League leaders Chertsey Town deliver fatal blow to Marlow’s title hopes

Chertsey Town 1, Marlow 0 Marlow’s hopes of catching Chertsey Town for the Isthmian League South Central title this season suffered a likely fatal blow last night (Tuesday) as the Blues were beaten 1-0 away by the league leaders.

The Blues played reasonably well at Alwyns Lane and had their moments, but Oliver McCoy’s 66th minute strike earned The Curfews a narrow victory. The result leaves Mark Bartley’s side 12 points adrift of Chertsey with seven matches to play and their rivals will now almost certainly go on to lift the title and take the league’s one automatic promotion spot.

It seems the Blues are now in a race to finish second in the table and claim a home tie in the play-off semi-finals.

Marlow may not relish the challenge of going for promotion through the play-offs after suffering a last-gasp semi-final defeat to Hanworth Villa at Oak Tree Road last season.

As it stands, Marlow sit second in the table on goal difference from Leatherhead who secured a narrow 1-0 win over Ashford Town (Mddx) last night (Tuesday). The fourth and fifth placed sides,

Southall, and Raynes Park Vale, both sit on 62 points, nine points behind Marlow and

Leatherhead, while sixthplaced Westfield – who are a further point adrift in sixth – are the only other team likely to play themselves into the mix for a play-off finish.

Blues keeper Aaron Watkins felt he played one of his best games for the Blues at Chertsey, but it wasn’t enough for the side to come away with a positive result. He made a penalty save to keep the visitors in contention, but the usually free-scoring side have now failed to score in each of their narrow 1-0 defeats to the table toppers.

Watkins posted: “Proud to have played one of my best games, especially with my penalty save. But ultimately, we didn’t win the game and that’s what we came for so hugely disappointed. Congratulations to Chertsey.”

Bartley added: “Not sure we deserved to lose, but we didn’t really do enough to say we deserved to win tonight, and that was our remit. Lots of huffing and puffing and maybe it was just two sides cancelling each other out that led to a scrappy game. Ultimately, it wasn’t our night.”