Surrey Senior Cup

Third Round

Woking 1

Merstham 1 Woking won 3-0 on penalties

A PENALTY decision late in normal time that handed Woking an equaliser left Merstham boss Graeme Banyard fuming during Merstham's Surrey Senior Cup exit on Tuesday night.

Winger Liam Bellamy scored in the first half against Blue Square South promotion chasers Woking, who fielded just a handful of first team players.

The visitors took a first half lead and could have been several goals to the good by half-time.

But with about five minutes to go Merstham conceded a penalty – which keeper Ian Chatfield saved but couldn't keep out the follow-up.

"Their player fouled Craig Vernon first," insisted Banyard. "I had a bit of a moan at the linesman. He was quick enough to give the penalty but not quick enough to see the first foul."

Banyard said: "The result was very disappointing, gutting really. I thought we were the better side. We should have won and Woking can count themselves very lucky.

"We dominated in parts but didn't take our chances. We should have been 3-0 up at half time.

"We had enough possession in extra time to win and their goalkeeper made a couple of great saves. The performance was pleasing. We need now to take that into Saturday's game."

That will be a Ryman League Division One South home game with Croydon Athletic, the pre-season favourites for the division.

"Croydon will be on a high after beating Folkestone on Tuesday and it could be quite interesting," Banyard said.

Croydon could yet win the division, with Worthing's charge possibly hitting the buffers as they feel the financial pinch and the possibility that leaders Folkestone will enter a company voluntary agreement to pay their creditors – meaning a deduction of 10 points.

"We're out of the cups now so we need to start pushing towards the play-offs."

Centre-back Vernon had made a "miraculous" recovery from what was thought to have been a long-term injury to play.

Alongside him was another recruitment from Charlton's Academy, James Anderson. He joins on work experience alongside Bellamy – nicknamed Forrest because he keeps running. This time Bellamy, a winger, played in midfield instead of right-back where he made his first Merstham outing 10 days before.

"Charlton have been fantastic to us," said Banyard. "Damian Matthews, their academy manager, was watching them.

"These boys are in their second year of YTS and it will be decided at the end of the season whether they get offered professional contracts.

"So it's a good chance for Charlton to see how they do in men's football – and if they go back and give us glowing references as a club then if players get released in the summer they might come here."

Anderson's height, 6ft 7ins, could be useful against one of his old Charlton colleagues, Ben Godfrey, against Croydon on Saturday.

And defensively Merstham will need to be at their best to contain whichever forward line Tim O'Shea puts out. The Rams have the division's top scorer Gary Noel, who has hit 15, and Gareth Williams, recently signed from Bromley.