FARNHAM TOWN 2, CHERTSEY TOWN 2 (Combined Counties Premier League)

FARNHAM scored two excellent goals to get themselves in the driving seat against lowly Chertsey, but the visitors snatched a share of the points with an 89th-minute equaliser at the Memorial Ground on Saturday.

And Farnham were not happy about that late goal, feeling that a head-high challenge on Tom Smith as he went to head clear should have been penalised.

Instead, substitute Connor Young was able to push himself clear and shoot across Richard Ossai for the equaliser.

The home team had started well and dominated possession early on, only to fall behind on 22 minutes.

Chertsey broke away to good effect and Connor Cullen hit a square pass across the area for the onrushing Joe Jones to strike first-time into the net from 15 yards.

Chertsey had a bright spell leading up to the interval and only Ossai kept Farnham in the game when Doug Ford conceded a penalty for a foul on Shelton Gooden. Andy Crossley was going for his third successful spot kick inside four days, but the reliable Ossai palmed away the hard-hit shot.

After this reprieve, Farnham responded well in the second half. Now moving the ball much quicker, they equalised on 50 minutes. Sam Slater started the move and after some precision passing between John Lancashire, Steve Ramsden and Jack Dillon, it was Slater who finished it with a neat six-yard finish.

Midway through the half, Farnham took the lead with another top-quality goal resulting from a slick build-up. Ramsden picked out Slater, making a good run into the box, and he in turn set up Lancashire who scored from close range.

Some 25 minutes still remained and Farnham had some clear-cut chances to kill the game off. Chico Ramos made two vital saves in the Chertsey goal, most notably to deny an unmarked Elliott Cardona just a few yards out.

These misses came back to haunt Farnham when Chertsey landed their late sucker-puch.

Farnham manager Paul Tanner later asked the referee and linesmen to give their reasons for not disallowing the goal for dangerous play. “I didn’t understand their reasons and I’m still baffled, but I politely closed the door and walked away,” he said.

“At half-time I told the boys to be patient and more controlled in what they were doing, but to speed up our play by two or three gears. There was a positive reaction and we did create chances.”