Chasetown FC fell at the final hurdle after a gutsy performance against fourth placed Stamford in the play-off final.
The hosts took the lead after just three minutes. Chasetown conceded a silly free kick just outside the penalty area and Danny Brooks rifled a bullet of a shot into the roof of Ryan Price’s net.
Stamford’s Ricky Miller was a whisker wide in the first few minutes and Chasetown really hadn’t got going, and were struggling to stay in the game.
Ironically, it was treatment for a head injury to captain Richard Teesdale gave the Scholars some respite, after which they took control of the game themselves.
The visitors deservedly equalised when Gary Hay advanced outside the penalty area and drove a right foot shot which curled just inside Matt Finlay’s right hand post.
Danny Bragoli flashed a free kick just wide of the target as The Scholars took control of the game.
Chasetown will consider that they should have been leading by half time. Hay fashioned out a chance for Nick Wellecomme and Chase’s leading marksman scraped the outside of the post with a chance that beat Finlay.
Hay, who had missed some games lately, was a thorn in the Stamford defence and Finlay had to rush out from goal to deny Hay when he would otherwise had been clean through on goal. Finlay clattered into Hay, in a one-sided first half, but the referee waved away strong penalty appeals.
The half ended with Chasetown on top. Tesfa Robinson was a whisker away from getting on the end of a Hay header back across goal with Finlay beaten and then Stamford’s Richard Jones almost sliced into his own net, eventually conceding a corner.
At the start of the second period, Teesdale headed wide but that was the arguably Chasetown’s last serious threat in the game as The Daniels took over and The Scholars look tired.
Roared on by the majority of the 861 crowd Stamford started the second half strongly and twice went close to regaining their lead.
Again, Chasetown dragged themselves back into the game but for all of their possession never looked like threatening Finlay’s goal.
Stamford looked the fitter side as The Scholars tired and it came as no surprise when the home side struck the winning goal. Striker Ricky Miller cut inside from the Stamford right and fired a left footer past Price.
The hosts looked more likely to add a third as they clinched promotion to the Evo-Stik Northern League Premier Division.
Stamford: Finlay, Wright, S Saunders, Maddox, Jones, Richardson (B Saunders, 79 mins), Hall, Brooks, Miller (Richards 90+2 mins), Hempenstall, Byrne (Ozmen, 64 mins). Subs not used: Batchelor, Staff.
Chasetown: Price, Farmer, Jackson (Harris, 85 mins), Slater, Tesfa Robinson, Teesdale (Butler, 64 mins), Smith, Bragoli, Wellecomme, Hay (Brown, 75 mins), Theo Robinson. Subs not used: Branch, Kisiel.
Click below to see more of Dave Birt’s pictures from the game:
