Jets Topple League Leaders

Jets 3 Chalfont St Peter 1

Spartan South Midlands Premier
27th February 2010

A fantastic day for Jets with an inspiring 3-1 win over league leaders Chalfont St Peter. Chalfont have been in startling form in recent weeks and have shot to the top of the Spartan Premier on the back of 9 wins and a draw (3-3 away at title rivals Aylesbury) in their last ten matches, scoring 39 and conceding only 9 (including 5 clean sheets).

Jets Groundsmen Graham O'Brien and Ali Taylor worked wonders to beat the weather and supplied a super surface for this intriguing battle with the League Leaders that was described by a league officer as "a credit to the league".

With Lee Grace suspended, Lee Inch ill, and Tim O'Mara working, Jets again had to make changes and Owen Deamer was given his first start of the season, joining Steve Brown as an ex-ballboy who has made it through to the first team. Ian Bywater and Wayne Gladdy recalled from injury completed Benny Higham’s reshuffle.

The first twenty minutes were ominous as Chalfont looked too good and experienced for the young Oxhey side, and Deamer made the dreaded mistake in the midfield giving away a terrible soft pass that a nippy Chalfont forward seized hold of and whipped in a painful cross that IAN BYWATER (33min) hammered into his own net.

In a frenzied spell Owen Deamer made amends for his error when he saved Jets from the killer blow, controlling magnificently on the line before clearing with everyone beaten. Sam Styles then pulled off four super saves to deny the team that were just one second from Wembley in the FA Vase last season and keep Jets in the game.

Jets started to gradually, through sheer hard work, edge their way back into the battle. Luke Beardsworth was then brought down heavily on the edge of the area, but the referee was on the spot to award a free kick outside. The injury was to be a blow for Jets as Beardsworth struggled to the break and was withdrawn soon after with the silly season March fixture programme in mind.

Jets best early chance was when Gladdy went clear but a sloppy pass denied. Then right on cue, LEE ARMITT took on the defence and from an impossible angle bent the ball around the ‘keeper for the morale boosting equaliser (41min) with the break in sight.

Jets went all out attack at the start of the second half and were rewarded with a goal many think would be goal of the season if filmed, as CHRIS KILLER struck an impossible 20 yard hammer shot that beat the keeper all end up and rifled into the net (54min).

Jets were over the moon, but the sting was to signal another onslaught from the promotion hopefuls and Jet had to defend for their life as Chalfont piled on the pressure. It was good defending, though, and not luck that preserved Jets lead as body parts were thrown in from every angle to deny the shot after shot that came at them, and Jets relied more and more on trying to relieve the pressure on the break.

Jets, with Beardsworth already off, then lost Armitt with an injury, and threw on young Myles Stephenson and the experienced Adam Lowton to cover, and they worked hard to provide some respite for the defence. Bywater, Brown, Ingham and Harding really took a battering in the last line of defence. Chalfont had four shots taken off the line in outstanding defending, and the crossbar denied them once.

But then, deep into added time, it was Jets who had the last say. WAYNE GLADDY went on a dazzling run, and jinked and teased before striking the killer blow into the net(90+3).

OUTSTANDING result, performance and work rate by the Jets team, but at the final whistle it was clear that not many had much left in their legs to give. Chalfont St Peter looked an outstanding team, and probably the best Jets had seen this season, which makes the result an even bigger achievement. When the season ends, if anybody is above Chalfont, they are going to be promoted!