Molesey 1-1 Chessington & Hook - Official Match Report

By Andrew Finch

Molesey begun 2014 with their fourth consecutive draw and a disappointing display against Chessington & Hook United.

The result pales into insignificance against Saturday's announcement that the club had finally secured their long-term future, nearly two years after Elmbridge Borough Council approved plans to sell off part of the ground to housing developers.

With all legal issues now resolved the club can finally put its financial problems behind them and look forward to a bright future.

Brightness and optimism were in short supply on the pitch however, against a Chessington side who had only taken two points from their previous five games.

Both sides had only played once in the past month, so some lethargy in both camps could be forgiven, but the only bright spot for the Moles was a goal on his full debut for youth team product Jamie Linegar, who rescued a point with a sweetly struck 88th minute drive after Josh Witter looked to have given the visitors the points with his goal ten minutes from time.

The Moles were missing top scorer Matt Baxter as well as James McShane and Ollie Robinson, with Nick White recalled and Luke Elliott moving to centre back.

In the first half in particular the Moles were lacklustre, with a lack of urgency going forward and minimal movement from the front players.

Ross Chalke volleyed well over early on, and Linegar was forced wide and eventually crowded out having got on the end of Dale Marvell's flick.

The visitors found themselves in some promising positions without testing Wester Young, with Louis Chin firing across goal and Jamie Adcock being denied by a last ditch tackle by Joe Pratley-Jones.

Chessington had a golden opportunity to take the lead midway through the half when Nick White was adjudged to have brought down Ben Peacock inside the area. Chin stepped up but put the resulting penalty well wide.

Ex Mole Mark Daniels was finally forced into a save five minutes before the interval as he flung to his right to keep out Craig Lewington's free kick.

White forced Daniels into a save early in the second half, and Marvell just failed to get on the end of Lewington's hook across goal as the Moles improved slightly after the break, but their decision making remained poor, which was emphasized when Marvell shot harmlessly wide from 30 yards with substitute Ashby Charles unmarked to his right.

Marvell then appeared to have his legs taken away from him inside the box but the ref waved away the penalty appeals.

It was slightly ironic that Molesey's best move of the match led to Chessington opening the scoring, as a flowing move the length of the pitch involving Lewington, Pratley-Jones and Linegar resulted in Charles's pull-back from the byline being intercepted.

Chessington broke up the field, and after the Moles fell asleep at a throw-in by the corner flag the ball was cut back for Witter to fire home from close range.

The visitors had a couple of opportunities to extend the lead but Chin shot high and wide and Witter fired across goal.

Molesey threw Kristian Webb up front for the closing stages and he was instrumental in the equalizer, chesting Lewington's long ball into Linegar's path, who hit a half-volley from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

The Moles forced a couple of late free kicks in promising positions but were unable to force Daniels into a save.

Having already dropped more points than last season’s champions Egham Town before the Christmas decorations had come down the Moles will now hope to go on a prolonged winning run in the hope of clinging on to the coattails of the top 3, which they hope will start against Croydon on Tuesday.