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La Chiesa put themselves back on track with a battling victory over promotion chasing May & Bakers at Coopers this Sunday. Following last weeks disappointing performance and result at St Augustines, most critics outside of the Chiesa camp had written off their chances of completing a double over the Dagenham club, but, just like the last time they met, Chiesa were like were wounded animal having suffered a heavy defeat, and a Chiesa team lacking several key players showed the necessary character to burgle the points late on.

 

It had been common knowledge that keeper Danny Hardwick was still feeling an injury from last week and Colin Williams was unavailable,  but the boys arrived at Coopers Stadium to find they were also without the services of leading scorer Jon Gray and midfielder Iain Gay. Long term ankle victim Danny Trew was still sidelined, while Alan Lamont was also unfit, so Chiesa were down to the 'bare bones', with no substitutes to call on.

 

If that wasn't enough, dozy skipper Darren Hodsell had forgotten to wind his clock forward an hour for the start of British Summertime, so LC/DC played the first quarter of an hour with ten men. M & B were out for revenge for the 3-1 reverse they suffered at their home ground and were also fighting to retain second place in the league, so it came as no surprise that they dominated the early stages, although they had few efforts to trouble stand in keeper Mark Harris. In fact it was Chiesa who had the first genuine chance of the match, when Cy Taylor was released in the inside right position, but seemed to be caught in two minds and his cross shot flew across the face of goal. May & Baker were creating a lot of pressure on thier left hand side, and the home defence had their work cut out stifling the arial threat of Robbie Still from set pieces, John Riley and veteran Mark Ede doubling up to nullify the the giant centre half's power. It took until the final minute of the half for Harris to be upon, a great reaction save from close range that he grabbed on the goal line under the eagle eye of referee Marsh.

 

Goalless at half time then, and Chiesa went into the break with their heads held high, a complete turnaround from the pitiful effort last time. They had defended as a team and at times showed some fancy footwork that had even the referee handing out compliments. Although they had not been seen often as an attacking force, the Hornchurch Rossineri were confident hat a chance would come on the break sooner or later.

 

The second half was played in the same fashion as the first, long spells were played almost exclusively in their final third, but they held firm. Ede was launching himself into every tackle like man possessed, Riley and Warren Hardwick were like a brick wall at the centre of defence, while Terry Soteriou was rock steady as ever at left back. On one occasion when the LC/DC area was penetreated, the unlikely figure of Benny Gillham was at the back post to clear the danger. The G-Man has played so many Cameo roles this year, the lads were going to buy him a red codpiece, but he battled for the full ninety minutes this week on the left side of midfield. Cy Taylor was winning more than his fair share of headers on the right, and providing willing support for the attack, while Darren Hodsell was playing the holding role in midfield, allowing Knowles to try and create when they did get possession of the ball. Matt Gillham and Adam Jeffers were hustling the May & Baker defence at all times, but most impressive was stand in keeper Harris, who didn't put a foot wrong and showed assured handling when required.

 

The chance that LC/DC had been waiting for arrived in the 73rd minute.Knowles tried to run at the Baker midfield,  and a free kick was somewhat harshly given for handball against Ossie. When the Chiesa Gaffer placed the ball thirty five yards from goal, it seemed as though an audacious, and more than likely unsuccessful, attempt at goal was on the cards. Then Warren Hardwick had a word in his ear before moseying into the penalty area. Knowles shaped as if to shoot, but chipped the ball over the defensive wall into the path of Hardwick, who took the ball round the keeper but  seemed to lose his composure and for a split second the chance appeared to be lost, until Jeffers arrived to stab home from inside the six yard box for his fifth goal of the season. Yet another muggers snatch from the Chiesa No.8, if you added the distances of his goals together, they would probably not make  the edge of the area, but he is exactly the kind of 'Fox in the Box' that all clubs need.

 

There were seventeen minutes left for Chiesa to hold on. May & Bakers forced several corners and almost forced an equaliser, but staunch defending secured three points for the home side. A hilarious incident when keeper Gary Leatherbarrow came up for a corner and tried to tip one of his own players shots round the post eased the tension, and La Chiesa held on for a rare 1-0 victory.

 

The side from Dagenham will wonder how they managed not to take a single point from the two matches against the LC/DC having dominated both matches for long periods, but it is testament to their battling spirit that La Chiesa completed a double over one of the top sides in the division.

 

LCDC; (4-4-2) Harris; Ede, Riley, W Hardwick, Soteriou; Taylor, Hodsoll, Knowles, B Gillham; Jeffers, M Gillham

 

Gol - Jeffers

 

Arbitro - F Marsh