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Southern Combination Cup Tie

MATCH REPORT

Chertsey Town dropped out of this season’s competition at an early round despite taking an early lead and looking the best bet to score in the second half. In the end it was the industry of the visiting side that kept them in the game when, for a good half hour after the break it was one way traffic before Lammas broke out of the strangle hold and showed the home side how to be decisive.

Staines Lammas began well against a vastly changed line up that saw key players rested. There was no Paul Brooker, Luke Muldowney, Gavin or Stuart Bamford. Steve Gibson and Steve McNamara were on the bench and only played a part in the very late stages. Gareth Graham started his first game for months after breaking his arm and although did well, still tended to hold his shoulder awkwardly when taking the tackle.

With such wholesale changes at the back, it was little wonder that there was initial hesitancy and it was only weak finishing by the Lammas forwards that let Town off the hook. So instead of dipping behind early on, Chertsey actually found themselves ahead on four minutes when Aaron McLeish pounced on lose play in the visitor’s defence and fired home.

Town then looked more comfortable but Lammas struck back on 20 minutes when a firm strike hit the post but thundered back right into the path of Ashley Lodge who fired the ball home from ten yards. Lammas hung on with some desperate last ditch defending with the goal keeper making a couple of wonder saves and another effort being cleared off the line.

The game had less goal mouth action after the half time break but it was Chertsey who looked the more likely to break the deadlock. Passing became crisper but opportunities not so plentiful. With an unwelcome dose of extra time looming, Lammas hit Chertsey on the break with a long clearance to the right. The ball was crossed from the flank in quick time where it was met by Chris Bullen who fired it home to settle the tie six minutes from time.

The only consolation for Chertsey was that ejection avoids a likely fixture congestion with midweek spaces all but run out and that the game gave the opportunity for players who are trying to break in, or back, into regular contention a good run out.