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Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

Eleven goals without reply in Chertsey Town's opening two league encounters should give a strong indication that something different is happening at Alwyns Lane this season. Raynes Park Vale was the first visiting side of the new term, and although they never gave up the ghost, they were never really in with any chance of coming close to taking away, even a point.
 
A fractured jaw, sustained three days earlier at Badshot Lea, meant that Gavin Bolger was absent. But in his place came Lee O'Leary who had just completed of a suspension imposed last term. The change in the line up was hardly noticed as Chertsey powered on to another emphatic victory as the only side to maintain a 100% record in the league after just two games played.
 
It will be hard to keep up such prominence week in week in and in the earlier stages a couple of lax over ambitious cross field passes went astray deep in their own half and could have put the home side behind. But tight defending, with the ability to quickly shore up gaps, saved any initial embarrassment. This firm base at the back, and midfield that was to earn Luke Muldowney the man of the match award, gave a boost for a comprehensive attack.
 
First signs that Chertsey meant to resume where they left off the previous Saturday came within five minutes of the start when Leon Johnson volleyed a cross from the right into the ground but the ball then bounced well over the bar with only the goalkeeper on station. A real goal came on 14 minutes with a Chertsey corner being cleared but only back to John Hamsher. He returned the ball into the critical area where Johnson strained to head the ball over the out of position Shaun Murphy.
 
Murphy's positioning was spotlighted ten minutes later when Chertsey's second goal, another looping header that cleared over the top of the goalkeeper, put the host side firmly in the driving seat. This time the scorer was John Pomroy who was lurking on the far post to receive a left wing Johnson cross.
 
The game was effectively over in the 29th minute with Pomroy again the provider for his second double in two outings. The goal looked like it was going to be Paul Brooker's as clever ball juggling skills, deep in the Raynes Park penalty area, set up space but the final attempted placement did not go to plan and instead, the ball skidded across the goalmouth, but Pomroy was poaching in the vicinity and slid it in to bag his brace.
 
Brooker, with a knock, was replaced at half time with Anthony Vine in midfield; the seam could hardly be seen as the second half immediately opened with the visitor's defence ripped open, but with the goal at his mercy, Hamsher blasted wide, thus technically keeping Chertsey still within distance. However, it already looked that it would be a task of Olympian proportions to retrieve the situation for Raynes Park.
 
Mount Olympus grew another thousand feet eleven minutes into the half when goal number four was added. A Raynes Park midfield lapse on the halfway line put the ball at Johnson's feet. He quickly rifled it past a spread out defence for Darren Dobinson to take control. He advanced just as decisively and stroked the ball home low from 15 yards.
 
Meanwhile Wayne Noad came on for Steve Gibson who was nursing a sore shoulder, a legacy injury from the past. Such is the depth of power on the bench at present that even niggling injuries need not be aggravated with prolonged time on the park. Even so, after only two matches, new physio Jessal Patel has two significant injuries to address plus the monitoring of the aftermath of Gavin Bolger's jaw operation.
 
In almost any match, even a side that is up against it, will get a chance or two and Vale, who to their credit, continued to play with purpose and effect might have snatched one back on the hour but a header, following good approach work, by Chaz Wilson, was finger tipped aside by Dave Tidy at the foot of his right hand post. Tidy obviously had the quieter game of the two 'keepers but looked sure when called into action and was especially effective with his booted clearances under pressure. The midfield and defence were also dominant with no weak links yet apparent to give concern.
 
Musa Ladan came on in the 66th minute for Hamsher and caused a buzz every time he won possession. His speed, ball control and unconventional play can have match winning potential but even his playing colleagues might equally struggle to work out what is going happen next when he is in possession.
 
With a three goal lead established at the half way point, it might have seemed that a six goal margin might again be established but Raynes Park kept to it but were unable to stop one more score when on 76 minutes, Darren Dobinson, set after after another quick fire session of one touch football, cut in from the right to beat Murphy with raw power for goal number five.
 
Much of the disappointingly small band of supporters thought that a sixth goal had been scored late on when an audacious Pomroy 40 yard lob at goal off a short free kick had the keeper scrambling back to his line as the ball was skied goalwards. It the excitement, not all noticed that the ball was actually retried from the foot of the spectator barrier, after rolling down the roof of the netting, instead of the hoped for inside of the net.
 
It all added to another satisfying spectacle that hopefully, once the town's population begin to realise what is on offer, will return to Alwyns Lane in their traditional numbers.