HT 2-0

FT 4-2

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Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

Okay, so the opening goal was an own goal, but the following three that hit the Ash United net were all stunners as at last, Chertsey Town got back to league winning ways after a barren three match spell that accrued just two miserable points; hardly the stuff of championship aspirations. But Town’s dream of challenging for the one promotion spot the Football Association grudgingly allows to be eked out each year looked more realistic after this performance than of late, in an open and attractive encounter with their visitors from the outskirts of Aldershot.

Although the score sheet ended up with only a two goal gap between the sides, a more realistic three might have been more representative, had the referee not bizarrely awarded Ash a penalty kick in the dying minutes, despite an obviously clean tackle from Steve McNamara. The decision bemused everyone in the ground, including it must be said, the Ash United bench.

To make the incident seem even more weird, the referee then booked McNamara for a reckless, out of control challenge. Fortunately for the game, the award, and conversion by James Blason, for his second success of the evening, did not affect the destination of the points. A ball cleanly and obviously headed out for a corner kick in the first half, but seen as a goal kick, was but a prelude to the main 87th minute feature.

To concentrate, though, on refereeing decisions would not do justice to the game as a whole and although Town ran out as worthy and clear winners, acknowledgement to the contribution the Ash United players gave to the contest should be given. Chertsey had to be, and were, at their best throughout the 90 minutes, with their only potential weakness showing as a reluctance to keep to tight marking from time to time, when the Ash attack was in motion.

But Ash too, had even more defensive shortcomings that resulted in an own goal, the first score of the match, when a low McNamara cross from near the left side corner flag was turned in by fullback Paul Bonner, fearing that the lurking John Pomroy was about to pounce. Bonner’s discomfort came on 25 minutes but it was not the initial goalmouth action of a positive and vibrant match.

It was Ash that looked best to score first in a particularly effervescent start for them when Blason fired at a goal that seemed to be at his mercy. However, goalkeeper Liam Stone got down very sharply to his right and tipped the strike onto a post and safety. Town might have also hit the net early on. Andy Crossley shot wide from 20 yards following a well worked four man move on the left that deserved a dividend. Then Andre DeLisser created a gap in the middle but shot narrowly wide.

The better half of Ash’s play was when they progressed forward. Shaky defending encouraged Pomroy but it was the highly mobile Kevin Lock that took the eye, especially on 37 minutes, when he was set up superbly by Pomroy, but whose shot hit the upright full on. The ball rebounded to the trailing Pomroy who thumped it into the roof of the onion bag.

Town continued to look favourite, even after the half time break, but Ash pulled a goal back on 55 minutes through Blason. He was given too much room and, from the edge of the Chertsey box, rifled the ball home low, just inside the woodwork and well out of reach of Stone on his left.

The small but vociferous band of visiting supporters were lifted but any notion of a comeback crashed four minutes later. Sixteen year old Andy Crossley may still need to work out best practice with position and interaction with his colleagues but he sure knows where the goal posts are! His jinking run fooled a queue of verdant shirts, and then their goalkeeper, with a thumping shot that found its mark to re-establish the two goal green zone.

The lead was nearly extended soon after when goalkeeper Arjuna Adlam was forced to the edge of his area. The immediate danger was dampened but the ball ran to Gavin Bamford some 45 yards out. Spotting the vacant net, he pumped the ball forward. It was on the right line when a full back rushed back to hook it clear at the last moment.

But the lead was expanded in the 77th minute when a corner on the right went back deep to McNamara who, some 25 yards out, fired at goal with a pace that could not be intercepted by any of a number of intervening defenders to make the victory look even more emphatic. It looked likely to become the final score until a ball was sent diagonally into the edge of the Chertsey penalty area where McNamara looked to have slide tackled with precision to stop the Ash attack but the referee saw it otherwise to gift the visitors a consolation goal through Blason’s spot kick.