BADSHOT LEA 2, CHERTSEY TOWN 1

AN unrecognisable Badshot Lea side which showed an astonishing 10 changes from the last game came from behind to beat Chertsey Town in the Premier Division of the Combined Counties League on Saturday.

Despite the new faces appearing within 48 hours of the game, and as a result naturally not being a cohesive unit yet, Lea did enough to secure the three points and leapfrog their visitors in the table.

Lea, under new management, were forced to defend in the early stages by a dogged Chertsey side, but did so in good style to deny them a sniff of a chance inside the penalty, but they were always vulnerable to attcks down their left.

And the hosts were grateful to see a penalty claim waved away by the referee after the ball appeared to hit an arm in the area.

Despite the apparent threat posed by Chertsey, it took the visitors half an hour to put any real pressure on the Lea goal, but they did eventually take the lead late in the first half, Joe Jones stabbing the ball over the line from two yards following indecision at the back.

But Lea hit back against the run of play with virtually the last kick of the half to deflate Chertsey.

A high ball into the Chertsey box was properly dealt with and Lucas Burt took full advantage of a knock down to equalise from close range.

Buoyed by the goal, Lea almost snatched an unlikely second goal in first-half stoppage time but Ryan Stephens blasted the ball over the crossbar when well placed.

Early in the second half Lea forced Chertsey goalkeeper George Armstrong into two smart saves as the scores remained level.

Armstrong was called into action again moments later as Lea’s confidence clearly grew but he could do nothing about what proved to be the home side’s winner on 57 minutes as Mason Saunders’ floated ball across goal from a short corner nestled into the back of the net.

Chertsey fought back looking for an equaliser with Steve Newman blazing over the bar when he should perhaps have done better, and they were left to rue missing late efforts as Anthony Glover’s shot was cleared off the line and Merali’s shot on goal lacked power as Lea hung on for a welcome three points.

On Saturday, Badshot Lea take a break from league action when they travel to Fairford Town in the second qualifying round of the FA?Vase (kick-off 3pm).