CHUFC 4 - 4 FOREST ROW
Goals: Archie Morgan, Asher Maliki, Tobe Uzor, Bailey Ellis.

So, this is the second game in a week that I was away and following the team's fortunes on Twitter, and my opinion remains the same: It's horrible.

This time, at least, I was not in a restaurant but in the more informal surroundings of a sun lounger around the infinity swimming pool in Gran Canaria, with two and a half hours free from kickoff at 3 to leaving for the airport at 5:30.

By 3:45 or just after, I had received three messages. First, the game had kicked off, then at 30 minutes, there was nothing to report at 0-0, although Sang had made a good save, and then it was half-time. Having picked my phone up about 20 times for this in the first half, I thought the second half might follow suit, and we had just one of those uneventful games.

By 4:10 we were in front with a message describing Archie's goal as a delightful curled finish, and then on about the third look at the phone we were 2 in front thanks to Asher's headed goal.

As about 4:40 approached and with the gathering of towels and suncream in preparation for accessing the allocated room for showering, I had another look, assuming we were about 15 minutes from time, and was disappointed to see that it was now 2-2. The usual kerfuffle around making sure everything was picked up, and some exchanged pleasantries with a Swedish couple and a woman from Newcastle who wouldn’t stop talking, and it was now 4:55 and I assumed game over. I had another check just before entering the shower, and it was now 3-3. Relief. we had secured a draw against a good side, and I was going to be ready for the airport run in good time.

Suitably refreshed and dressed for the journey en route to the pickup point, I checked again for potentially some meat on the bones about the game and maybe some post-match comments, only to find we had just scored again to make it 4-4. I really had no clue how we were still playing, but somehow we were, but only for a few seconds, as finally, after an exhausting second half, it was over at 4-4.

It was an amazing game. There was a ridiculous change from the first half to the second half, and we got a good point against a very good team.

The next report will be back from a touchline view, hopefully with a win against East Preston but definitely with a less stressful 90 minutes checking my phone!

Gaffer Glynn Stephens
First Team Manager