BRAD Wadkins had a novel excuse for missing Chesham United’s 2-2 draw with Hungerford on Tuesday – he was playing for England.


The striker was representing his country in a 3-2 win over Portugal in the EuroMINI six-a-side tournament in Croatia.


He is part of England’s 13-man squad for the tournament which finishes on Sunday, meaning he will miss Chesham’s FA Cup Second Round Qualifying match at Paulton Rovers.


He might also be glad that he was thousands of miles away on Tuesday when Chesham boss Andy Leese tore a strip off his players for surrendering the lead against nine-man Hungerford at The Meadow in the fashion that they did to draw 2-2.


Leese said: “To say it was against nine men is wrong. We have drawn against seven men not nine. One of their players was so badly injured and they had a stand-in goalkeeper as well, that’s how bad it was.

 

“It was breathtaking. I was astounded by what I witnessed and it has cost us a win and three points are very hard to come by at this level.

“We were so naïve. Our game management was terrible. We lost our sense of discipline, the players did not do what we were telling them to do and it is just not acceptable.”


He was furious that having recovered from going behind after a sloppy start, United had the game won with goals from Bruce Wilson and Nick Beasant, and then went chasing more glory when all they had to do was see it out. It should have been game over, job done.


But United made the wrong options. Ryan Blake led the charge downfield. It was four players versus two defenders in Chesham’s favour but Blake shot straight at the visitors’ stand-in keeper who then punted the ball straight downfield for Hungerford to equalise on 86 minutes.


Leese said: “We should have turned it into six versus three at the back, that’s the drills we do in training and that’s what we told them to do, but they just didn’t do it. They ignored our instructions from the side.


“I’m the manager so it’s my responsibility but they have to take some responsibility as well.”


The manager now has to pick himself and the team up for tomorrow’s big FA Cup match at Paulton as Leese chases his dream of taking The Generals into the first round proper alongside the Football League boys for the first time in his managerial reign.


Barry Hayles and Ashley Smith could be back for the long trip west, but Wadkins will still be away representing England in the Balkans.


Leese said: “It’s an honour for him but it is not helping me.


“I knew in the summer that he had been selected and that sounds fine in August but the reality in September is that we will have missed him for three games.”


United needed a replay to knock out Aylesbury in the previous round in a competition that Leese is really targeting.


He said: “The players know just how important this game is. We haven’t had a decent run in this competition for a long while and it would be good to put that right.”


United beat Paulton 2-1 in the league earlier in the season when the teams met at The Meadow.