Goals: R.Bland 11, 25 , J Johnson 8

MATCH REPORT

Chertsey Town were given another demonstration in Saturday's Combined Counties League match that it takes more than just technical ability to achieve the right result. Top of the table Camberley Town came to Alwyns Lane and established a substantial first half lead which allowed them to concentrate on defending after the break and, for the third successive season, take all the points back to Krooner Park.

Their early tenacity and speed on and off the ball created conditions for success but even they could not have suspected how easy Chertsey was going to make it for them with such wayward defending with more gaps appearing than in a Halloween witch's set of dentures, Chertsey's defending gifted Camberley two of their three goals, the other having a slice of fortune about it, all of which came inside the first 25 minutes.

The holes were eventually shored up but by then the damage had been done and the confident visitors were able to ride out the remaining two thirds of the game without requiring to show any special enterprise in attack, and so could concentrate on their priority of retaining their winning lead.

The rot set in after only eight minutes with Camberley already looking lively when Richard Bland centred from the left, to find Joe Johnson. He had time and space to hammer the ball home from a dozen yards. The early crisis deepened only two minutes later when the ball ran through the middle, midway across the Chertsey half. Goalkeeper Paul Smith advanced well out of his area to clear but the ball took an extra bounce and the attempted clearance completely failed giving Bland the easiest goal of his career with just a casual saunter to goal and a tap in to match.

Thoughts of a come back for the home side looked to be on hold for Camberley looked more than comfortable in attack. Although an element of good fortune came their way for the third, it must be acknowledged that chances of luck are often manufactured on a hard rock of endeavour. In the 25th minutes, what looked decidedly like a fierce angled shot actually sped into the path of Bland who hardly had time other than to redirect the missile into the Chertsey net off his forehead.

Chertsey's first shot of the came five minutes later when Darren Dobinson fired at the Camberley keeper and although not much of a close call, it was the first signs of a revival. Camberley, however, still retained the skill to sting and were unlucky not to increase their lead with a thunderous 30 yard shot from John Swift that crashed against the upright. Town were desperate to get back into the game and came very close just before the interval when a defender's back header fooled his own goalkeeper and looked to be dropping over the goal line before it was hooked away to safety with only an inch or two to spare.

The second half was more positive from a Chertsey standpoint and although they took the game to their opponents, movement took half as long again as did Camberley's first half efforts and so it was harder to open up their defences. But in attrition, Chertsey still had their moments. Gavin Bolger fired the ball at goal off one of a succession of second half corners won. The ball was deflected by John Pomroy at point blank ranger but was then chested off the line but one of a battery of defenders.

Playing in his first game in Chertsey colours, fancied striker Hinga Amara should have steered strong header on target at such short range from a penetrating cross, then Bolger had another shot deflected away for yet another corner kick as Town pressed in attack. Reward was realised but the treasure, in effect, was only semi precious stones instead of the sought for diamonds.

A prize came in 79th minute but was never going to be enough to shake Camberley into a wobbly last ten. It was so simply taken that frustration must have reigned on the Chertsey bench as to why such execution could not have been performed earlier when a Marcus Moody deflected header gave Liam Stone no chance. Chertsey still retained the majority of possession in the final act but could not set up a grandstand finish to salvage even a point for their challenge on the league title in a sequence that has seen them drop eight points in the last four outings.