Staines Town 3, Chelmsford City 5
(Vanarama Conference South)
FOUR goals from Michael Cheek and a super solo effort from West Ham loanee Jaanai Gordon completed a wonderful comeback for Chelmsford City at bottom side Staines Town.
City found themselves two goals down within 37 minutes, through strikes from Ashley Lodge and Elliott Charles, but a goal before the break from Cheek gave them hope.
He struck again with a superb volley to level matters seven minutes into the second half. Then Hammers striker Gordon scored a great solo goal to seal a wonderful comeback.
Things got even better though as Cheek tapped home a rebound from close range and then grabbed his fourth with a deflected effort.
The hosts hit a late third of their own through substitute Calum Willock late on.
City boss Mark Hawkes made just the one change to the side that lost 5-1 at home to Ebbsfleet United on Boxing Day with Joe Ward making way for Leon Redwood. His hope no doubt was for those players to be burning with the desire to make amends against the league's basement boys Staines.
Both sides showed early intent, with Mark Hughes and Michael Cheek sending tame headers towards goal in the opening exchanges.
The hosts looked bright in the final third and they duly opened the scoring on 21 minutes when Charles held the ball up well in the right channel and flicked it into the path of the onrushing Lodge, who took a touch and then drilled a low shot home in off the bottom of the left post.
Cheek carved out a chance to instantly level on the edge of the Town box seconds after the restart, but he was closed down and could only poke the ball towards the Staines goalkeeper Jack Turner.
The hosts' lead could have been doubled on 32 minutes when Romone Rose broke clear into the City half, but he snatched at his shot from the edge of the box and sent it well over Bradley Watkins' goal. He also injured himself in the process and was replaced by Danny Bassett.
Five minutes later Staines did increase their advantage when a blocked shot in the Chelmsford penalty area fell kindly for Charles to slot home off a sliding defender.
However, just 60 seconds later, the Clarets had a foothold back in the game when Cheek seized on to a loose ball, rounded Turner and slid the ball home from a tight angle.
Two chances fell to skipper Hughes as the half came to a close. First he drilled a shot just off target and then flicked on a free-kick in added time towards goal, but Turner clawed it out acrobatically.
Staines could have extended their advantage early in the second period when the dangerous Charles skipped down the left and crossed low into the box where the onrushing Joe Aribo volleyed past the right post.
The chances were that the league's bottom side would be nervy despite their lead and they found their advantage wiped out on 52 minutes. A great run to the byline by Rohdell Gordon ended with a perfect cross for Cheek to hook into the bottom right corner of the Staines net.
It was almost 3-2 to the visitors moments later as Hughes' shot was deflected towards goal by Cheek, but it was cleared off the goal line at the last second by a Town boot.
Yads Mambo pulled off a superb flying block of his own at the other end to deny Josh Ekim on the edge of the City box as he pulled the trigger.
On 66 minutes, Gordon took his chance to shine as he burst down the left and cut inside. With Cheek free in the centre he had to pass or make sure he scored, and after the ball bobbled at his feet briefly, he did the latter with an emphatic finish past Turner.
Five minutes later, it was 4-2 to the visitors. Lee Sawyer skipped into the box, but saw his shot blocked. It rebounded out for Redwood, whose low strike was parried by Turner for Cheek to seal his treble from two yards.
He added his fourth on 78 minutes, hitting a shot from the edge of the box that deflected up and over Turner off Staines' Justyn Roberts.
Young Clarets academy striker Jake Gordon came off the bench to replace Jaanai Gordon late on, for his second appearance of the season, with Nicky Nicolau soon coming on for the lively Rohdell Gordon.
Former Stevenage striker Willock came off the bench for the visitors and hit one goal back in the 90th minute as a late consolation as his deflected effort wrong-footed Watkins.
CHELMSFORD CITY: Watkins, Girdlestone, Toner, Hughes, Hickford, Mambo, Sawyer, Redwood, Jaanai Gordon (Jake Gordon 81), Cheek, R Gordon (Nicolau 83). Subs not used: Smith, Ward, Ekpiteta. Att: 320.
