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Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

The score may suggest that this was a shave for Chertsey Town in their league points quest at Cove The fact of it was, had all the five goals of the match ended up in the Cove net, no-one would have been the least bit surprised. Chertsey dominated the game until the final few minutes and, had Dave Tarpey put away half his golden chances, a five goal margin could have easily been achieved.

The Cove pitch survived the frosty conditions, unlike five other Combined Counties League matches that day, but it cut up badly and was not a pretty sight, come a quarter to five. Football also suffered but not as much as the ragged pitch, but this did not deter Town forward Dave Tarpey who was dominant in his field and although only securing a lone goal, might well have emulated his team mate John Pomroy’s quadruple goal feast served up seven days previous.

Pomroy himself had a quiet game, being well marshalled by the Cove defence, but being shackled did not stop him working to open the Tarpey door. Chertsey’s defence worked hard and did not allow any Cove aspirations to see the light of day during the first half, and most of the second. The solid platform set up the attack nicely as Chertsey steadily built an unassailable lead, but one that could have been far more spectacular.

The first goal came on just eight minute when Jack Francis ball was pumped forward into space behind the Cove back line, forcing goalkeeper Chris Foster to race out and act as an impromptu sweeper against the raiding Tarpey. Foster lost the contest with Tarpey coming out of the tackle with the ball which he flighted into the Cove net from 25 yards.

Tarpey later made progress to set up Pomroy who had two bites at a second goal from the penalty spot environs. His first strike was repelled by Foster but the second went narrowly wide. The expected second goal had to wait until the 38th minute when Tarpey hooked the ball through centrally and arrived some dozen yards out. It was a 50/50 challenge but Marcus Moody won the battle to loop the ball past an advancing goalkeeper.

Chertsey again looked the best bet to score next after the interval. A Gavin Bamford header was cleared off the line but the next goal was not long in coming when a free kick was awarded just after the hour. Deep and wide on the right flank, Tarpey floated the ball into the danger zone where Steve Tyson rose suspiciously high over his marker to then cleanly head home.

If Cove had their deep reservations about the legality of that goal, so Chertsey had theirs in the lead up to Cove’s 70th minute opener. A free kick was awarded for a trip which, in profile, looked like a dive with the two involved players well separated. Even so, the strike from 25 yards, exploited a ramshackle defensive wall which delighted former Curfew Steve Brown as he placed his kick well wide of Liam Stone in the Chertsey goal.

But in the meantime, Chertsey should have already demolished Cove’s resolve. Although he did exceptionally well to create the scenarios, Tarpey failed to finish off his opponents. He broke through three times with only Foster to beat but each time the goalkeeper blocked the goal attempts. So instead of being able to demoralise their hosts in the final quarter of the match, Chertsey had to act expeditiously to stop an unheralded come back.

Cove had their best period of the game towards the end but still looked unlikely to add to their fortuitous dead ball success. Town also attacked as the game widened with substitute Jack Mazzone looking lively on the right flank. Chertsey looked quite capable of extending their lead once more but instead won only plaudits and corner kicks despite another likely Bamford strike that was deflected, then further diverted by Foster . But it was the home side who had the last say in the game’s events by buzzing around the Chertsey goalmouth where, from a corner that was not cleanly cleared, full back Jason Milletti stabbed the ball home for what was the final action of the day.