Combined Counties League

Division One

Cobham 1

Crescent Rovers 1

COBHAM were held to a 1-1 draw after a frustrating afternoon at Anvil Lane.

The game kicked off in glorious sunshine and Cobham stated their intentions clearly in the opening minutes of the match. A long throw from the ever dangerous Tom Hegarty was met by Scott Day, who saw his looping header crash onto the bar.

With some early neat interchanges, Cobham looked likely to open the scoring and in the 11th minute, missed their best chance of the half. Shane Rideout played a wonderful through ball to Elliot Beim who lofted his effort over the keeper and sadly, over the crossbar too.

With regular stopper Nick McGregor out with a hamstring injury, 16-year-old goalkeeper Dan Whitby was handed his full first team debut and he was called into action early on.

James Fiveash played the ball back to young Whitby whose clearance landed at feet of a Crescent Rovers striker. When the ball was squared, Whitby scrambled across and made a superb recovery save, a chance that should have seen Cobham go one down.

After the break Cobham's inability to keep hold of the ball cost them dear. A wayward pass gave Crescent Rovers a throw in. Some well worked passes resulted in a goal, McDowell seeing his 20 yard effort nestle spectacularly in Whitby's left hand corner.

Chances in the second half were few and far between for Cobham and their first real opportunity came with one minute left of regular time.

A deep ball in from captain Mark Thomas saw Evan punch the ball as far as Shane Rideout who headed the ball into the empty net for his first, and perhaps easiest, goal of the season.

Despite a nervy spill from Whitby, it was Cobham who pushed for the win in injury time. Mensah's 25 yard effort sailed past the post and Rideout engineered a long range effort which came close to giving the Hammers a win.

Cobham's next match sees the road to Wembley continue as the take on VT in the Preliminary round of the FA Cup on Saturday.