HAART OF KENT COUNTY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

DIVISION 1

AFC Sevenoaks  1 - 3  Chipstead

Chipstead returned to winning ways with a hard fought 3-1 win away to AFC Sevenoaks on Saturday, a last minute strike from Joffie Shea, his second of the match, finally deciding the outcome.

Chipstead started brightly with Leighton Rees and Peter Nolan winning the midfield battle on a difficult surface. A long throw in from Luke Dunne on 16 minutes led to Chipstead’s opener, Marcus Heddon heading his delivery back across the face of the goal where Joffie Shea was well placed for a close range finish. Chipstead thought they had added to their lead midway through the half when Shea chased a long ball, which bounced over the keeper’s head and looked to be going out for a goal kick; remarkably the Chipstead player managed to get his foot round the ball and squeeze his effort in at the far post. Incredibly, the referee disallowed the effort, believing the ball had crossed the bye line. From another Dunne throw soon after, Heddon almost netted with a terrific strike against the bar. Although the hosts were themselves dangerous going forward, they failed to take advantage with some wayward finishing. Chipstead doubled their lead just before the interval, Nolan combining with Shea to fire a superb ball across the face of AFC’s goal where Heddon was on hand to net at the back post.

The hosts came much more into the game after the break, but again let themselves down in the final third. Their overall play certainly belied their lowly league standing as they stretched Chipstead for long periods. AFC were finally rewarded for their efforts with a goal on 80 minutes, Chipstead failing to clear a corner, allowing their forward to net from 6 yards out. The hosts should have leveled soon after when they spurned an excellent opportunity. With time running out, Chipstead broke with pace, Shea combining with Heddon to net his second with a strike from the edge of the area.   

This week, Chipstead host Belvedere in the league, KO 2.45pm.