HT 2-0

FT 3-1

Att 55

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Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

This match presented another opportunity for Chertsey Town to truly catch up with the two leading sides in the Combined Counties League table, but again the chance was spurned at a frosty and even colder than usual Merland Rise. Chertsey Town’s performance began spritely enough against modestly placed Banstead Athletic but the early breakthrough did not materialise, and then two quick fire events set the course of the game away from the visitors, never to return.

Boosted by the return of Dave Tarpy in the attack, Chertsey immediately went on to the offensive and it looked only a matter of time before they would take the lead. John Pomroy came close early on and perhaps might have done better in front of goal. A 15 yard header by Steve Goddard seemed on target until Paul Brady in the Banstead goal just managed to tip the ball over. Goddard again came close soon after with a volley that was fired over.

The Chertsey plan started to go wrong just before the half hour when red cards were shown to Alistair John of Banstead Athletic and Steve McNamara for a clash of temperament towards each other. This unfortunate incident was followed in the 35th minute with a bizarre goal to the host side when Liam Stone was caught out. A 35 yard shot from Moriarty looked to be comfortable for Stone but the ball clipped the ground and took an unusual bounce to confused the goal keeper who, even so, still should have been in charge of the situation. Things got worse for Chertsey six minutes later when Zak Graham was allowed to cut in from the left and fire in low to Stone’s right.

A close call from Tarpy led Chertsey to believe there was scope to wrestle back the initiative after the interval but that notion faded on 57 minutes when substitute Shane Sinclair found the top corner of the Chertsey net with the outside of his boot, although he was fortunate to have the ball at his feet in the first place after a ricochet from a clearance diverted neatly into his path.

Despite the goal, both sides’ play was strewn with errors at the midway point of the second half and the game lost purpose. This mattered less to Banstead with their comfortable lead but eventually Chertsey got their game together once more, starting with a 63rd minute when Tarpy showed his heels to the home defence with a swift diagonal run, cutting the ball back for Andy Crossley put away at close quarters.

Tarpy seemed to hold the key to unlock a Banstead defence that played with tenacity and resolve. He again prised the door ajar, this time for Pomroy whose flick at goal only found Brady. Efforts from Gavin Bamford and Kwabana Agyei both just drifted wide as a spirited attempt at scrapping out a consolation point was attempted but success just could not be archived.

It was not as if the effort was lacking. Skipper Steve Gibson was a shinning example of that, but the team was not quite joined up enough, coupled with the odd bit of misfortune at critical moments, to avoid Chertsey’s third defeat in the same arena this season.