The opening exchanges were evenly contested with both sides having shots at goal that were mostly off target or the respective keepers making routine saves. In the 28th minute Chalfont were given a wakeup call, when the Farnborough striker failed to stay onside, but also fired his shot wayward of Alex Sykes in the Chalfont goal. However two minutes later the same striker wriggled free from his marker, stayed onside and beat Alex Sykes low down to his left hand side despite Alex's best efforts to keep it out. Chalfont then had a ten minute spell before half time where they dominated possession and had shots that were blocked, crosses that were cut out and free kicks that were high and wide of the mark. At half time the hosts lead by one goal to nil but Chalfont still had belief that they could get back on level terms in the second period.

In the 51st and 54th minutes Luke Heneghan had two shots that were off target and Jamel Mattan made the Farnborough keeper make a smart save five minutes later. Farnborough then had a ten minute spell of pressure at the Chalfont end but a combination of poor finishing and Alex Sykes making a routine save meant that Farnborough still had the lead going into the last twenty minutes of the match. The 71st minute saw Jermeel Jno-Baptiste get a good cross into the Farnborough penalty area, but the keeper was equal to it and smothered the danger. Four minutes later substitute Damilola Thomas almost scored with his first touch of the ball but his shot cannoned back off the upright. The clock ticked round to the 87th minute and a shot by the Farnborough striker somehow managed to squirm under Alex Sykes body and into the net for 2-0, and two minutes later Alex was centre stage again when his attempted clearance was blocked and the striker stroked the ball home from a tight angle for 3-0. With the game now out of reach for the Saints things actually got worse in the fifth minute of added on time when Alex Sykes was given his marching orders for bringing down a Farnborough player inside the box. With all substitutes having been played Chris McConnell donned the gloves and made a fine save from the resultant penalty kick, but unfortunately the rebound was tapped home for 4-0.

Overall the Challenge Shield has been a good competition for the Saints with creditable victories over Farnborough and Premier ‘B’ Division winners Walton Casuals in the group stage. The reward for winning the group was a quarter final midweek away match at Dunstable Town where the Saints returned victorious and another away tie for the Semi Final at Royston Town where the team won a tight game after extra time. In getting to the Final the Chalfont players should be very proud of themselves, as is everyone at the club for this achievement.

To say we did it the hard way would be an understatement.

Hopefully Chalfont’s last match against Hanworth Villa can be arranged so that they have a chance of finishing fourth in the Premier ‘B’ Division table.