On a fine day on an excellent pitch, Parkway began well looking comfortable and in the third minute, Mitch Beardmore dispossessed the home left back and put in a telling cross which was well defended. On 8 minutes, a long diagonal ball from Shane White was well controlled by Dylan Jones who then played in Jack Endacott who shot over and wide. Within a minute, Chertsey mustered their first attack with forward Jack Mazzone working his way inside the box, but Harry Lee was alert in the Parkway goal and his challenge saved the situation.

On 10 minutes, there was a big penalty shout when Beardmore was seemingly brought down in the box but only a corner was given which came to nothing. On 12 minutes Beardmore again was causing problems and as he rounded the keeper, he was clipped and may have gained a penalty had he went down but he tried to stay on his feet and the ball just outran him. A cross from Callum Hall followed shortly after with Dylan Jones shooting over the bar.

On 15 minutes, good interplay between Rio Garside, Monk and Beardmore saw the latter’s shot from 15 yards deflected past the post for a corner. On 17 minutes an Endacott break down the left drew the home keeper Jack Smith out of position and the cross to Beardmore at the near post was just intercepted by a last-ditch challenge when it looked a certain goal.

On 19 minutes, White slotted in Dylan Jones who shot from a central position from 20 yards forcing Smith to dive to his right to turn the ball round the post for a corner. It had been all one-way traffic up to now with Parkway having nothing to show for it but they then almost got hit with a sucker punch when Chertsey broke away on 24 minutes and Luke Robertson volleyed into the net from 10 yards but fortunately for Parkway was flagged offside.

Normal business resumed with a long jinking run from Tom Dean into the box on 26 minutes, but he couldn’t quite find the shot with the ball getting stuck under his feet.

Chertsey came close on 28 when Rio Garside lost the ball and good interplay from Conor Lee and Jack Mazzone led to White intercepting, but keeper Lee needed quick reactions to stop the own goal deflecting it for a corner. On 31 minutes Endacott picked up a yellow. It was a dubious foul, but the card may have been for dissent.

Parkway continued in the ascendency and on 33 minutes they were rewarded for their endeavours when a brilliant run from Beardmore beating several defenders saw him heavily brought down in the box and the referee having no doubt in awarding the penalty. Shane White continued his spot-kick reliability on 35 minutes tucking the ball away low down inside the right-hand post to put Parkway ahead at last.

On 38 minutes Endacott was brought down just outside the home box by Conor Lee who had ran back the length of the pitch with only one boot on!  The resultant free kick from 22 yards just outside the corner of the box was scored directly by Tom Dean for his first goal for the club tucking it just inside the near post. It looked a carbon copy of Worthing’s second goal against Parkway last week. The 2-0 scoreline was now getting somewhere near what Parkway had deserved.

On 40 minutes, yet another mazy run from Beardmore ended with a fine drive just over the bar. A rare dangerous attack from Chertsey on 41 saw a back heel flick over Harry lee look to cause problems but the offside flag rescued Parkway. Immediately after Mazzone was almost in again but Lee just managed to intercept.

On 45 minutes a raid down the left by Jones should have seen Beardmore played in for what would have been a certain 3-0 but he was just unable to find him. In the three added minutes, Chertsey had a speculative attempt on goal with Lee blazing a free kick well over from 30 yards.

A totally dominant Parkway first-half performance and Chertsey must have wondered how they were just two behind. Beardmore in particular had been unplayable but the whole team were on their game.