Match Report | City concede late to battling Chertsey

A valentines day trip to Chertsey Town FC ends in a draw after City concede a late penalty sending us home with a point on the day.

The game started very quickly with both sides going back and forth, attack vs defence. Chertsey had a golden opportunity when Bradley Wilson was sent through on goal, but Jamal Mohammed was there to get a vital touch on the ball, sending it over his own crossbar.

City began to control proceedings at the top end of the pitch and eventually the Chertsey defence cracked.

Elis Watts beat two players magnificently, leaving him plenty of green space to drive into, he found Kane Simpson who worked it over to the opposite side in Rylie Siddall, the winger then slid the ball into Morgan Lewis, who put the ball on a plate for Joe Hanks to tuck home the opener, just after the 20-minute mark.

City continued to put pedal to the metal all the way up until the half-time whistle but after countless chances and some greats saves from the hosts goalkeeper, the half ended with just the one-goal advantage in our favour.

Chertsey came out of the blocks fast in the second-half and it didn't take long until the equaliser came. Conor Lee was unleashed up the right flank by his full-back, Lee cut inside and unleashed a curling effort, that had Jared Thompson beat, to level things up.

After soaking up a lot of the Curfews' momentum, the Tigers decided it was time to shape an attack of their own.

Sion Spence found a pocket of space on the edge of the box, the number 10 proceeded to cut onto his favoured right foot and curled one towards the back post, leading to the defender heading it off the line, in-which the ball fell to Hanks to tuck away his second of the game and his twelth goal in the league this season.

After substitutions for both sides, the hosts huffed and puffed and after a scuffle, they found themselves at an advantage in the dying minutes. The referee consulted his linesman regarding the incident and they came to the decision to send Sion Spence off, leaving City with 10-men.

Almost instantaneously after the incident, a Chertsey player unleashed a shot which hit a City player at point-blank range, in which the official blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. Nathan Minhas stepped up in the 90th minute, tucking the penalty away, with Thompson diving the other way.

Added-time played out with both sides having chances, however the fifth goal was never found.

City are next playing at home to Wimborne Town on Saturday 21st February, tickets on sale here.