A second successive 1-1 draw for Thamesmead Town, but the game itself couldn’t have been more different from Saturday’s stalemate with Carshalton Athletic, as an intriguing contest simmered from start to finish.
On the one hand, The Mead will have been frustrated at only gaining a point after Theo Fairweather-Johnson’s thunderous early strike, whilst on the other, there will be knowledge that its another point in the clubs survival fight where just a few weeks before there would have been none.
The home side came out of the block with all guns blazing and but for two simply stunning saves from Hampton keeper Rodney Chiweshe, Thamesmead would have been two goals to the good before Fairweather-Johnson did open the scoring on 12 minutes.
The home side could have been in front in the opening seconds as Tyrus Gordon-Young turned well on the edge of the box, before curling a terrific shot seemingly beyond Chiweshe. But somehow the Hampton keeper stretched the fingers of his left hand and just got enough on the ball to deflect it wide of the left post.
The keeper excelled again in the third minutes – this time Danny Phillips jinked into the box and caught a dipping volley almost perfectly to sent the ball over the keeper, but again when he seemed to have been beaten the Hampton keeper arched his back and pulled off a breath taking save.
There was nothing though that even Chiweshe could do in the 12th minute as Thamesmead took the lead. Fairweather-Johnson collected the ball from Phillips, and took aim – the aim was true and the execution was magnificent as the ball screamed into the net. Sadly for the home side despite creating a number of half chances, they failed to take that all important second goal. For their part, Hampton had a lot of possession without really troubling Rob Budd in the home goal.
The second half began just as the first had but this time it was the visitors who came out flying and they were level within seven minutes of the restart as Joe Turner reacted quickest to a flicked on left wing cross to glance his header into the net.
Gordon-Young almost restored the home sides advantage but from an acute angle his drive hit the side netting as the game meandered through a fascinating midfield battle. It was only in the closing stages that the game saw more chances and so very nearly an explosive finish. Substitute Richard Butler was the next to be denied by the magnificent Chiweshe.
From an 80th minute free kick, Butler powered in a header that had the Hampton keeper going full length to his left to save, whilst at the other end the visitors were denied by an assistants flag. Dan Thompson side stepped a defender before his deflected shot looped up over Budd and crashed off of the bar before Charlie Moore thought his cushioned header had given his side the lead. Problem was for the Hampton sub, the assistants flag was raised.
The game finished with both sides screaming for penalties, but full credit must go to referee West for getting both pressure decisions right. Moore went down under a challenge in the Thamesmead box only for the official to wave away the protests, whilst at the other end Uche Ibemere was denied in full flight by a magnificently timed challenge from Darren Powell – the defenders challenge was even better when you consider Powell had earlier been cautioned.
THAMESMEAD TOWN – Budd, Udoji (Butler 74), Porter, Hibbert, Tozer, Baker, Roberts, Saunders, Gordon-Young (Ibemere 78), Fairweather-Johnson, Phillips
Subs not used – Ailey, Ramadan
HAMPTON & RICHMOND BOROUGH – Chiweshe, Brewer, Jefferies, Lake, Powell, Roberts, Turner, Carder, Thompson (Halliday 88), Aite-Ouakrim (Moore 66), Wanadio (Simmons 71)
Subs not used – Grosvenor, Wells
Referee – Mr Bull
Assistants – Mr Sear and Mr Graham