With goalkeeper James Reading unavailable, youth team keeper Garry Malone was called up for his long-awaited competitive first-team debut as the Woods looked for their third successive away win. George Nicholas was also ruled out with injury so Jon-Jo Bates started his first full game as he continues his fitness recovery and James Burgess started in place of Jerome Federico, who was also unavailable; Reece Yorke returned after suspension.

Their opponents had shown much-improved form in the past couple of months so a tough Tuesday night was expected and that is exactly how it turned out. The home side began brightly with Mark Knight seeing his flicked header come back off the crossbar, while Malone made his first save of the night, low down from Arafat Kabuye.

The Woods forced a couple of early corners which came to nothing and then Oliver Hawkins did well to win a tackle and drive forward but failed to pick out anyone with the cut back into the area. After 21 minutes, a good move saw Bates get forward on the left and knock in a good cross which Niko Muir flicked goalwards but keeper Gary Ross just managed to push the ball onto the post and wide.

The Curfews hit back with a couple of long-range efforts that Malone dealt with comfortably and then the keeper had to push another Knight header wide as the Woods defence failed to pick him up again. Bates was next to go close as he latched onto a Hawkins knockdown but his effort was deflected straight at Ross who held on, and then Hawkins had a shot on the turn which flew over the top.

So, honours were fairly even in a first-half lacking in quality but the goals were not far away. Just twelve seconds after the restart, a cross from the left picked out John Pomroy, whose strike took a slight deflection to give Chertsey the lead. Five minutes later, James Burgess lost possession in midfield, a quick break saw Knight put through, and he went past Malone before rolling in a second goal.

The Woods were really up against it but they responded well and on 54 minutes, Hawkins attacked down the right and finished with a low drive past Ross that reduced the arrears. The goal-spree continued with an equaliser after 61 minutes as a cross from the right looped up and Craig White reacted quickest to head home from six yards.

Northwood were suddenly level and with all to play for, yet defensive duties were still being neglected and this played the main part in Chertsey regaining the lead seven minutes later, as a ball came in from the left and found Knight completely unmarked as he stabbed a shot under Malone to make it 3-2.

New signing Juan Onieva came on as a substitute for Adil Salih for the final twenty minutes as the Woods looked to salvage something from the game. Muir got on the end of an excellent cross from Scott Raper but failed to control while the same player shot just wide from distance but there was nothing clear-cut being created.

Malone made one good save to deny substitute Matt Powell as Chertsey stayed solid in the closing stages and they held on for three hard-earned points when the Woods were denied a stoppage-time penalty after Brad Hewitt had his legs taken away in the box.