Chertsey Town came out on top in a seven-goal thriller against Chessington & Hook United.

The contest was very open, too open perhaps for the purists, and although seven goals were notched, it seemed that the scoring could have gone on for ever.

Both Chertsey’s regular full backs were injured. Steve Gibson never made the start and Ollie Treacher only lasted ten minutes with a reoccurring pulled hamstring, all of which may have contributed to nervousness at the back.

Goalkeeper Liam Stone was also struggling physically but played through the whole 90 minutes but it was his radar system that let him down in the first half, although he recovered well in the second.

Two Chessington shots were lobbed over him as he got stuck in no mans land and put them in a strong position early on, but serious repair work was put in progress by the time the interval break arrived.

The home side adapted quicker to the conditions with accurate and decisive passing on a sun baked bone hard and lively pitch.

The ball was therefore buzzing around the approaches to the Chertsey penalty area a sight too often for the travelling fans.

Chertsey seemed to have no answer at first other than to attempt long ball clearances which were ineffective.

Chessington kept pressing and won a free kick 25 yards out in a central position in the ninth minute. Malick Buari thumped the kick against the Chertsey upright and Scott Todd was far quicker than any Chertsey defender and pounced on the rebound to put his side into the lead.

United could have increased their lead as they continued to control but Buari missed the target in front of goal. But he was not to be denied, even if it took until the 20th minute for the Chertsey net to bulge once more.

The ball was pumped forward from the back, and with hardly a challenge, Buari clipped the ball over an advancing Stone.

The Chertsey fight back began on the half hour when Tom O’Regan fed the ball out to the left for Steve Tyson to arrow it back across the goalmouth and for Dean Papali to steal in on the far post and side footed it home, hopeful for a full recovery.

The idea looked good only two minutes later when Pomroy held the ball for O’Regan to burst through but his shot hit the side netting.

Chertsey’s new found vigour was severely stunted on 38 minutes when another punt through the middle of the park exposed their rear once again and another lob, again by Buari, found its mark with Stone out of his comfort zone and next to no support around. But not all was lost as Town replied just four minutes later.

A short throw in on the left side half way line led to Marcus Moody delivering a deep cross that was met, under pressure, by Steve Goddard, but he still had the edge on his marker and headed the ball in to keep Chertsey in contention just when the game looked likely to go away from them again.

But the nightmare might have returned soon after but it took a crucial Stone save from Darren Smith to keep the gap just to one by the break, but not before they somehow survived again when the ball was smashed on to the underside of their cross bar but then hoofed away for a corner.

A 20 yard Pomroy volley that was fired wide soon after the second half commenced and a 12 yard Goddard shot clipped off a defenders boot to go narrowly wide signalled a more determined Chertsey attack. Chessington were not finished though and Buari blasted in a shot that Stone did very well to parry as the game continued to be open.

Jon Boswell had a stab at goal close in but the ball was kicked off the Chessington line but then Town made their breakthrough in the 70th minute.

A diagonal cross saw Papali and Dan Fisher in goal challenge for the ball. It skewed out straight to Pomroy who, from 25 yards, hit it first time and directed into the net to put Town back on terms.

It took just the two minutes for a complete turnaround when the ball was curled into the box by Goddard for O’Regan to shield it, then tap a little lay off for Pomroy to rifle home from ten yards.

There was still 18 minutes of play remaining, and being so open, the game was still there for the taking by either side.

United were more frantic in their late attacks than Town’s more measured play and in the end it was the control of Chertsey that won the day.

The home side had a strong penalty kick appeal turned down and at the other end, substitute Andy Crossley lost control of the ball with only Fisher to block a more comfortable final couple of minutes, but all in all the Chertsey players can be pleased to have come back to keep in the championship chase after such a rocky start to the afternoon.