Local derby was no cracker

Apr 14 2009 By Chris Gay

Combined Counties League Egham Town 0 Chertsey Town 1

It has been a time long since the meeting of these two sides has produced a cracker of a game and this was no exception.

To be fair, both teams were wracked with injuries with Chertsey fielding five unfit players who should not have really started the game.

But started they did, and got off to a rocky start with Egham’s Charlie Muldowney bveing presented with three glorious opportunities to put his side ahead but each time, goalkeeper Michael Lidbury saved the day for the visitors, all with one on one situations.

The first two came in the opening six minutes and the third midway through the first half. Little else occurred in front of goal before the interval break so it could be said to have been Lidbury 3 Muldowney 0 at that stage.

Play was scrappy with both defences dominating, especially in the air, with respective centre backs Jack McKinlay and Stuart Bamford looking impervious.

One of the Chertsey crocked, Aaron McLeish was replaced by Gareth Graham at the break which gave the midfield more bite and Chertsey looked the more lively but still without a real cutting edge. Play then tended to be confined to the centre of the park and was still ineffective. Something needed to happen to change the course of the increasingly moribund exchange.

That something came midway through the second half, but for the wrong reasons. A ball swung into the Chertsey penalty area was cleared but left McKinley and Lidbury in one heap on the deck. Their frantic efforts to untangle themselves before the ball might be returned was seen as an act of aggression.

No amount of persuasion mounted towards the beleaguered referee would change his perception of the moment and both were shown a red card.

Darren Dobinson was also a loser as he was immediately replaced by 16 year old goalkeeper Harry Bettinson from the youth side for his, ‘in at the deep end’ first team debut. He maintained his superb Under 18 side form and performed well enough for the remainder of the game to keep a clean sheet but was well protected at the back with Chertsey’s earlier defensive lapses but a distant memory.

With just that extra bit of room on the park, Chertsey exploited the flanks with enhanced enthusiasm and began to look more dangerous. A dubious challenge on Steve Gibson might have set up a Chertsey penalty kick but was waived away. John Pomroy was getting little joy in attack and usually needs only one opening to add to his considerable goal tally. It almost came on 75 minutes with an angled strike that was deflected onto the Egham cross bar by Tom Martin and off for only a corner kick.

Chertsey pushed on and were rewarded with eight minutes remaining when the absence of McKinlay was doubly felt. Paul Brooker despatched an inch perfect cross from the right which was squarely met by Marcus Moody who, from a central position, headed powerfully into the home side’s net from ten yards for a slender lead.

Egham tried to counter attack and briefly thought they might be award their own penalty kick but a desperate tackle four minutes from time, close to the Chertsey goal, was seen as fair and the danger was averted to send all three points back the four miles back to Alwyns Lane and lift Chertsey Town up to second place in the Premier Division table for the first time since last September.

FIXTURES:::::

Saturday 18^th April Chertsey Town v Sandhurst Town (Combined Counties League)

Tuesday 21^st April Chertsey Town v Horley Town (Combined Counties League)