Chasetown pressure the Kidsgrove goal. Pic: Pamela Mullins
Tesfa Robinson heads away. Pic: Pamela Mullins
Tesfa Robinson heads away. Pic: Pamela Mullins

If anyone had left this game at half-time they would not have believed that Chasetown FC could have lost this Division One South encounter, such was their dominance in the first 45 minutes – but with the hosts equalising with the final kick of the first half, the second period was a different affair as Kidsgrove claimed the three points.

Kidsgrove started the game one of three teams rooted to the bottom of the league and with Chasetown nine points ahead of them, it was a vital game for both sides.

Other than an early Matt Haddrell chance for the home side that was cleared off the line after a goalmouth scramble, the visitors were the dominant force in the first half, stroking the ball about comfortably, getting players in good crossing positions and creating plenty of chances.

On 18 minutes, Ramone Stephens forced the first of many saves from home custodian Daniel Read as he dived full length to keep out Stephens’ right foot shot.

Just after the halfway point, Craig Bannister beat the offside trap and was through on Read’s goal only for the Grove keeper to block with his feet as he attempted to side foot the ball home.

Plenty of crosses from Lee Butler, Jack Farmer and Stephens had Kidsgrove on the back foot and two minutes before half-time Chasetown finally broke the deadlock. Paul Sullivan started the move and finished it with a clinical finish past a stranded Read.

It was the fillip that The Scholars needed after their first half dominance, but joy among the away following was short-lived.

On the stroke of half-time, a ball pumped into the area was punched away by Ryan Price but only as far as an opponent who steered the ball goalwards, allowing Thomas Wakefield to get the final touch from close range.

The goal had fired up the hosts and after the break Kidsgrove looked more purposeful on the ball and Chasetown were unable to get the first half fluency going again.

Within minutes of the restart Price was forced into saves from Karl Espley and Haddrell and out of nowhere the Scholars were in the back foot.

Ramone Stephens tries to escape his marker. Pic: Pamela Mullins
Ramone Stephens tries to escape his marker. Pic: Pamela Mullins

In the 68th minute came a rare opportunity for Craig Harris’ men and Read was again in top form to push away a goalbound Sullivan free kick with the rebound falling to the feet of Tesfa Robinson who was unable to turn the ball back on target from close range.

Chasetown were being restricted to long range efforts in an attempt to grab a winner but it was the Stoke side that perhaps were the deserved winners when substitute Nathan Chinn-Shaw found himself in space inside the box and drilled a shot beyond Price.

The introductions of Nick Wellecomme, Danny Smith and Andy Westwood were unable to change the pattern of the game and an equaliser was never forthcoming.

But Chasetown will look for revenge tomorrow (December 3) when the two sides meet again in the Doodson Sport League Cup.

Kidsgrove Athletic: Read, Street, Grocott, C Smith, A Taylor, P Taylor, Matranga (Chinn-Shaw, 64 mins), Espley, Haddrell, Wakefield (R Smith, 73 mins), Corden. Subs not used: Whitehead, Twigg.
Chasetown: Ryan Price, Farmer, Beckett, Slater, Robinson, Halsall, Butler (D Smith, 80 mins), Bragoli, Bannister (Wellecomme, 61 mins), Sullivan, Stephens (Westwood, 85 mins). Subs not use: Keenan, Watson.

Click below to see more of Pamela Mullins’ pictures from the game: