Football can be a game of fine margins and so it proved to be when Cray Valley PM were defeated in the final of the F.A. Vase at Wembley.

With seconds remaining in the ninety minutes and the scores level, Anthony Edgar’s shot flew back off the crossbar.

It was an escape for Chertsey Town and they made the Millers pay with two goals in extra time.

Dale Binns had early joy down the left wing and Lubomir Guentchev was also dangerous and came close with a header but he didn’t get a clean connection and it went wide.

Liam Hickey fired over for Cray Valley from distance before Guentchev chased a long ball before waiting for Lewis Driver but his shot was blocked by Hickey.

Gavin Tomlin brought a save out of Nick Jupp from Ryan Flack’s corner before an acrobatic Scott Baxter shot went just over.

Danny Smith then came close for the Millers but his shot was hacked off the line before Guentchev’s free kick was tipped over by Andy Walker.

Kevin Lisbie sent Flack away but he was halted by an offside flag in what must have been a very tight decision.

However, they did not have to wait much longer before going ahead. Tomlin raced down the left side before cutting back from the bye-line and threading a shot between Jupp and his near post.

Three minutes later parity was restored. Sam Flegg got on the end of a Guentchev free kick and although his header came back off the post he was first to the rebound to finish.

Lewis Driver headed just wide early in the second half for the Curlews before Lisbie’s shot was saved after Denzel Gayle’s initial effort was blocked.

Lisbie then flicked a header over from Gayle’s diagonal cross but it wasn’t one way and Cem Tumkaya twice came to the rescue first blocking from Binns then making a last ditch tackle on Baxter.

Gayle shot wide before Anthony Edgar had a shot deflected away for a corner.

Ashley Sains drew a brilliant save out of Jupp before Michael Peacock missed a great chance for Chertsey when slicing wide from a great position.

In the last minute of injury time, Edgar thought that he had won it for the Millers but his fierce drive came back off the bar.

Cray were the better side in the first period of extra time but couldn’t create a clear cut chance and went behind on the stroke of half time. Tumkaya’s foul on Guentchev was deemed to be inside the penalty area and a spot kick was awarded. Baxter stepped up and finished confidently.

Kevin Watson’s team had to go for it in the last fifteen minutes and left gaps at the back. Walker made a great save from Guentchev’s chip before the Curlews made the game safe with three minutes remaining.

Quincy Rowe played it in to Guentchev and before he had made the space to shoot, Rowe nicked it off his toes and fired home.

Guentchev might have compounded the pain but his shot came back out off the inside of the post.

Although unable to complete the double, the Millers can feel very satisfied with an outstanding season.

Cray Valley PM: Walker, Tumkaya (Potter 105), Smith, Edgar, Hickey, Sains (Willock 111), Gayle, Semakula, Tomlin, Lisbie (Babalola 100), Flack (James 72). Subs not used: Ibrahim, Myers, Dawson.