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Surrey Senior Cup - 3rd Round

MATCH REPORT

Exciting this cup tie with Bookham might have been for spectators, ten goals conceded within the space of 90 minutes is not the sort of scenario that makes more footballing purest managers happy. It would be churlish to put any negative spin on this rip roaring Surrey Senior Cup tie that, with its unpredictability factor at 'Warp 9', a win for either side way profoundly feasible, right up to the penultimate minute when the sixth Chertsey goal was registered. It must be said that the defending from both sides was way below par but there were plenty of other positives.

The game gave the opportunity to feature some of the squad who have not commanded an automatic selection. The newly signed Bamford and Steve McNamara were also cup tied. Steve Gibson fitness was doubtful and was dropped to the bench due to injury. Paul Smith returned to goal as he tried to return to match fitness after a niggling injury, sustained prior to Christmas, has hampered free movement. Conceding four goals does not look good on paper but none of the goals were 'down to him.'

The was game played on a sticky pitch but one that still allowed stodge free football. It began in dramatic terms when Darren Dobinson, pushed back to the number three position, caught his attacker late to set up a penalty kick which was put away by James Piercy. Never relax after scoring a goal is the golden rule but it was forgotten as Chertsey hit back within a minute with Luke Muldowney's glancing hear on the near post from a John Pomroy corner flashing into the top corner of the net.

Although, not then conceding themselves immediately in the same manner, Chertsey did the next best thing and allowed too much space on the Bookham right flank seven minutes later when a square cut ball was met by Piercy who crashed the ball into the net from ten yards for his side to regain the lead. But the advantage was again dissolved within the minute when a move via the middle was advanced by Paul Brooker in making ground and threading the ball through for Aaron McLeish to lash it home.

The 13th minute proved to an unlucky one for the home side for they fell behind at that point for the first time in the continuing frantic start. Brooker made what looked suspiciously like a shot from 25 yards to the left but the ball skewed away from the goal at the last moment to be met by McLeish who had not given up the cause and he planted it into the back of the net.

One more goal was scored before the interval but not before Brooker had a good effort ruled out for offside and Mark Jarman thumped the ball against the Chertsey upright, as well as Sam Corrie firing over the ball at close range. The goal came in the 40th minute with Jarman putting away a cross, again from the right. The three a piece score line would have seemed a feast after ninety minutes, let alone 45, so the second half was eagerly awaited as at least one more goal had to be scored in order to obtain a resolution in the very open exchange.

The next goal was not long in coming, in the 54th minute in fact, when McLeish shot at goal. The ball was kicked away off the line with the goalkeeper out of position but only found its way to Pomroy who rifled the ball home, low and hard, still with Dean Cupit stranded. The narrow lead looked even narrower when, just three minutes later, a Bookham forward hit a potent shot that rebounded away off the inside left post.

Soon after, Chertsey survived a goalmouth scramble that could so easily have balanced the scores for the fourth time, but those missed chances were forgotten on 81 minutes when a corner delivered from the right wing was converted into another equaliser with William Ramsey putting the ball away on the far side. Extra time looked the favourite possibility even though goals were still raining in. The odds fell away though with an equally busy last five as was the first.

Two more goals came in the still vibrant tie. Chertsey nudged ahead on 86 minutes with the Bookham defence only managing to clear the ball to Brooker. Although he was something like 30 yards out, the blistering shot he delivered at the same range was unstoppable. Cupit got a touch in his despairing dive but there was only one outcome, a 5-4 advantage to the visitors.

Bookham still looked for one more saving goal but it was not to be and the game was only truly put to bed in the 88th minute when Pomroy, in possession, attempted to increase his goal tally with a deft curling shot from outside the Bookham penalty area. The strike lacked sufficient velocity but Marcus Moody was able to get under the dying shot and head the ball on and into the top corner to settle the game's unpredictable destination for once and all.

Another remarkable feature in such a competitive exchange was that no player came even close to receiving a yellow card, a good omen for the following two encounters the pair of teams will make over the next few weeks as League Cup and Premier Division matches loom at the Meadowbank stadium.