Heroic Effort, Harsh Result for Tunley Against League Leaders

04/10/2025

Match Report: Tunley Athletic 0–1 Chew Magna

Tunley Athletic pushed league leaders Chew Magna all the way at the Rec Centre, producing one of their most committed displays of the season in blustery conditions. Driving wind and rain made it a test of character as much as football, but despite matching the visitors stride for stride, Tunley were undone by a single late goal in the 89th minute.

With the fierce wind at their backs, Tunley started with real intent. A quick release from keeper Ryan Edmunds in the 8th minute sent a runner clear down the right side, leading to a clever touch and a rush on goal that forced the Chew keeper to charge from his line and block bravely away from danger.

Tunley’s press was relentless, closing passing lanes and harrying Chew into mistakes. In the 15th minute another ball over the top saw a home forward bearing down on goal, only for the visiting keeper to slide in and smother. Chew were struggling to get out of their own half, their distribution repeatedly blown astray by the swirling wind or cutoff by the Tunley pressure. A superb sliding challenge in the 20th minute summed up Tunley’s commitment, halting Chew’s first real foray forward.

Another chance for the home side came in the 27th minute. A shaky clearance gifted Tunley a throw deep in enemy territory, and from it a dipping volley from the edge of the box arced through the wind, only to drop agonisingly over the bar. More pressure followed as Tunley pinned Chew back, snapping into tackles and looking a step quicker on every touch.

Chew finally showed a glimpse of threat in the 35th minute with a free kick on the left, but the cross curled away harmlessly. Two late corners also came to nothing as Edmunds and his defence dealt with the danger, leaving the scoreline goalless at the interval, though Tunley had looked the sharper and more dangerous of the two sides.

Facing the wind in the second half, Tunley’s task grew harder, but they continued to play with discipline and confidence. The pattern remained scrappy, with the elements dictating play, but Tunley pieced together the tidier passing moves.

In the 60th minute, Edmunds was forced to sprint from his line to make a vital intervention. A minute later, a hard Tunley challenge sparked more jawing, with players nose-to-nose before calm was restored.

Chew began to use the wind to their advantage, looking to play in behind. In the 66th minute a handball cut short one of their counterattacks, while a minute later Tunley worked the ball neatly down the right, only for the resulting shot to be snuffed out by the keeper. Almost immediately, a loose outlet pass from Tunley presented Chew with one of their better chances in the second half, but the finish flew over the crossbar to the relief of the home crowd.

As the wind grew fiercer, Tunley were pinned deeper, relying on organisation and the safe hands of Edmunds. In the 71st minute Chew blasted a free kick wide, but in the 75th a swirling effort from distance forced the Tunley keeper into his best save of the afternoon, leaping to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Tunley looked to have earned a deserved point when, with just a minute of normal time remaining, Chew finally broke through. A lofted ball caught in the wind dropped perfectly behind the back line, and the visiting forward met it first time with a volley that flew past Edmunds for 1–0.

The final minutes slipped away without a further chance, leaving Tunley to reflect on a cruel defeat. They had more than matched the league leaders for 89 minutes, showing organisation, energy and spirit only to be undone by a single late strike.

Final Score: Tunley Athletic 0–1 Chew Magna