South Park (Reigate) 2 Chipstead 1

Chipstead bounced back from their 5-0 loss at home to Binfield on Saturday with a positive performance at South Park in their latest game in the Pitching In Isthmian League South Central Division on Easter Monday afternoon, but still ended up with another defeat & no points to show for their efforts

Their cause wasn’t helped, as the home side took the lead after just 4 minutes, when a soft free-kick was awarded on the edge of the Chipstead box, & found its way through the wall and past keeper Baldwin Kaluya

They nearly scored a second, as former Chips’ under-18 player Sam Tutt put an effort just wide, before Kaluya had to be at full stretch to push another effort wide

Dan Berry had Chipstead’s first real shot in anger, but it was blocked - Jaden Edwards then put over a fine deep cross beyond the far post, but skipper Jacob Sewell’s header was clutched by the keeper

Sewell soon had another go, as he took the ball from Alfie Young, but saw his shot from 20 yards saved

Kaluya had to make a fine double save to keep it at 1-0, then tipped over another effort, despite landing heavily on his back on the 4G surface

After halftime, he got down low to his left to keep another shot from the hosts, while, at the other end, Danyaal Iqbal’s teasing cross from the right just saw the home keeper claim it ahead of Nathaniel Kenlock

South Park thought they had scored a second from a corner, but the flag was up for offside, while Chipstead went close to an equaliser, as Young’s deep cross found Sewell, but his goalbound shot was kept out, when almost being turned in for an own goal

Edwards’ cross-cum-shot went just over the home goal, but his side was back on terms on 79 minutes, when sub Jack Leahy’s free-kick deflected off the wall & over the keeper to make it 1-1

But parity lasted just 3 minutes, as Kaluya was unable to collect a loose ball at the back, & the South Park no. 11 poked it home for 2-1

Chips pushed hard for another equaliser in the remaining minutes - Kayode Conteh headed just over, sub Reuben Ashun went close with a drive, & good work led to Iqbal crossing to Berry, but the keeper just kept it out

Leahy hit the wall with another free-kick in the dying seconds, but it wasn’t to be - Chipstead remain in 19th place, 7 points ahead of the bottom two, but teams around them now have games in hand, while Chips next travel to Hartley Wintney on Saturday