Sporting Khlasa 2 Chasetown 1 - Report
Super-sub Jumaane Meggoe’s moment of Christmas magic decided a pulsating Northern One Midlands derby in Sporting Khalsa’s favour.
The late change defied being dragged back as he hunted down a lofted ball down the right, leaving his man floored before sailing a delightful lob over stranded Chasetown keeper Curtis Pond and into the top far corner three minutes from time.
It summed up the story of the day as Khalsa, short of four players due to Covid-19, including two centre-halves, battled back from behind and withstood spells of second-half pressure to bag all three points.
Zack Foster should have notched for Chasetown early on but could not sort out his feet quickly enough to convert a daft Khalsa ball across their own box and keeper Sam Arnold reacted to gather.
The hosts attacked with purpose but Chasetown struck first in the 20th minute when Jordan Evans was sent down the left, powered past Michael Perks and cut back for the free Jack Langston to slam high inside the far post.
Khalsa’s James McGrady had a far-post header clawed away by Pond and while Danny O’Callaghan clipped the top of the bar with a free header from a Chasetown corner, the hosts continued to probe and warranted Tesfa Robinson’s equaliser, powering through to nod in McGrady’s corner to the far post 10 minutes before half-time.
Chasetown had more of the play in the second half and should have moved back in front when Joey Butlin was played in one-on-one with Arnold only to thump wide, while Josh McKenzie spurned a tap in from McGrady’s cutback, failing to gamble at the pivotal moment.
Determined Khalsa continued to force the issue in the last 20 minutes and both teams carried a threat as the match opened up but Meggoe’s winner was a fitting finish to this full-blooded fixture.
Khalsa: Arnold, Adam, Okojie, Perks, Robinson, Ferrier, Whittaker, Williams, McKenzie (Meggoe, 79), Yates (Singh, 80), McGrady.
Unused subs: Worsey, Sangha, Birch.
Chasetown: Pond, McGinnell, Foster, Taylor, Wynter, Shaw (Hayward, 62), Reid (Atherton, 75) Langston, Butlin, O’Callaghan, Evans (Zazi, 75).
Unused subs: Burroughs, Botfield.
n In the same division, Two early strikes fired Halesowen Town to a 2-1 success away to Sutton Coldfield Town.
The Yeltz made a flying start and opened the scoring on seven minutes through Nathaniel Kelly.
They doubled their advantage through Kyle Finn after 19 minutes. Leo Brown reduced the deficit late on but the Yeltz held on.
