FOOTBALL: Chesham United beat Basingstoke 3-2 to climb out of the Southern Counties Premier relegation zone

The Generals began the game well and on 15 minutes a Dave Pearce free kick was pushed out by home keeper Tom McGill as far as Kieran Murphy, but his shot hit team-mate Steve Brown and bounced away. Basingstoke threatened once again when Ben Wright played the ball through to Harry Pearse but Ben Goode saved smartly at the feet of the former Chesham man.

Basingstoke keeper McGill was making his debut and he and his defence were struggling to deal with corners, and on 33 minutes Pearce’s left-wing kick was headed in at the far post by Eoin Casey.

However the lead was to last only two minutes, when Zidan Akers’ cross from the left touchline was headed in by the unmarked Sam Argent.

In first-half stoppage time Sam Argent played the ball square towards Ben Wright, Steve Brown’s attempted interception missed the ball and Wright ran on to slot past Ben Goode to give the home side the lead.

Chesham equalised on 57 minutes with another header from a corner, this time Pearce put the ball in from the left and Brown rose at the far post to score his first goal for the club. Five minutes later Ronny Mfinda’s header from a Dave Pearce free kick was tipped over by McGill, then the resulting corner was cleared and crossed back in and Mfinda forced it home for his first goal for the club.

The home team rarely looked like getting back in the game although Dean Stow hit a 35-yard free kick just over, the referee giving a corner although Goode did not touch it. Four minutes from time Basingstoke’s last chance came and went, when a Drew Matthews cross came to Sam Deadfield but his angled drive flew past the far post. Chesham should have wrapped the game up late on when a blocked clearance sent Adam Martin clear, Martin drew McGill then squared to Jefferson Louis who lifted the ball over the bar with the goal gaping.

The Generals now face Dorchester at home on Saturday (3pm).