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Carlesberg FA Vase - First round qualifying

MATCH REPORT

Chertsey Town looked as if they were going to sweep all before them in their remarkable FA Vase tie at Sussex League side Oakwood from the Crawley area. In scoring three goals in the first five minutes, Chertsey should have enjoyed a further 85 minutes in the Sussex rain but instead, a frustrating and tetchy time was experienced with Oakwood coming back with three second half goals to even up the contest.
 
The game should then have gone into extra time but the referee called the exchange to a halt in the rapidly detiriating conditions after heavy rain fell in sustained squalls during both halves of a wildly fluctuating match. Both sides had their reasons to rue the final result and although Chertsey may have looked the better technically gifted, they were thwarted by the passion of the home side.
 
With wind, rain and the slope in their favour, Chertsey set up a dream start, even if the Oakwood manager may have despaired with his side's defending. The first goal came after just one minute when John Hamsher kicked a hit and hope pass towards the penalty area. The Oakwood defender got his head to the ball but it skidded off towards his own goal where Leon Johnson ran round to collect and lob Glen Fitzroy in goal.
 
A second goal came only three minutes later with Steve Gibson trying a 25 yard shot that flicked off John Pomroy on the way, to again beat Fitzroy. Barely 45 more seconds elapsed before the Oakwood net had been violated again. Marcus Moody on the left knocked the ball inside to Johnson. He swiftly directed the ball goalwards where Pomroy hooked the ball into the net.
 
A three goal lead should have meant game set and match but it was not to be. The dreadful conditions made the going difficult, especially for the home side who were facing the driving rain. Although they had a couple of excursions towards the Chertsey goal, they hardly looked likely to make any significant dent in the three goal cushion. Town did have one major set back when Paul Brooker was yellow carded twice in controversial circumstances and so was required to leave the park on the half hour.
 
The frequent use of cards by the referee left both sides bemused at times who were unable to grasp what the criteria was for the afternoon. Brooker's departure may have had a profound affect on the Chertsey performance but could hardly be totally blamed for conceding three post interval goals.
 
Oakwood began the second half in livelier form and caught out the Chertsey back line with a cross that was headed home by Jack McNab. Disappointing, it might have been, but the goal was not greeted with any great alarm, but the atmosphere changed in the 58th minute when number two went in.
 
The howling rain soaked wind resulted in a string unpredictable scenarios and to concede a corner kick in such conditions gave just a typical example. The ball was lofted from the left, right into the Chertsey goalmouth. Frantic action six or seven yards out ensured but the ball could no be cleared as a couple of dozen boots, and the fist of goalkeeper Kieran Jimmy flailed at the wayward ball and it was Scott Bidwell that got the decisive tap to put his side within striking distance.
 
Chertsey's best chance of making the game much safer came eight minutes later when Johnson made a strong run on the break. Although he created a good position in the Oakwood penalty area he passed the ball inside. A fleeting moment of hesitancy resulted in the home defence regaining their ground and Pomroy's placed shot was comfortably blocked off.
 
Oakwood's come back was completed on 84 minutes when prissy football in the middle of the park resulted in lost possession to Oakwood and their forward raced on goal where he was felled by Jimmy to set up an equalising penalty kick, successfully executed by Pat Massaro. Chertsey believed they should have also been awarded a penalty kick too in, what turned out to be, the final minute when Pomroy was held down by his shirt in the final attack of the game but the referee was not going to be swayed and the game ended in stalemate.

See Andy Ollerenshaw's very informative blog "Chasing theVase" depicting his adventures as he travels (starting and hopefully finishing with Chertsey at Wembeley Stadium) to each round to the FA Vase. Click on the link below.