Shake up at Chesham: Squad changes likely (From Bucks Free Press)

Leese looks for fresh blood to invigorate squad

4:49pm Thursday 18th October 2012 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

ANDY Leese will make changes after Chesham United were knocked out of the Red Insure League Cup by lower-league Beaconsfield on Monday night.

The Southern League Premier outfit were beaten 2-0 at the Division One Central team in a competition which Leese insists is important to the club.

He said: "It's a competition we got the semi-finals of last year and I'm extremely disappointed and annoyed with the way we performed."

The defeat followed a 2-2 draw with Bedford on Saturday, when Chesham failed to make the most of a fine first 40 minutes and eventually needed an injury-time goal to snatch a point.

Leese said: "We turned in an awful second half on Saturday. We're just not consistent over 90 minutes at the moment and we're not scoring enough goals.

"We're struggling. We're struggling with the mental side of the game and I'm looking for a better response from some experienced players.

"I warned them two or three weeks ago that they were under pressure for their places and they are even more so now.

"Some have had numerous chances and have been fortunate to remain in the side. I can't back them indefinitely."

And it appears Leese's patience has nearly run out. Three new players could be at the club by the time they play again, against Taunton in the FA Trophy a week on Saturday, with one or two going the other way as the boss tries to shake his squad into life.

He said: "Results haven't gone our way since Bideford and perhaps the players have been as surprised as I have.

"There is nothing fundamentally wrong and they are a talented group of well-motivated players. But we're just not doing it.

"The standards are high in the club and we haven't reached them. We haven't got near them."