THERE were no tricks, but plenty of treats for Chasetown on Halloween Saturday as Reece Styche hit two first half goals and Craig Milligan found the net with ten minutes to go in the Scholars' 3-1 success at Grantham. Click below to read the full report.
GRANTHAM TOWN 1 CHASETOWN 3, UNIBOND LEAGUE DIVISION 1 SOUTH, SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER
A REECE Styche double helped secure Chasetown a fine away win at Grantham Town on Halloween Saturday, writes Dave Goddard.
Styche, who spent part of last season on loan to the Gingerbreads, returned to punish the Lincolnshire side with two goals in the first 20 minutes for his new club. In the fourth minute he was pushed over while through on goal, and got up to smash the resultant penalty to keeper Ayden Duffy’s left to put the Scholars ahead.
On 17 minutes Styche ran onto a ball flicked over the home defence following a good header from the back by new signing Tom Marshall and rounded Duffy to power his second goal into the far corner.
Grantham’s first chance came two minutes later as Rob Norris blasted a shot high and wide, before Styche’s super showing continued as Duffy blocked a shot following a one-on-one chance, before the Gingerbreads pulled a goal back on 28 minutes. A free kick wide on the right found Adam Jones at the far post and he beat Vaughan Thomas to head the ball past the diving Ryan Price.
Daniel French was next to go close as Grantham battled back, while Thomas intercepted Martin Wormall’s header and played the ball back to Price before the half closed with a good headed chance from Marshall going wide.
Half time: Grantham Town 1 Chasetown 2.
The second half was a more physical affair with Grantham certainly not giving their opponents the space they enjoyed before the break, and attempts at goal dried up accordingly.
In the Chasetown defence Marshall was looking much improved from his debut at Leek Town on Tuesday, and on the hour a long clearance found Styche on the right but his attempt was cleared for a corner by the defence.
The first real opportunity of the half led to the Scholars restoring their two goal lead. A throw-in on the right hand flank was nodded on to Craig Milligan and the winger buried his shot into the net from seven yards out.
After such a dearth of chances at goal, the stoppage time period bizarrely saw more goalmouth action than the rest of the half put together. First Marshall sent Milligan down the wing but his cross-cum-shot was blocked by the home defence allowing Danny Smith to collect the loose ball, but the flag went up for offside. The latter then cut into the area following a fine crossfield ball from Ben Steane, but Richard Batchelor’s final shot went wide.
Norris then headed wide at the other end before the final action of the match saw Smith force Duffy to push his shot around the post, and the Scholars took the league points.
With Leek Town losing out in their FA Trophy tie at Nantwich Town, it is to North Staffordshire that the Scholars will travel for the second time in as many weeks on Tuesday (7.45pm kick-off).
Grantham: Duffy, Asher, S Saunders, Screaton (c), Stubbs, Robinson, Norris, Jones, Carchedi, Wormall, French. Subs: B Saunders (Carchedi 60), Potts (Wormall 60), Brooks, Hargreaves (French 76), Hansen.
Chasetown: Price, J Branch, Milligan, Slater, Thomas, Marshall, Steane, Egan (c), Styche, D Smith, Horler. Subs: M Branch, Titchiner, Miller, Batchelor (Styche 84), G Saunders.
Goals: Styche 4, Styche 17, Jones 28, Milligan 80.
Referee: Mr A Harvey.
Attendance: 246.
