The visitors liberal use of time wasting tactics paid off as they snatched a last gasp victory, but Chasetown should have cut out the late threat as they had a chance to clear the ball, instead the home side relinquished possession and were punished as Mark Lambert drove in a left footed shot to win the game for the Generals rights Russell Brown.

There was an early booking for Jermaine Gordon whose momentum in racing after a long ball forward saw the striker stumble into keeper Richard Hayward to flatten the United player.

The high wind around the Scholars ground was making it difficult to judge the flight of the ball and both teams took time in adjusting to the conditions. A Joe Williams header set up Dean Perrow to take on the keeper. Forced out wide the striker looked up to find Ben Steane but Haywood had recovered his position to get back and palm away the midfielder’s header.

A clever back heel from Perrow gave Phil Harris the chance to deliver another good cross into the area but Nick Hawkins just could not control the ball and it ran out harmlessly for a goal kick.

Right on the 45 minute mark Chasetown got their noses in front. Perrow, surround by Chesham defenders somehow squeezed the ball into the path of Hawkins and with the United players unable to readjust, the midfielder took a few strides forward before drilling past Hayward for the Scholars 100th goal in the Southern League.

The celebrations however were short lived as barely sixty seconds later United equalised. The ball was played in from the Chesham left and Chasetown had left Danny Burnell with a yard of space on the edge of the area. The striker gathered up the ball before turning sharply to fire past Lee Evans.

Chesham had the ball in the net just after the break as Sammy Winston headed in a cross from the left, but the assistant’s flag was already raised.

Hayward then kept the Generals in the game with two outstanding saves, both at his near post. Perrow had twisted and turned in the area to lose his markers and his rising shot was beaten away by the keeper who bettered that save moments later by instinctively turning a close range shot from Williams onto his post.

The visitors were trying to slow the game down as Chasetown threatened and the stoppages started to affect the flow of the game. But it was the visitors who had the next chance as a ball through from Burnell was missed by Williams and Dave Fotheringham found himself one on one with Evans. However, the Chasetown keeper kept his cool to produce a fine block to end the danger.

Perrow, who had tormented the United defence all game was very unlucky not to add to this goal tally as he took the ball around Hayward only for a bobble to cruelly ruin his opportunity of slotting the ball into an empty net.

As the game entered what was to prove to be a lengthy amount of stoppage time, Chesham undeservedly took the points with a classic smash and grab moment. The opportunity to clear the ball on the left was missed and Mark Lambert collected the cross field pass to switch the ball onto his left foot and drive in the goal that sent the United bench wild with delight.

Chasetown: Evans, Harris, Aulton, Spittle, Penny, Williams, Steane (Holland) Woodvine, Gordon (Smith), Perrow, Hawkins

Other Subs: Perry, Lamey, M Branch (not used)