Chasetown FC were deserved winners in Lincolnshire as they completed the double over second placed Stamford in a dramatic game.
The result also meant they kept their impressive winning sequence going and maintained their outside hopes of a play-off spot.
On a difficult playing surface that had seen snow on it earlier in the week and heavy rain on the morning of the match, it was credit to Stamford officials and volunteers that the game was even able to go ahead in the first place.
The penalty areas and surrounds were bobbly in places and it was those that caused the two most note-worthy incidents in an otherwise fairly dour first period.
In the 14th minute, a Danny Smith shot straight at goalkeeper Matt Finlay almost caused embarrassment for the home keeper as the ball struck a huge divot in front of him and he had to re-adjust quickly to gather the ball as he was falling to the ground for what should have been a routine save.
Danny Bragoli had two efforts narrowly over the crossbar before Chasetown’s best chance of the half came in an inexplicable sixth minute of first half stoppage time. Smith was put through into the penalty area with a great chance to give the Scholars the lead but the ball bobbled before he hit it.
Within 60 seconds of the re-start, Smith was chopped down in the penalty area and the referee had no hesitation pointing to the spot. After a delay while Stamford players protested the decision, Simon Brown stepped up and smashed the penalty straight down the middle to give the Scholars a deserved lead.
The width of the post deprived Chasetown of a 2-0 lead when Jono Gould’s shot left Finlay stranded but struck the inside of the woodwork.
Stamford levelled against the run of play when a free-kick led to a corner. Substitute Sean Wright saw his effort almost cleared off the line by Brown, but he could only steer it against the post and into the Scholars’ net.
Wright had only been on six minutes when he levelled the scores and was heavily involved in the ninth minute of his appearance as he climbed all over Nick Wellecomme inside the penalty area to give Chasetown a second penalty.
Wright appeared to have accepted the decision while others protested, but he then spoke to the referee who then brandished a straight red card.
Brown stepped up again but this time Finlay palmed his spot-kick onto the inside of the post and, when it looked certain that Bragoil would follow up, Finlay made a second stop to deny the midfielder.
Gould joined Brown and Lee Butler in the referee’s notebook for Chasetown in a second half littered with niggling fouls.
Wellecomme was inches wide with Chasetown looking more likely to net the winner against the ten men.
Ten soon became nine for Stamford when full back Jack McGovern conceded a free kick on the Chasetown left wing and again received an instant dismissal for something he said.
After another delay, substitute Paul Sullivan’s flicked header was probably goalbound but skipper Richard Teesdale made sure heading home from close range. The Daniels appealed for offside but the goal stood.
An incredible ten minutes of stoppage time was played in the second half despite no injuries requiring the physios. Some of that time would have been the delays due to the red cards and dissent from the home side but, eventually, the final whistle blew at just after 5pm to rapturous celebrations from the visiting Scholars fans and players.
Stamford: Finlay, McGovern, Marshall, Batchelor, Jones, S Saunders, Hall, Ozmen (Rose, HT), B Saunders, Miller, Hempenstall (Wright, 67 mins). Subs not used: Hewitt, Staff, Swales.
Chasetown: Price, Slater, Jackson, Butler (Westwood, 59 mins), Tesfa Robinson, Teesdale, Brown (Sullivan, 86 mins), Bragoli, Wellecomme, Smith (Theo Robinson, 81 mins), Gould. Subs not used: Downes, Birt.
Click below to see more of Dave Birt’s pictures from the game:
