Report
On Friday night, the Lilywhites secured safety without kicking a ball: both Edgware and Cheshunt had lost. The importance of safety cannot be stressed too much, it means that relegation had been fought successfully by Tommy Lee’s men and, more importantly, the Lilywhites have actually secured promotion to Division One at the end of next season. Strange but true. The Ryman League will be reorganised at the end of the 2001/2002 season to create two regionalised Division Ones. There will be no promotion or relegation from Division Two next season.
So, the game itself had little riding on it. Cheshunt had to lose by seven goals to be relegated and five of the Lilywhites normal line up were unavailable this made the game a strangely muted affair: few fouls, no bookings and a spirit of contentment seemed to settle on both teams. Cheshunt scored, against the run of play, on 8 minutes when Akins side footed the ball home from close range. He could have scored again ten minutes later but headed way wide when he should have planted the ball into the net.
The Lilywhite’s first genuine chance came on the stroke of half time when Matthews and Hughes combined on the right. Hugh’ pass was almost inch perfect and Danny Whybrow timed his run into the penalty area perfectly but he failed to connect by millimetres.
In the second half Lilywhites’ Jay Notley nearly scored with a 30 metre free kick which rasped towards the goal but brought a brilliant save from Cheshunt ‘keeper Fitkin. Cheshunt finished brightly with a last minute goal from Waters.