by Ian Lamont

Ryman League Division One South

Merstham 1

Walton Casuals 1

A mixture of panic from a side which is not used to winning and a nod towards next season combined as Merstham threw away two points on Saturday.

After not giving Walton Casuals a sniff in the first half, Merstham seemed to be able to do little as the visitors fought their way into the game in the second half.

The result should have been clear cut when, on 58 minutes, the Moatsiders scored, from a seemingly impossible angle. Adrian Stone's shot was deflected into left midfielder Dale Marvell's path. He was pushed so wide of goal it seemed he could only hit the side netting. But he struck the ball past Chico Ramos.

A few minutes later, however, came a big pointer to event. Boss Graeme Banyard, ignoring the adage of sticking with a winning team, withdrew Stone's strike partner Gavin Gordon in place of Reggie Savage. Thus, working towards next season was clearly in the manager's mind.

A few minutes later, David Smith, who, on the opposite wing to Marvell, had helped the hosts offer a great deal of width, also departed, for new boy Troy Ferguson, formerly of both Walton & Hersham and Casuals.

The visitors continued to wear down Merstham, who looked increasingly jittery at the back.

Lacking the confidence infused by regular victories, mistakes crept in and fouls were given away in key defensive areas. From one such error Casuals levelled.

Craig Vernon, in an otherwise fine game, was shaken off in the box by Nick Burton, who converted a free-kick floated in from close to the halfway line with a few minutes left.

"Whether Craig has stopped or pulled away I don't know," bemoaned Banyard. "We had the chances to win two or three games. We lacked that final cutting edge.

"I don't think we've created so many chances in a game and not won since we drew with Folkestone at home – and in the next game we beat Hastings 6-1.

"Silly free-kicks in the second half put us under the cosh and Ian Chatfield [the keeper] didn't come to claim enough."

Freddie Myers gave away the free-kick that led to the goal, but Bradley Duke, a new centre-back, had also slipped into the habit, on an otherwise fine debut.

Banyard had the chance to sign Duke – who had a spectacular fall-out with Croydon Athletic boss Tim O'Shea, two months ago – but the defender went to Burgess Hill.

A quality centre-back, his two mistakes were giving away a free-kick 25 yards out, which was fortunately put over the goal, and gaining a yellow card in the final minute for a moment of petulance after he did not like his treatment at the hands of an attacker.

Marvell's crosses were sometimes wayward – too close to the keeper – in the first half, a period in which captain Wes Goggin's licence to push forward, often saw him run in front of the two strikers.

He failed to convert three early chances, but Merstham's best two first-half ones were Marvell forcing the keeper to parry and Vernon chesting down a corner, only to volley wide.

Adam Moriarty again played at the back of the midfield, this time for 90 minutes, unlike in the collapse at Whyteleafe.

Savage, easily bundled off the ball, booted a shot wide on the volley just after coming on, but if, as some observers felt, he just needs games, he could get them as Merstham use the rest of the campaign to prepare for next season.

That starts with an intense period of four games, on Saturday at Horsham YMCA, then Met Police (Tuesday) and Leatherhead (Thursday) before hosting Corinthian Casuals. Billy Marshall (hamstring) and Sam Hewitt (calf) will be vying for places.

Merstham: Chatfield, Hancock, Myers, Duke, Vernon, Moriarty, Smith (Ferguson), Goggin, Stone, Gordon (Savage), Marvell. Unused Subs: Males, Hughes, Tidy.