By Scott Taylor

Knaphill and Westfield both began 2017 with defeats in the Combined Counties Premier League on Monday afternoon.

Knaphill came behind from 2-0 down but eventually lost 4-2 at Walton and Hersham whilst Tony Reid’s Westfield fell to a 3-1 defeat against Chertsey Town at Woking Park. Here’s a full report:

Knaphill started the brighter of the two sides as Charlie Postance hit the post in the eighth minute, but the hosts Walton and Hersham took the lead just a minute when White scored from a corner.

Keith Hills was then forced into an early change as Chris Patterson replaced Josh Watkins, and despite a Scott Costello chance, Knaphill were on the back foot.

The pressure told in the 36^th minute when Okai doubled the hosts’ lead, but just three minutes later, substitute Patterson headed home an equaliser from a Jimmy Norman cross.

Postance then equalised for the Knappers in the 49^th minute, and the forward almost turned provider for Norman shortly after, but his team-mate somehow missed from close-range.

This chance proved to be a turning point as Walton and Hersham scored two goals in three second half minutes to condemn Knaphill to defeat, as they now have just one win in their last six games.

Knaphill drop to eighth in the Combined Counties Premier League and will look to bounce back on Saturday when they welcome 22^nd placed Badshot Lea to Redding Way.

Knaphill XI: Harris; Cheek, Watkins (Patterson 13’), Close, Taylor; Costello, Doble (c), Collins, Thomas; Norman, Postance.

Elsewhere, Karle Carder-Andrews scored but high-flying Westfield slipped to a 3-1 defeat at home to Chertsey Town.

Jones had given the visitors a lead a minute prior to half time before Crossley was on the end to a brilliant team move to double Chertsey’s advantage in the 56^th minute.

Carder-Andrews then pulled a goal back in the 70^th minute as Reid’s men looked for a way back into the game, but Cullen rounded off the victory for the hosts less than ten minutes later.

Westfield are now in third, two points behind second-placed Hanworth Villa but have three games in hand. They could leapfrog their opponents when the two sides meet at Woking Park on Saturday.

Westfield XI: Ross; Steer, Marklew, Burnham, Beale; Elliott, Carder-Andrews, Marner, Bailey; Bedford, Watson.

The Radio Woking Sports Team are back on Saturday from 2-6 with updates from Woking vs Wrexham and Aldershot Town vs Southport.

There will also be interviews from the games at Knaphill and Westfield, as well as updates from all the local games around the Woking borough.