Chessington & Hook United 0 vs 1 Chertsey Town

Our visitors still in with a shout of becoming league champions, and ourselves in need of a pick me up because of our home loss to Bookham on Saturday, was always going to be a recipe for a close fought contest.

It proved to be a scrappy game with Chertsey enjoying a greater share of possession but with little to show, and ourselves dealing with their threat without too many concerns. Having said that Mark Daniels was the busier keeper making two good saves to deny the visitors in the first half. At the other end we created very little with our final ball needing to be a bit better to cause real problems, although on the two occasions we did get it right we lacked the necessary pace to get a clear strike on goal.

Just before the break the visitors thought they had scored, but a correctly awarded offside muted their celebrations. Perhaps with that escape giving us a lift we very nearly profited almost immediately. A short corner from new signing Luke Fontana played to Aaron Cole – Bolt, saw his early cross to the back post somehow headed wide by Zak Graham when it was easier to score as the Chertsey defence went asleep.
At the break this was very much game on, and it seemed even at this stage as if one goal would decide it.

With Mark Daniels replaced due to injury by Michael Sharpe Chertsey pushed to apply some early pressure, but Michael, as ever was a more than able deputy.

Ten minutes in though and we were behind, when former player Phil Page out muscled Charlie West and crossed to the back post for O`Regan to volley home. The visitors buoyed by taking the lead tried to push home their advantage but were unable to break down our hardworking defence, although there were one or two occasions where we were caught on our heels.

Our own half chances mirrored those of the first period whereby our lack of legs in chasing down through balls saw the chance taken away from us with some ease, and to be fair we threatened very rarely.
As with so many games however with the game entering its final stages and the difference still just one goal, Chertsey were becoming nervy and we sensed that just one free kick or decision in our favour might see us score.

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be and although the performance was much improved we slipped to another defeat.