ANDY Leese warned in the Bucks Free Press last week that two of his key match-winners were coming back to form - and he was right.
Last Saturday Steve Wales and Leon Archer both scored as Chesham shot back up to fourth place in the Southern Premier League with a crucial 4-2 home win over Stourbridge.
Wales grabbed a valuable equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half, and then Archer came off the bench to score Chesham’s third and make their game-killing fourth.
Leese said: “There is no doubt Leon influenced the outcome of the match when he came on, and Steve Wales looks to be back doing the things he does well instinctively rather than having to work too hard.
“But they’re surrounded by some very good players as well.”
James Potten and Brad Wadkins, with a 30-yard thunderbolt, completed the scoring on an afternoon that couldn’t have gone any better for Chesham.
Leese said: “It was important in the context of not losing to the teams around us, and Stourbridge would have gone ahead of us if they’d won.
“In the context of the season, I’m not sure yet, it’s too early to say, but we feel if you’re not losing to the teams around you you’re doing ok.”
In fact, Chesham’s win couldn’t have come at a better time as they were the only team in the top eight to take maximum points.
Leese said: “Teams are going on a little run and then stuttering. Nobody seems to want to take up the running.
“It gives us an added boost, but it’s just another Saturday and there are plenty more to come.
“We’ve been playing well now though for two or three weeks. Training has gone up a gear as well and we’re scoring goals again, which is always good for belief.”
The four against Stourbridge came after their 6-0 cup cruise over Northwood and was followed on Tuesday by another healthy return against Slough in the quarter-finals of the Berks and Bucks Cup.
Leese’s team won 3-1 to book a semi-final against Maidenhead, but the better news perhaps was the return of captain Danny Talbot.
He’d missed three weeks with a broken nose but was back with a bang, knocking in a trademark free-kick and penalty to ease his team through.
The pressure doesn’t relent just yet though.
Tomorrow they visit Hitchin and ex-Chesham striker John Frendo.
Leese said: “The challenge now is to show some consistency, but we’re fourth in the league, we’re in the semi-final of one cup and the quarter-final of another.
“It’s got the makings of another great season.”
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