Glenn Pennyfather was “fuming” with some of his City players after witnessing a below par performance against Dorchester Town in the Blue Square Bet South, and the Clarets’ Manager ensured his squad knew exactly how he felt during a post-match dressing room inquest at Melbourne Stadium.

 

In a game of limited opportunities, the visitors came close to heading back to Dorset with all three points as Pennyfather finished-up grateful for a clean sheet and an extension to the team’s unbeaten run, now at 14 games. But he claims the team didn’t live up to the high standards they’d set themselves as they dropped two valuable points which would have fuelled Chelmsford’s promotion bid.

 

He explained: “That was a real missed opportunity and, for the first time this season other than the last 20 minutes against Tonbridge, I’m disappointed because some of the players simply didn’t work hard enough. Yes, we’ve had two away trips then come back to play on a Monday night but there can be no excuses.”

“Everyone can forgive the players when you see them put in a shift, but not enough did tonight. The incentive was there for us as we can see the leaders and we needed to win to catch up with them, then another win would have put us right up there. You have to lift yourself under those circumstances and we didn’t.”

 

Chelmsford’s starting eleven was again unchanged except for Michael Bakare replacing Kezie Ibe up-front for his first City start. The home side’s first tentative attempt at goal was on 13 minutes when Max Cornhill struck low and wide from distance but Aiden Palmer went closer six minutes later, unleashing a wicked, long-range left-footer which goalkeeper Alan Walker-Harris had to parry low down.

 

Cliff Akurang curled another chance just wide and Bakare almost created another when he dribbled in from the left, though it was in-swinging corner kicks which provided the uppermost threat. Palmer sent a couple into the Town box without success and Kyle Critchell and Nathan Walker glanced off-target at the other end.

 

After the interval, on an increasingly slippery surface, Bakare sprinted through on goal on 53 minutes as his path forward opened up in front of him but a Dorchester defender was able to get back and block. Akurang saw another opponent get in the way of his 15-yard strike shortly afterwards, though Chelmsford rarely troubled the ‘keeper.

 

Towards the end it was the visitors who looked most like breaking the deadlock, Ryan Moss striking into the side netting in the 72nd minute while Nick Crittenden sent a free kick over and Ben Dickenson shot wide from 25 yards. City nearly profited from an own goal when a defender mistimed his clearance, though that would have been harsh on the visitors who nearly stole a victory towards the end.

 

A baffling standstill in the home defence allowed Dickenson to keep the ball in play with yards of space on the left wing and he took advantage, bringing the ball inside before finding ‘keeper Stuart Searle equal to his low side-footer eight minutes from time. Searle was the hero again later on when he pushed a powerful drive back out.

 

Ricky Modeste, plus substitutes Joe Benjamin and David Rainford, all tried their luck at the death but Glenn summarised: “Neither side had enough sharpness to look like scoring in the match and it was one of those games you can’t wait to get finished. There was nothing to lift the crowd and it was just a horrible day.”

 

City:

 

1 Stuart Searle

2 Ben Nunn

3 Aiden Palmer

4 Adam Tann (C)

5 Kenny Clark

6 Warren Whitely

7 Ricky Modeste

8 Sam Corcoran

9 Michael Bakare

10 Max Cornhill

11 Cliff Akurang

 

12 Joe Benjamin (On for Whitely, 63)

14 Jermaine Brown

15 Mark Haines

 

 

16 Justin Miller

17 David Rainford (On for Cornhill, 63)

 

Dorchester Town: Alan Walker-Harris, Kyle Critchell, Jake Smeeton (Steve Devlin, 89), Mark Jermyn (C), Nathan Walker, Jamie Gleeson, Nick Crittenden, Ashley Nicholls, Ryan Moss, Ben Dickenson, Neil Martin. Unused Substitutes: Jamie Symes, Ryan Dovell, Rico Wilson, Gary Bowles.

 

Bookings: City: Modeste (71, foul). Dorchester: Smeeton (86, foul).

 

Referee: Stephen Ross (Boston).

 

Assistant Referees: Euan Goodman (Ipswich) and Malcolm McIntyre (King’s Lynn)

 

Attendance: 813.

 

City Man of the Match: Sam Corcoran.