Chertsey Town’s only goal win over third-placed Sandhurst Town shot them back to the top of the table.

Town ended the game with nine men but had another vital three points after a tight contest.

Sandhurst took the first half honours with Chertsey looking lack lustre. The home side, despite winning territory, possession and a succession of corners, only managed two shots at goal.

The first, early on, was a weak header comfortably collected by the returning Craig Bradshaw in goal, and the second, ironically created on a break away after the steam had looked to gone out of Sandhurst’s initiative as the break loomed, required greater expertise with a stinging shot from Vinnie Bond.

Chertsey rarely ventured deep into enemy territory but had two first half goal attempts. The first came from Phil Page, who side footed the ball wide on the half volley off a diagonal cross.

The second, from Dean Papali with a 35 yard lob at goal after seeing Damian Tilson well off his line.

The ball looked good as seen from the flank but expectations were dashed for the vociferous Chertsey support when it drifted just a yard wide.

The deficit of one man on the park Chertsey had to counter after the interval hardly seemed to feature as a shot of adrenalin coursed through the whole team, giving the impression that it was Sandhurst who were a man short.

Town took the initiative at this stage and, following a high ball delivered into the goalmouth, were awarded a penalty kick when Papali was given a tug, unnoticed by most but not the referee. Papali himself took the kick and thrashed the ball into the net to create the lead on 65 minutes.

Chertsey more than held their own, and in fact looked the more likely to score of the two sides in the following 20 minutes.

Rouco robbed the ball off a Sandhurst possession in the midfield but his eventual shot at goal was weak. Papali came closer with a chipped shot that Tilson tipped onto the top of his cross bar for a corner kick.

It was not until the final few minutes that Sandhurst began to earnestly press their manpower advantage but although the ball was delivered into the Chertsey box with increasing frequency, tight defending stopped any direct shot at goal.

It was a tense finale with football reasserting itself until the referee showed a second yellow for Rouco.

The act had no effect on the game however, as the final whistle came within seconds of Chertsey being culled down to the nine.