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The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

MATCH REPORT

There may have only been two goals between the sides on paper, but the reality was that a chasm of possession and opportunity separated these two Combined Counties League sides in the opening extra preliminary round of the FA Cup. The pair of goals came in the first half but the second saw many more chances as Chertsey confidently cruised into the next round to entertain Met Police a fortnight hence.

Two team changes were forced on manager Spencer Day. Skipper Steve Gibson was unavailable so Andre DeLisser surprisingly dropped deeper to fill the right back spot, with aplomb. Young Andy Crossley made his starting debut in the middle of the park and did not look out of place. On loan Dean Inman was barred from playing by his mother club Hampton & Richmond to avoid being cup tied. The returning Stuart Bamford effortlessly fitted in direct to his accustomed central defending station as if he had never been gone.

Chertsey began at an eager pace and immediately pressed their hosts into their own back yard but it took 18 minutes before a stab at goal was achieved, off the boot of Ollie Treacher who swung a foot at the ball which went a mile high. Gavin Bamford came closer with a header soon after off a corner, but patience had to be the watchword despite the balance of play which had become less one sided midway through the half.

All that changed in the 25th minute when Chertsey took an almost inevitable lead, scored, almost inevitably by John Pomroy. The same player had possession 30 yards out but splayed the ball out to Kevin Lock in acres of space on the right. The ball was quickly returned to the centre and hooked in for the opening goal.

A low Crossley shot that went just wide quickly followed as Chertsey resumed full control. Playing up the slope and against a keen breeze proved to be no handicap, and in fact was an asset in the build up to the second goal which was struck on 39 minutes. A high lob looked more likely to comfortably clear the Chessington cross bar but was held up in the wind to drop beyond the far post. Goalkeeper Dane Buss made a hash of holding the ball and it ran lose.

The situation was fully exploited by Treacher who nipped the ball inside for Pomroy to fire home with only one outfield defender with any chance of stopping the crack at goal. Chessington looked threatening a couple of times on approach to the Chertsey Town goal but came nowhere near delivering. Matt Holley, familiar with the subs bench last term, looked stronger than ever at left back contributed to this state to strengthen his claim for a regular place.

The two goal lead thus looked enormous as the half time whistle was blown and it looked for the world that the gap would expand after the restart. Inch by inch, Chessington were chained back again into their own territory where a succession of goal attempts rained in, starting on 51 minutes with Crossley hitting the ball against the inside of the post.

In a 15 minute spell, Lock fired wide, Steve Goddard fired across the goalmouth and Crossley shot again, but this time at the keeper. Goddard then headed wide from the corner with the goal at his mercy and Lock again came close with a lob that Buss just got his finger tips to divert for another corner. This was followed by Jack Francis coming forward to head narrowly wide.

Chessington tried hard to scrape back into the game. Even a two goal lead can look vulnerable if just one reply can be mounted; it was not! Two weak efforts from Scott Todd was followed, five minutes from time, with DeLisser clearing off his goal line in one rare moment of danger. The hazy shadow of doubt passed and it was again Chertsey attacking at the death and basking in the afternoon sunshine when Pomroy might well have been awarded a penalty kick when he was felled in the penalty area.

This was another measured performance from Chertsey Town who continue to look a stronger outfit than last term and although will not travel very far in the FA Cup look likely to give their followers realistic hope for some league success.