A TALE OF DEVELS AND DEMONS

If it's true that things in football balance themselves out during the course of the season then surely the good times are only just around the corner for Cookham Dean.
After a superb game of football the home team were left frustrated by an offside decision that was given and another that wasn't.
Sandhurst Devels are worthy opponents and had to be right on top of their game to keep an industrious Cookham at bay and both sides really went at at from the off.
Cookham shaded the first half hour with Kevin Ford in the centre stamping his authority on the game.
But it was the visitors who took the lead following a quickly taken free kick that caught the Dean's defence napping as the influential Richard Steel side footed into an unprotected corner of the net
The rest of the half was a really good midfield battle with no quarter given but the Devels held their slender lead at the break.

Cookham started brightly after the interval and created a string of half chances and for the second week running Sean Gavagan got into some excellent positions but again the finishing touch was missing from his game.

After a good Cookham move ended with a Gavagan shot being saved on the hour the Devels broke away to score totally against the run of play as Steel tapped in his second goal of the game from six yards and at 2-0 the Dean suddenly had a mountain to climb.

However the Dean refused to throw in the towel and Ollie Webb went close straight from the re-start. The home side were then right back in it when Webb's free kick was headed into his own net by a hapless defender on 66 minutes.
But injuries now threatened to wreck Cookhams chances of a comeback and all three Substitutes were required. Centre back Dave Saunders retired before Chris Ellis and Louis Shepherd both limped off.
However Sub Richard Jones almost scored with his first touch as his stinging volley flew just inches wide. The winger had made an immediate impact and a strong run and cross caused alarm for the visitors defence soon afterwards but again Devels broke away cleverly, although the final ball looked to leave their striker a good metre or two off side, but there was no flag as Steel put Ben Pyle into fire the ball home to make it 3-1
To their credit Cookham simply got on with it and poured forward in numbers to put things right.
Scott Allen then reacted first in the box to a good cross to bury his header in the net but this time the flag was raised and the finish chalked off and the following protests changed nothing.
Cookham then carved out the move of the match but Gavagan steered his diving header wide with the goal begging.
With time ticking away the Dean at last reduced the arrears when Reece Richardson's corner was buried in the net by the outstanding Allen.
With two minutes left on the clock Ford's free kick then picked out Gavagan but his free header went agonisingly over the top and the Devels held out for a hard earned 3-2 victory.

Gallery
1.Seans header clears the bar
2.Fordy emerges on top
3.Gav frustrated again
4. Scottie scores
5. The last chance goes begging

* Poor light effected the pictures this week
* More images will appear on the photo gallery soon