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Combined Counties League - Premier Division Match

MATCH REPORT

Chertsey Town quickly recovered from their FA Cup defeat with more domestic success at Raynes Park Vale in collecting three comfortable Combined Counties League points. The win was hardly in question once the first goal went in after 27 minutes. Hosts Raynes Park Vale had failed to make any impression up to that point whilst Chertsey created almost all the pressure.

Ollie Treacher dropped back to the bench giving the first new face in the side since the start of the season a start in Matt Francis in midfield. He made a solid start but was not fully match fit and eventually gave way to Treacher in the second half. Andre DeLisser was completely missing due to an injured knee.

Chertsey began as they meant to continue and pressed their hosts back, winning corner kicks at regular intervals. Steve Goddard had a field day on the right flank, giving Mayulu Katutondua at full back a torrid time. Stuart Bamford’s long throws into the penalty area also created problems. Town almost took the lead from one of these throws setting a close range stab at goal by John Pomroy.

A defensive formation by Raynes Park, in playing just two front men, made progress difficult for Chertsey, even though they were comfortable at the back. Andy Crossley tried, but only just failed, to curl a shot in from 20 yards but a lead was established in quick time, on 27 minutes, when a move that began in Steve Gibson’s right back quarter was progressed along the touch line where Goddard worked hard to keep the ball alive.

He not only managed to keep play active but in doing so delivered a deep cross straight to the head of Kevin Lock who met the ball between two defenders and cleanly sent it flashing into the net, giving Paul Brady in goal no chance. The only remote suggestion of a reply in the first half came from Arthur Stala with a shot that was sliced well wide.

Raynes Park Vale displayed more application after the interval and in augmenting their front line gave themselves more options. This opened the door a little wider at the back for Chertsey but that had nothing to do with goal number two which arrived on 51 minutes from a corner kick on the right. Matt Francis took the kick. The ball fell in a congested area near the goal but there was just enough of a gap for Goddard to poach a goal where defensive cover looked sufficient.

The second goal did not daunt Park who still looked to press on. They thought they had reduced the arrears when Stala converted a left wing corner kick but the referee’s whistle was blown at the same instant after Stone had been impeded. It was not to be Raynes Park Vale’s day, a feeling underlined on 73 minutes when a very long Stone clearance took just one bounce on the down gradient.

Pomroy ran to meet the ball after running round the back marker and before the ball hit the ground for the second time, hooked it, at 15 yards distance, into the far side of the net to stifle any thoughts the home side had of creating a late upset. The three goal cushion allowed for three substitutions to be made almost immediately.

Town’s designs in attack then flattened out and with Vale not really having the fire power to capitalise on their greater possession, it seemed inevitable that the score line would remain static for the remainder of the Bank Holiday morning fixture allowing Town’s travelling support an early departure safe in the knowledge that their side looks as good a championship bet as any other, even at this premature stage of the campaign.

Team: Chertsey: Stone, Gibson, Holley, Francis M, Bamford S, Francis J, Goddard, Bamford G, Pomroy, Lock, Crossley. Subs Grave (used), Treacher (used), Griffiths, Bamford B (used), Webb.