder sublimely chipped the ball over the Scholars keeper and into the net from 20 yards.
Chasetown nearly got back into the game straight away. Daniel O’Callaghan was felled by a high boot from Heather’s Smithson when through on goal, but referee Kevin Wright waved awa strong appeals for a penalty.
On 88 minutes the home side made the game safe when a Chasetown attack was broke up by Fischer. His ball to Holsgate saw the forward powerfully shrug of the attention of the visiting defenders before sliding the ball under Green to make the scoreline 2-0 to Heather.
At the death a Mark Swann free kick was flicked narrowly wide by Perrow.
The Scholars will look to bounce back in midweek when they will try to overturn their 3-2 deficit in the Challenge Bowl Semi Final 2nd Leg at Boldmere St Michaels on Wednesday (March 17th), kick off 7.15pm. Then next Saturday (March 20th) they entertain Oadby Town in the league – kick off at the Scholars Ground is 3pm.
Chasetown: Green, Larvin, Farmer, Hulin, Lewis, Embrey, Billingham, Hawkins (c), Horton, Daniel O’Callaghan, Rock. Subs: Perrow (Horton 59), Aiton, Pammenter, Swann (Rock 69),
Tom O’Callaghan (Larvin 59).