Chertsey Town displayed their worst performance of the season against a well drilled and confident Guildford City.

Afet surviving an initial flurry of activity in their own penalty area, Guildford became increasingly comfortable, particularly in the second half when Chertsey’s tactic of lumping the ball high to anyone who might or might not be in the vicinity to receive the ball played right into the home side’s comfort zone.

It was not a happy return for Liam Stone in goal, having re-signed for the club following Craig Bradshaw’s departure.

Neither goal could be put down to him but he must have wondered what has happened to Town’s form as it drained away on a rain lashed night that produced a very slick surface and ball; a goalkeeper’s nightmare.

The blank scoreline means that Chertsey have gone 228 minutes with scoring and not much less since delivering a creditable shot on target.

Guildford City, on the other hand kept Stone busy, for he had to make a good half dozen crucial saves throughout the game.

But there was a limit to what he could defend by his own hand.

The two goals notched by the home side came in each half and both of second phase movement off what is becoming for Chertsey, the deadly dead ball delivery.

Both were superseded with a sequence of play that gave that feeling that something was about to happen.

Happen it did on 38 minutes when a free kick on the right saw the ball arrive in the Chertsey penalty area.

It was only half cleared to Beu Camara on the edge of the area where he had just enough time and space to knock a firm shot back in the opposite direction and into the net.

The goal perked up Guildford City’s play even more.

It might be said that, on the balance of play to that point, Town were slightly unlucky to fall behind as they had created a number of potential chances in the first half hour with some deadly looking crosses, especially those efforts struck hard along the ground.

Tom O’Regan was in the vanguard of the deliverers but no connections were made in front of goal.

O’Regan also came close with a distance shot at goal in each half but his effectiveness became muted in the latter stages, to a level on par with his colleagues.

The second half provided pretty desperate viewing for the Chertsey support who had outnumbered their hosts.

Aimless and misdirected passes became the order of the day and no positive pattern of play or direction was evident.

Guildford were thus allowed to play well within themselves.

It looked like an increasingly hopeless situation.

With only one goal difference, there is always a chance of pulling the game round, no matter how dire the play>

But that faint hope was washed away in the 70th minute when the second goal was conceded, again after a corner from the right was curled into the danger area.

The ball was knocked about in front of the Chertsey goal amongst an army of defenders. However it ended at the feet of Joel Hughes who back heeled the ball over the line from just a couple of yards out.

The way things were going, Chertsey were never going to make up the difference.

It was as well that there was no real expectation of a recovery as the game ran short, having only five minutes stoppage time allocated despite the ball being out of play for long periods after being knocked to the far recesses of the ample athletics stadium, with often no replacement on hand.

The referee, perhaps also knew the game was up and put us all out of our misery.

The result saw the bright Guildford side retain their unbeaten record in the league, the only club to maintain their invincibility, even through a number of draws has kept them away from the top of the table.

Without doubt, the evening was theirs but it will remain to be seen if the rest of the season can also be as productive enough to overhaul Chertsey’s still great potential to fight for the top.

Chertsey host Wembley on Saturday.