Points shared again

Saints  1     Fleming 14

Molesey  1     Marklew 50

Bostik League South Central Division  (Saturday 24 November)

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Mark Goodman, Ryan Phillips, Adam Kirby, Alan Hedley, Alex Paine, Charlie Mitchell (Keaton August 62), Frankie Jones (Jack Mullan 62), Dan Fleming, Adam Morris, Michael Kalu.

Attendance.  43

Saints held by Abbott's

Waltham Abbey  2     Handelaar 71, Dedman 73

Saints  2     Kirby 45, Kalu 54

Bostik South Central Division  (Saturday 17 November)

Saints stretched their division best unbeaten run to ten games but with six of those being draws, they are not making the headway they would have hoped for.

Opening the scoring at the end of the first half with an excellent header by Adam Kirby, and then increasing it soon after the re-start through Michael Kalu, Saints were playing well and looked well placed to secure a win against very difficult opponents. However, loose marking from a set piece allowed the home side to head themselves back into the game and then a worldie shot minutes later tied the game up. Saints were stung and the Abbott's were on the front foot for much of the rest of the game.

Chances fell to Charlie Mitchell and Dan Fleming but time ran out and Saints had their fourth successive draw. 

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Mark Goodman, Ryan Phillips (Luke Appleton 82), Adam Kirby, Alan Hedley, Alex Paine, Charlie Mitchell, Jordan Berry (Frankie Jones 30), Dan Fleming, Adam Morris, Michael Kalu.

Attendance.  91

Rebels overpower Saints

Slough Town  6

Saints  3     Mitchell, Kirby, Kalu

Berks & Bucks FA Senior Cup Second Round  (Tuesday 13 November)

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Alex Nolan, Mark Goodman, Adam Kirby, Hussain Jaffa, Jack Mullan, Charlie Mitchell (Keaton August), Jordan Berry, Dan Fleming (Frankie Jones). Michael Kalu.

Attendance.  229

Alex Paine shines for FA in Falklands trip

Chalfont's Alex Paine was one of several local players to form an FA squad that made the long trip to The Falklands Islands this week as part of a goodwill trip to the South Atlantic islands.

Made up of primarily Step 4 players it was a huge honour for both the club and for Alex in particular to be chosen for such an ambassadorial role and he more than played his part by scoring the first goal as the FA XI won 3-1 against the Island team.

Falklands Islands Governor Nigel Phillips hosted the FA Team (Alex Paine is front row, second from right)

Unbeaten run to nine as Saints draw

Saints  2     Fleming 45, Mullan 68

Bracknell Town  2     Bowerman 37, Maloney 80

Bostik South Central Division  (Saturday 10 November)

Not even the heavy rain could detract from what was ultimately an even contest between two sides looking to play football on a pitch that played remarkably well.

Saints began well with Michael Kalu looking athreat down the right and Charlie Mitchell becoming a stronger force down the right. Dan Fleming is coming into his own as a force through the middle and Chalfont created several good chances in the opening stages.

Bracknell are another side expected to do well this season and a shot from range by Sebastian Bowerman gave them the lead. The didn't last long, however, as a sweeping ball out to Michael Kalu on the stroke of half time was chased down and his cross into the area wasn't cleared and Dan Fleming swept home from the edge of the box.

The second half brought changes to the Bracknell lineup but it was Chalfont who grabbed the initiative with a flowing move starting in midfield. The ball was moved quickly across the park and on to Charlie Mitchell whose run and decisive cross was met by Jack Mullan who netted with a powerful header.

With Saints beginning to tire in key areas, the lack of changes allowed Bracknell to get back in the game and they forced the equaliser in the last 10 minutes through the fresher legs of Kensley Maloney, his shot taking a vicious swerve to evade Denno in the Saints goal.

Honours even.

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Alex Nolan, Mark Goodman, Adam Kirby, Alan Hedley, Jack Mullan, Charlie Mitchell, Jordan Berry (Frankie Jones 88), Dan Fleming, Adam Morris, Michael Kalu (Keaton August 89).

Attendance.  87     Star Player.  Charlie Mitchell

Saints rue missed chances

Cheshunt  1     Woods-Garness 31 pen

Saints  1  Kalu 88

Bostik South Central Division  (Saturday 3 November)

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Alex Nolan, Mark Goodman, Hussain Jaffa, Alan Hedley (Jack Mullan 81), Alex Paine, Charlie Mitchell, Jordan Berry (Frankie Jones 90), Dan Fleming, Adam Morris, Michael Kalu.

Attendance.  117     Star Player.  Mark Goodman

Morris hits the spot

Saints  2     Fleming 14, Morris 90+6

Hanwell Town  2     Killeen 38, Collins 59

Bostik South Central Division  (Tuesday 23 October)

A game that fizzed from the very start had a rocket of a finish as Saints grabbed a point with the very last kick when Adam Morris fired home a brilliant free kick.

Hanwell's plan to run down the clock after they grabbed a soft lead on the hour backfired as Saints took advantage of the extended stoppage time.

It was the visitors that looked the stronger in the early exchanges, playing with a pace and intensity that denied Saints a grip on the game. So it was against the run of play when Adam Morris drove a free kick into the Hanwell area for Dan Fleming to score from close range as Hanwell struggled to clear. 

Barton hit the post after a teasing run as the visitors tried to get back in the game but, inspired by Jack Mullan at the back, Saints fought off every attack.

The pressure eventually told though and before the break Harvey Killeen hauled the visitors back with an angled equaliser.

Tom Collins, who netted a hat trick for the visitors at the weekend, might have had another after the break but two poor misses bookended a goal on the hour that gave Hanwell the lead with a run and shot that went through the unsighted Carl Dennison.

The introduction of Keaton August promised much as he was quickly into the game for Chalfont and his misjudged header was one of several efforts as Saints battled to get back in the game.

The fizz didn't diminish and Adam Kirby was eventually shown a second yellow card to reduce Saints to ten men for the final minutes. Cathline fouled August on the edge of the box and Chalfont had a final chance. Disrupting the wall with home players, Adam Morris drove the ball through a gap into the corner to secure a remarkable, and not undeserved, point.

Saints have a weekend off due other others' FA Trophy commitments but then go into a challenging November that will see them take on each of the current top four teams.

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Alex Nolan, Ryan Phillips, Jack Mullan, Adam Kirby, Alex Paine, Charlie Mitchell (Frankie Jones 81), Jordan Berry (Remmel Clarke 70), Dan Fleming, Adam Morris, Junior Mubiayi (Keaton August 71).

Attendance.  62     Star Player.  Jack Mullan

Fleming gives Saints the edge

Saints  1     Fleming 36

FC Romania  0

Bostik South Central Division  (Saturday 21 October)

Saints did just enough to get over the line against an FC Romania side struggling to adapt to the increased demands on them after promotion.

But for two outstanding saves from Adrian Darabant Saints might have been clear inside the opening minutes. Jordan Berry saw his shot pushed on to the post before Charlie Mitchell saw his effort pushed wide. 

If some of the Romania defenders had experience in the dark arts of defending, their forwards made up for such a lack in enthusiasm and determination. Saints, missing a slew of players, were exposed on occasion but rarely threatened.

A welcome return to action for Dan Fleming saw his hard work rewarded as he gave Saints the lead after being put through on the right. With more than a whiff of offside he nonetheless ran on to slide the ball past the keeper. He nearly repeated the move minutes later after a sweeping move involving Adam Morris and Mitchell but Darabant just got fingertips to his shot to save.

The second half failed to kick on as both sides struggled in the late autumn sunshine. Viorel Gabor used his speed to cause some confusion in the Saints defence but lacked the support to make it count.

Saints continued to make inroads but lacked any real cutting edge to make it count. Junior Mubiayi should have done better when put clear but shot tamely at the keeper and Berry scooped horribly wide from close range.

FC Romania made new friends on the day but for Saints, hit by missing players as they were, this was the perfect day to have played them.

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Jack Mullan, Ryan Phillips, Luke Appleton, Adam Kirby, Alex Paine, Charlie Mitchell (Junior Mubiayi 68), Jordan Berry (Remmel Clarke 77), Dan Fleming, Adam Morris, Keaton August (Connor Shingleston 88).

Attendance.  57     Star Player.  Dan Fleming

Dennison heroics can't save Saints

Saints  0

Maldon & Tiptree  2     Briggs 45, Sheriff 55

Buildbase FA Trophy Preliminary Round  (Saturday 13 October)

A fearsome kick on the arm failed to stop Saints' man of steel between the sticks, Carl Dennison, but even his heroics couldn't prevent Saints being pitched out of the Buildbase FA Trophy by a strong Maldon & Tiptree side.

The Essex outfit from the Bostik North Division were quickly out of the blocks. Seen as a feeder club for more senior outfits, they had a lot of experience in their lineup and their agile forwards were soon pulling the Saints defence around. Taking advantage of Saints' continuing lack of forward threat, Maldon were able to push play high up the pitch. 

A challenge on the edge of the home area saw Carl Dennison receive a kick on the arm that clearly hampered his movement, even after lengthy treatment. A masterful double save belied his discomfort as Saints held firm.

Keaton August and Charlie Mitchell both continued their progress on the flanks but their inexperience was exposed by a well drilled Maldon defence. Frankie Jones should have done better with a free header in the area but it was stalemate up until the dying seconds of the first half as Saints were too slow to close down a loose ball and were punished by Matthew Briggs, one of several Maldon players with top flight experience, who drove through a crowd of players to give the visitors an interval lead.

It didn't take too long after the restart for things to turn from bad to worse as Decarrey Sheriff took advantage of a lapse in concentration to double the score.

Saints had to make changes and they eventually came after 70 minutes as belatedly some strength was added to their front line. Junior Mubiayi, another teenager in the Saints squad, showed a fire that had been missing. Chalfont looked more threatening but the visitors held firm to their task and their keeper didn't have a save to make as they ensured their name would continue the journey to Wembley.

Saints return to league action on Saturday at home to FC Romania.

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Alex Nolan, Mark Goodman, Luke Appleton, Adam Kirby, Jack Mullan, Keaton August (Junior Mubiayi 69), Frankie Jones (Jordan Berry 80), Adam Morris, Alex Paine, Charlie Mitchell (Dan Fleming 69)

Attendance.  98     Star Player.  Carl Dennison

Saints catch fire in the rain

South Park  0

Saints  5     Morris 17 pen, Jones 30, Mullan 45, August 51, Gallagher 90

Bostik League South Central Division  (Saturday 6 October)

Match photos at: https://flic.kr/s/aHskFSAn3H 

Saints romped to their biggest away league win in over seven years as they put a disappointing South Park side to the sword in this rain-sodden game.

Once again, Saints were without a de facto striker but it was soon apparent that this was not going to be an issue as the hosts, struggling after a mass defection of players, are struggling to put out a competitive side. 

Adam Morris was at the forefront of Saints' plans and his tireless work in the middle allowed both Junior Mubiayi and Keaton August to work the spaces down the the flanks. Mark Goodman continued his sparkling form, pushing forward with increasing determination, although with a defender's reluctance to take on the final shot. One such drive into the Park area saw him dragged down for a penalty on 17 minutes and Adam Morris made no mistake from the spot.

Park were struggling to contain the Chalfont pressure and they were reliant on their excellent keeper, Michael Eacott, who was forced into several good saves. Even he couldn't continue to deny Chalfont and on the half hour, Junior Mubiayi set up Frankie Jones to rifle home from the edge of the area.

Just before the break, Mark Goodman drove into the area again and found Jack Mullan arriving quickly to score from close range.

If Saints were feeling good after such a good first half, they put the cherry on the cake with an outstanding fourth goal early in the second. Keaton August, after his impressive performance in midweek, was proving a constant menace to the home defence and he provided a moment of magic as he set off on a jinking run across the pitch, beating four players before firing into the top corner from some distance for a memorable first goal for the club.

With the game safe, Ryan Debattista made a welcome return after injury and illness and got some important game time under his belt. His forceful run and shot in the final minutes could only be pushed into the path of Blue Gallagher to touch in his first goal for the club to close out a memorable afternoon for Chalfont.

Saints can now look forward with confidence to their home FA Trophy game next weekend against Maldon & Tiptree of the Bostik League North Division. 

Saints:  Carl Dennison, Alex Nolan, Mark Goodman, Luke Appleton, Adam Kirby, Jack Mullan, Keaton August, Frankie Jones (Ruddock Yala 86), Adam Morris (Blue Gallagher 74), Alex Paine, Junior Mubiayi (Ryan Debattista 71).

Attendance.  66