HT 0-1

FT 0-3

Att 54

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Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

With their two prime rivals, Camberley Town and North Greenford United both picking up maximum points, it was essential that Chertsey Town maintained the same success, even if was against modest opposition provided by Bookham who do not have to stretch their toes too far to touch the bottom of the league table. The required result was obtained but it took a while for the Chertsey contingent to truly relax.

The result turned into as comfortable a victory that had suggested itself all afternoon, but with the final two goals only coming in the closing stages, an upset might have occurred. The unpredictable playing surface, more suited to another code of football, combined with pedantic refereeing that confused player and spectator alike, might have produced one bizarre moment too many to snatch points away from their true destination.

Andy Crossley was missing. The sixteen year old was away, playing a representative match for London Schools. John Swift was still absent in the midfield after an injury sustained seven days previous. That, combined with long term injuries and the return of Dean Inman to Hampton & Richmond strain was put on the selection process. The bench featured four youth team players in consequence of the lack of numbers available.

The match, apart from an uncomfortable ten minute spell midway through the second half, was always within Chertsey’s grasp. Bookham looked competent in midfield and defence but looked lost when going forward. The DeLisser, Gibson, Francis McNamara combination in the back four kept the Bookham attack well away from Liam Stone in goal who saw virtually no action.

Chertsey were not all that vibrant in the vanguard either at first. Ollie Treacher, Steve Tyson and Marcus Moody all delivered shots but they were from too great a distance and wayward to cause real problems for Chris Peck in goal. However, Peck found himself under too much pressure in the 38th minute when he was unable to hold on to a Gavin Bamford strike which was the goalkeeper’s big misfortune because ace goal poacher John Pomroy was quickest to react to the lose ball and calmly clipped it away for the lead.

This was Pomroy’s first goal in three outings. Hardly remarkable, but for him a mini crisis, as his usual strike rate is on the goal a game mark. The goal set Chertsey buzzing for the first time in the match as half time approached and both Steve Tyson and Jeff Gowland despatched shots that only just went wide.

The tenor of the second half was much the same as the first although the constant whistle blowing by the referee in a far from irritable exchange, plus the almost gratuitous issuing of yellow cards, eight in all, detracted from the point of the exercise; that of playing football. Sadly, two of the yellows were directed to Marcus Moody for two incidents of what seemed to most as genuine midfield attempts at tackling for the ball. That they were even fouls was highly debatable. But before he was dismissed late in the game, Moody contributed well in the midfield for Town to continue to hold the line.

Out of character for the game, Bookham suddenly looked dangerous. Two golden chances for them to equalise were created midway through the period but true to form for a team that has only notched one goal in their last six outings, both were squandered. The first arrived with a cross from the right that Ben Luney got underneath and blasted over from just five yards. The second came minutes later but this time a tremendous Gowland block inside the six yard box saved Town’s blushes.

The moment came and went for the home side as Chertsey regained their ascendancy with the game settling back into a midfield battle, not only against the two side’s respective opponents but also the playing service. It was a conundrum; long passes were getting cut out but a short game proved too problematical. It was looking more likely that an error would present any further scores but in the end it was the percentage game that widened the score.

Chertsey turned up the heat in the final quarter of an hour, during which they hit two more goals. Both came from the boot of Ollie Treacher and both had an air good fortune about them. What looked suspiciously like an over hit cross from a deep left wing position on 78 minutes, ended up with the ball flying into the far top corner of the net.

This was followed up five minutes later with a purposeful strike at goal from a central position, some 25 yards out. The ball was stuck well but we will never know if it would have found its mark for the missile clipped a Bookham defender in mid flight, fooling Peck all the way, to present Chertsey with a sixth win in seven attempts.

The signs look good for progress, next weekend, when Chertsey entertain fellow Combined Counties League side Croydon at Alwyns Lane in the second round proper of the FA Vase. Croydon’s form has not been great and inconsistency has crept into their game following a change of management a few weeks ago.