Chipstead earned a deserved three points, as they eventually held on to a 3-0 halftime lead to win 4-2 at home to Virginia Water in their latest match in the Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Premier Division South on Saturday afternoon 

On a dismal day weather-wise, the pitch held up remarkably well after the recent heavy rain post-summer heat, & it was the visitors, who went close early on, as Chips’ keeper Jacob Bennett parried a shot at close range, & the follow-up hit a post, but the home side began to find its feet in the game - James Mansfield cut in from the right & hit a left-foot shot, which the keeper blocked, before Michael Agyemang shot from distance, but the keeper had it covered 

Diego Munoz then cut in from the left & unleashed a shot, but the keeper held on to it - Agyemang soon found Cameron Harrison wide on the right, but his whipped-in cross was also grabbed by the keeper

Chipstead’s pressure finally told on 18 minutes, as Abioseh Davies beavered his way into the visitors’ box, & poked the ball past the keeper to make it 1-0 

Munoz soon shot wide, as Chips chased a second goal, although this did arrive on 36 minutes, as the same player cut inside from the left, & slotted the ball home into the bottom corner for 2-0

Chipstead kept pressing, & Mansfield hit a shot just wide of the near post - yet his perseverance paid off in added time at the half, as the visiting defence tried to play out from the back, but the attempted long ball clearance simply ballooned off Mansfield over the keeper and into the net, & so it was 3-0, capping off a great half for the home side

Virginia Water would obviously come out fighting in the second half after an unsubtle roasting from their chairman on the sidelines, although Chips had chances first, as Davies & Munoz linked up to nearly fashion a fourth goal in the opening attack after the restart - Harrison almost beat the keeper at the near post, & skipper Quincy Rowe glanced on Mansfield’s corner, which was just kept out of the net

Former Chip Danyaal Iqbal came on as sub for the visitors, but Erick Rayo Arias quickly beat him for pace & got to the byline, but his low cross was put behind for a corner 

However, the away team soon had a lifeline, as their no. 6 headed home a corner to make it 3-1 on 58 minutes, &, 10 minutes later, it was 3-2, as a penalty was put away by their skipper no. 8, after the referee spotted a trip in the box

Yet Chipstead didn’t panic, & Reece Deakin saw his shot bounce awkwardly in front of the keeper, who managed to recover, but Deakin soon put away a penalty of his own on 74 minutes, after sub Deshon Carty had been pulled back, & that settled their nerves, making it 4-2

Virginia Water went close with a free-kick 10 minutes from time, but Chips kept pushing too - sub Edd Mbango flicked the ball on, but Carty couldn’t beat the keeper with his attempted lob - the diminutive Carty then nicked the ball off the defence again, but couldn’t force it home

Chipstead saw out the game to win 4-2 & claim the points, lifting them to 12th in the league table, but with less than 48 hours to recover before their next league game at home to Redhill on Bank Holiday Monday