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Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

Before even double figures had been recorded on the referee’s watch of this crucial Combined Counties League encounter at the liar of prime rivals Camberley Town, a clear sign had been posted that this was not going to be Chertsey Town’s day. First, Camberley’s Jamie Hoppitt was fortunate in the extreme not have been dismissed for a reckless foul on key central defender Dean Inman who was stretchered off and took no further part in the game. Just a yellow card was waived at the errant perpetrator.

The irony of the situation was then compounded for, moments later and before Chertsey were able to field a replacement, a cross into the Chertsey penalty area was fiercely cleared but the ball hit the face of an attacker. It then fell neatly into the path of Ronnie Green who had no difficulty in exploiting his good fortune by slotting his side into an seventh minute home lead.

Chertsey recovered from this set back in a far from classic contest that hardly justified its CCL match of the day billing. Neither side could string more that three passes together and the spectacle failed to raise too much reaction from the terraces. There was plenty of commitment from the players but only to generate heat, rather than light, as they say.

One bright shaft of light, at least, for Chertsey was the return of Marcus Moody, back from his sojourn with Met Police, who impressed. Playing further forward than is usual to boost a thin Chertsey attack that fielded just one recognised striker, the faithful John Pomroy, he nevertheless popped up in many areas of the park and, as an example of his mobility, made a significant left back tackle at one moment before returning to his right flank station.

Jack Francis returned to the side in central defence which was just as well. This was not an overtly physical encounter but under the circumstances, it was never going to be one for the faint hearted and he stood up well to the test.

Chertsey’s recovery led to them shading the first half honours and were rewarded with a goal on 33 minutes. A free kick, delivered fairly centrally, 25 yards out by Steve McNamara looked to be finding its mark until goalkeeper Justin Gray tipped the ball onto the bar which was cleared, but only as far as Gavin Bamford. He too was 25 yards out, but on the other side of the track, and fired goal wards, This time the ball was despatched wide of Gray as it smacked into the top corner of his net.

Camberley came close to regaining the lead before the interval but Moody’s acrobatic clearance of the line from Green after the ball had just previously hit the cross bar, ensured that the score line remained in equilibrium, come the 45 minute mark.

The second half belonged to Camberley Town with Chertsey never being able to break through the solid home defence, in contrast to Chertsey’s looked stretched and jaded at times. The tone of the half was set only three minutes after the break with a free kick being conceded in almost the identical spot to McNamara’s strike 20 minutes earlier.

The outcome of this sequence of play was also similar in that a goal ensued. but in much simpler terms as Darren Barnard spotted a defensive gap and exploited it to the full by swirling the ball, low, into the far side of the Chertsey net.

A slip by a Camberley defender let in Moody not long after but a saving tackle from Hoppitt kept his side from conceding when Moody looked well placed to fire home. Despite this moment, the home side looked the more comfortable and underlined their advantage with a third goal in the 73rd minute. Darren Peace was given room on more than one occasion on his side’s left flank. He squandered one good chance but made amends with a simple sweeping up operation after a slip in the middle gave even more time and space to open up the gap even further.

It was only after that point that Chertsey began to get their game together and passes started to flow. A useful looking strike from Moody that only just cleared the junction of post and crossbar might have sparked a late, but unlikely, revival but the doomed effort only created fantasy comic book thoughts of a reversal of fortunes that never came close to being realised.

Although a significant knock to Chertsey’s championship ambitions, this was far from a fatal blow baring in mind that only one third of the league season has passed. Still, only three points cover the top five sides in the most open competition the Combined Counties League has seen in many years.