CHERTSEY TOWN 3, BADSHOT LEA 4

BADSHOT Lea came from two goals down on Saturday to beat Chertsey and record a second successive victory in the Combined Counties Premier League.

Referee Oliver Davies emerged the dominant figure after awarding three penalties, sending off Badshot Lea defender Stuart Urquhart and showing several yellow cards.

But Lea manager Ben Dillon didn’t argue with the decisions. “I thought all three were penalties and, to be honest, I think the referee missed another one for Chertsey in the first half. It was certainly an eventful game – and not too good for my heart.”

All the players struggled to stay upright on a sticky, heavy pitch, but Chertsey started very brightly and were good value for their two-goal lead in less than 30 minutes.

Baggies keeper Pat Kinsella had already acrobatically tipped over an Andy Crossley free-kick, when Chertsey took the lead, Joe Jones poking the ball home in a goalmouth scramble after Kinsella had dropped a corner.

The visitors almost equalised from a free-kick, Adam Nditi bringing a smart save from George Armstrong, but Lea found themselves two down on 27 minutes. Jamie Ross made a fine run and although his shot was blocked by Kinsella, Crossley was there to sweep the ball home from just outside the area.

Three minutes later, Armstrong was booked for a challenge on Nditi after racing out of his area. Nditi took the resulting corner and Cameron Blackie scored with a powerful header to put Lea back in the game.

John Pomroy hit the post at the other end and Marcus Mealing missed a decent chance, but the Baggies kept the deficit to one goal at the interval and then turned the game on its head by scoring twice in two second-half minutes.

First, Gavin Muir was shoved in the back as he ran through and Ryan Stephens converted the penalty confidently. Two minutes later, Lea were ahead for the first time as Kieran Maylen played the ball over the top and midfielder Muir nipped behind a static defence to finish clinically.

Chertsey were thrown a lifeline when Urquhart, already booked for a pull, was dismissed after kicking the ball away.

Kinsella defied the home side with important saves from Ben Geraghty and Mealing, but Chertsey drew level on 72 minutes.

Skipper James Pilgrim caught Jason Docherty with a trailing leg, the referee pointed to the spot and Mealing fired home to make it 3-3.

To their credit, Badshot Lea’s ten men kept attacking and Chertsey conceded yet another penalty for a tackle from behind on Stephens as he challenged for Darren Blake’s cross. Dillon called for a change of penalty-taker and Adam New took his turn to send Armstrong the wrong way.

Both sides could have scored again in a frenetic finish to a strange game. Armstrong denied substitute Paul Coventry in a one-on-one and, in added time, Chertsey substitute Joel Thompson directed a free header straight at Kinsella.

Chertsey: Armstrong, Newman, Geraghty, Nsuguba, Batten, Wadmore, Ross (Blake), Jones, Pomroy (Thompson), Mealing, Crossley (Docherty).

Badshot Lea: Kinsella, Pound (Coventry), New, Maylen, Urquhart, Pilgrim (Ford), Stephens, Blackie, Nditi, Muir, Blake.