Chesham let a 2–0 lead slip against Folkestone after the chairman said “we are conceding too many goals”

Sunday 1 November 2026 · By Giles Hembury

Chesham United drew 2–2 at home with Folkestone Invicta on Saturday after leading 2–0, Folkestone scoring a penalty in the 77th minute and a goal in stoppage time at 90+3. The attendance was 715, according to the BBC.

Jayden Bennetts put Chesham ahead in the seventh minute with an effort from the edge of the area that “took a sizeable deflection”, according to Folkestone’s report, and William St Clair-Burton doubled the lead in the 74th. Joe Pigott scored from the spot three minutes later and Kevin Lokko equalised at the death. Folkestone’s report said Chesham made three changes from Tuesday, with Dubem Eze, Jayden Bennetts and Connor Roberts in, and that Hisham Kasimu returned to the squad. New loan signing Kash Odiase was a substitute.

The day before the game the chairman’s notes on the club’s website, dated Friday 30 October, said: “Defeats at Dagenham & Redbridge last Saturday and at home to Farnham Town on Tuesday evening have left us in the bottom four of the National League South.” He wrote: “We are conceding too many goals, not scoring enough” and “I have every confidence in JD, Muzza and the players to get us back on track”. The club is run by joint managers James Duncan and Michael Murray. The notes said Kasimu and Mitch Weiss were “back available” and that Connor Stevens was “hopefully only around a week away”. They also advertised Fireworks Night “next Friday evening”, which is 6 November.

The point leaves Chesham 21st on 11 points from 14 games, the first relegation place, with three wins, two draws and nine defeats. The bottom four are relegated, and only the champions are promoted automatically, with second to seventh going into the play-offs. Chesham are four points behind 20th-placed Hemel Hempstead Town, who have played one game more, and two ahead of Hampton & Richmond Borough in 22nd.

They have scored 20 goals and conceded 32, the fifth-worst defence in the division. Their last six league results, oldest first, are a win, four defeats and the draw. Those defeats were 4–0 by Maidenhead United on Saturday 26 September, 5–0 by Chelmsford City on Saturday 10 October, 2–0 at Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday 24 October and 4–2 at home to Farnham on Tuesday 27 October. They have won one of seven at home, for five points, and two of seven away, for six, and are winless in five.

On Wednesday 14 October the club said its majority shareholder Roger Payne had “unexpectedly passed away today”, and the club has since published a tribute.

Chesham go to Ebbsfleet United on Saturday 7 November, Bedford in the FA Trophy second round on Saturday 14 November and Tonbridge Angels on Tuesday 17 November. Hampton then visit on Saturday 21 November, followed by a trip to Torquay United on Tuesday 24 November.

Ebbsfleet are third on 28 points, and Truro City lead the table on 30.