Mertsham had a couple of good chances in that opening period. The first came on 7 minutes when Kwabana Agyei broke through on the left hand side. As the angle narrowed he elected to cut the ball back towards Kevin Lock, but fortunately Camberley were able to clear. There was an appeal for a penalty after Agyei felt his heels had been clipped but the referee was having none of it. A couple of minutes later Mark Simmons went close with a shot from the edge of the penalty area that went just wide of the left upright.

Sam Broadbent fires wide (left), John Finneston (centre), Ker's overhead clearance (right)

On 24 minutes Camberley had a chance of opening the scoring. It fell to Sam Broadbent who struck a shot from 25 yards out into the arms of Ian Chatfield in the Merstham goal.

Merstham hit back with chances for Michael Morgan and Kwabana Agyei again, this time forcing a good save from Clayton. As the half came to an end Camberley went close twice. The first was a glancing header from Joe Paris and that was followed by Camberley’s best chance of the half when Paul Dadson headed just wide of the target.

The second half started in a fiesty manor with both sides ‘getting stuck in’ but eventually the football won through. Merstham went close through Kevin Lock shot just wide of the post on 54 minutes. Camberley hit back almost immediately with Paul Dadson heading just six inches over the bar from Dan Ker’s free kick.

On the hour mark, Camberley went close again as Mitch While’s deep cross found Ben Cobbett 10 yards out but he was unable to keep his volley down. Within a minute, Camberley had an even better chance when a ball over the top of the Merstham defence saw Mitch While outpace his marker and beat the goalkeeper to the ball. Unfortunately Mitch’s touch was a little too heavy and the lob at goal went over the keeper and the crossbar. It was to be Mitch’s last action of the game as two minutes later, in the 64th minute, he was substituted with Alex Jeffers coming on.

You could say it was an inspired substitution as within seven minutes Jeffers had given Camberley the lead. A cross from the right wing was glanced away by Merstham defender Shane Franklin and fell between Jeffers and Cobbett. Jeffers took once glance at goal and sent the ball over the keeper and dipping just under the crossbarn from just outside the edge of the penalty area.

Jamie Hoppitt (Left), Camberley attack (centre), Jeffers effort hit the back of the net (right)

Over the months we have seen Camberley lose a well earned lead when an element of panic has set in. In recent matches though, Camberley have looked much more solid in the final few minutes. It was witnessed in the Ashford match last Wednesday and it was witnessed again in this match. Richard Grove and Mark Simmons both had chances to level the scores but Camberley held out quite comfortably for the win.