Isthmian South Central Division – 19th February 2022
Chertsey Town 0 v 0 Basingstoke Town Attendance 382
Where: Alwyns Lane, Chertsey, KT16 9DW
Under strength Stoke, battle for a point in goal-less draw at Chertsey.
With Connor Lynch & Stefan Brown absent through injury, today’s important line-up was; 1. Paul Strudley, 2.Daniel Williamson, 3. Daryl Wollers, 4. Robert Sheridan, 5. Nathan Smart, 6. Anton Rodgers, 7. Simon Dunn (Capt), 8. Ben Cook. 9. Bradley Wilson, 10. D’Andre Brown, 11. Brody Peart,
On the bench: McKoy Palmer, Marcio Neves, Jack French, Lloyd Snell & James Haworth
Referee –
With the many Stoke fans making their way to the ground via car and train and with the pitch only just passing a match inspection, it was Basingstoke who attacked the car park end and very little action, as both sets of players got use to a wet and sticky pitch.
On 7 and 8 minutes the Curfews attacked, but one was a comfortable save by Strudley, the other was a shot pulled wide of the far post.
On nine minutes the ball is pushed through to Bradley Wilson, who stops and waits for support then as he cuts inside the box on the right, slides a pass to Ben Cook who drags his shot 3 yards wide from the far left-hand post.
On 18 minutes Paul Strudley makes two crucial saves in the space of five seconds as they break down the right, and as they break inside a quick shot is pushed away by Struds, but to another home striker whose hits a low shot that Struds pushes it out for a corner. Sheridan heads clear from the corner.
It is still Chertsey who push forward over the next few minutes, but more good defensive tackles by Dan Williamson and then Rob Sheridan keep them at bay, but each time we clear the ball, it is coming back as we can’t win the ball upfield.
On 26 minutes a poor pass by Anton Rodgers, allows Chertsey to break, and a shot just inside the right side of the penalty area takes a deflection of a Stoke defender and flies out for a corner, Stoke clear the corner.
On the half-hour Daryl Wollers, pulls back his attacker, and he goes in the referee’s book.
Four minutes later Anton Rodgers goes in the book. Chertsey are still the team looking to score and they win yet another corner. It is Wollers who heads clear this time,
On 36 minutes Chertsey win a free-kick about 25yds out, The kick beats the wall, but Strudley makes the save again.
The next few minutes see us try and push forward, but again poor passing does not help our cause.
The referee plays no injury-time and blows the halftime whistle, and we go into the break goal-less.
Halftime – Chertsey Town 0 v 0 Basingstoke Town
No changes at halftime and the game gets back underway and it’s more of the same as Chertsey come at us a again.
On 51 minutes we make our first change as Daryl Wollers is replaced by James Haworth.
On 54 minutes we attack through Brody Peart, who wins a throw-in near the corner flag. Again we make a hash of it and Chertsey clear deep into our half, where Nathan Smart makes a sliding tackle from their attack.
We then have young Stoke in Peart, taking the old Stoke guard in Jay Gasson, and it is Peart who wins the initial challenge, before Chertsey regain the ball.
Chertsey win more corners, but again good defensive play has us clearing the ball each time.
On the hour we break again, and the ball is slid to Wilson about 30 yds out, as he takes two touches he clips a shot that the keeper is able to get too.
We make our second change with new signing Marcio Neves replacing Ben Cook.
On 64 minutes we get our third yellow card, when James Haworth goes in the book.
We then get told by Stefan Brown as he walks past us, that he has a slight groin injury, but wanted to play, but the management told him to rest.
The match continues to drift, and we are looking more solid at the back, as tackles by Smart, Sheridan & Williamson rebuff the home-sides attacks.
On 78 minutes we make our third and final change, as Lloyd Snell replaces Dan Williamson, who seems to have picked up a knock.
On 79 minutes we are let off, as a poor pass, and two missed tackles by us, allows the Curfews to set-up an attack, but the shot is dragged wide of the far post.
Then another neat move between Simon Dunn and Peart, sees our youngster receive a nasty tackle by their No. 5 who goes in the book. The free kick is weak and Chertsey beak.
Again more dogged tackling by our defence is holding them at bay, as we move into the final two minutes of normal time.
Then on the stroke of 90 minutes we attack down the right through Wilson, who takes two touches then floats a cross over to the far post where Peart hits a left-foot volley from eight yards away, that the keeper dives to his left and palms the ball away, and Chertsey clear.
With the Stoke fans calling for the final whistle the referee allows 5 ½ mins of injury-time, before the final whistle is blown.
Final Score: Chertsey Town 0 v 0 Basingstoke Town
Match Thought’s
It may have been a back-to-the-walls defensive play, but again another hard-working performance where we created very few chances.
Before the game, many fans would have settled for a point, and Dan, the players and the numerous fans who made the trip left South-West London with a point that keeps us in playoff contention.
Up Next:
We host the league leaders at Winklebury next Saturday, as we look to prove a point against money-bags Bracknell Town.
English 
Polish 