Click HERE to view Guildford City FC web site.

Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

Despite the very good playing conditions, there was not a great deal of flowing football. Both sides pressed hard, too hard for much of the times, to open up a tight game so in the end, endeavour and an ever strengthening desire to win forced Chertsey Town through to take the three point Combined Counties League prize that was dangled tantalizingly in front of them throughout the game.

Guildford had their moments but Town would have been kicking themselves had they not won after having hit the woodwork full on twice, and missed a goal scoring opportunity at point blank range towards the end, having taken the narrow lead just after the hour.

With the return of Steve Gibson to the line up, it was Steve Tyson who moved aside from Saturday’s starters, as did John Pomroy who made way for Kwabena Agyei. With much of the action confined to the midfield, the forward line was not prominent and much of the flack from Chertsey came from long range.

Guildford City won the battle of the corner kicks, accruing four times as many as Chertsey but it gave them no advantage. Jack Francis and Jon Boswell, central at the back, mopped up anything that came to them in the air. They, with Liam Stone in goal, made sure that any threat would have to be at ground level. Only one chance came in the first half to the home side when the ball flashed across the Chertsey goalmouth but with no one getting a touch.

Although the ball seemed to be attached to a piece of string, tethered on the centre spot, it was Chertsey who first looked the busier going forward but chances were still few and far between, the best of the first half coming from a 25 yard Andy Crossley shot that hit the bar with Anthony Hall in goal well beaten. The home side showed up more later in the half but looked unlikely to break through.

The fare provided in the second half was much the same as the first. Chertsey had a first half goal disallowed, presumably for pushing, and another in the second half against John Pomroy for off side after a strike from Gavin Bamford hit the far post and rebounded to the poacher, now off the bench, replacing Agyei.

That was a moment of respite for although Town had taken a 61st minute lead, they were being pressed back deep into their own territory. With Agyei pulled back to Town’s own penalty area zone, there was next to no target to aim at when clearing their lines and the ball just kept being returned to dangerous territory for Chertsey. Pomroy’s introduction seemed to do the trick for his reputation alone. Plus being stationed further up field, meant that Guildford City had to be more conservative with their attacking and the drift of the game became less intense at the Chertsey rear.

The Chertsey lead was established in reflected in the untidy tones of the game in general. A corner from the left resulted in the ball being pinged about the goalmouth with neither side getting a grip until Dominic Worthington pounced and smacked it home from five yards; scruffy but effective.

Town might have wrapped it up but for the point blank parry by Hall when Agyei had the goal at his mercy and later, a clever hooked effort from Pomroy drifted narrowly wide. The effect was again to put the Chertsey following through an anxious last ten and although Guildford, with the exception of a firm header from Ben Rayner that had to be smartly dealt with by Stone, failed to penetrate to great effect, the worry was ever present that points would be needlessly dropped.

The win continues to put pressure on to Chertsey’s rivals as another odd goal victory is recorded. The disputed Colliers Wood United aborted match aside, Chertsey have not recorded a two goal or more win in their last dozen league outings. Manager Spencer Day will surely be looking for less strain on his heart before too long but it does not look like he will get it as the season enters its critical stage.