Goalkeeper Alfie Mickley’s penalty save kept Sheerwater in the Combined Counties Premier Division South as they secured a 1-1 draw to send opponents Colliers Wood United down instead.

Hosts Colliers Wood started the final day of the season three points behind Sheerwater but knowing their better goal difference would keep them up if they could win the game. Sheerwater would then be relying on Guildford City losing by at least three goals at home to Epsom & Ewell.

It was a no-nonsense approach from unchanged Sheerwater for the opening ten minutes, as they knocked the ball long away from their own 18-yard box and looked to play high up the pitch.

Matt Bryant and George Mackie combined well on the right to keep the visitors on the front foot, and a number of corners were won by Sheerwater in the first half, but in the main Colliers Wood snuffed out any danger.

That was until just before the half-hour mark when Michael Milne’s left-footed corner was headed in powerfully from six yards by the unmarked George Chandler.

Prior to that Elliot York had a shot brilliantly saved by Toby McKimm, who pushed his effort away for a corner. George Sellick also saw an effort from 18 yards parried away for a corner by McKimm.

Colliers Wood got forward too and Nozka had a chance from a free kick 20 yards out, but the wall did a good job to block. Hearts were in mouths as Ellis went over in the box, but the referee saw nothing wrong.

Liam Avery was all action in midfield, driving Sheerwater forward, and Dylan Martins was neat and tidy, keeping the ball moving, as Sheerwater saw out the half.

An even start to the second half saw both teams attacking, and York was starting to cause problems for the Colliers Wood defence with his non-stop effort.

Colliers Wood stunned Sheerwater with an equaliser ten minutes after the restart. A forward ball was not cut out and James Allen got free in the box to rifle an effort past Mickley.

This goal really seemed to affect Sheerwater, as they could find no momentum going forward, and Colliers Wood had four up front and were seeing plenty of the ball.

Callum Mackie stepped up with some important challenges, while Louis McGrane and Chandler were working overtime at centre-back.

It looked bleak for Sheerwater when a rapid move forward saw McGrane and Bryant challenge an attacker, who went down in the box, and the referee awarded a penalty.

Benji Gambrah took responsibility. The placement was good but not powerful, and Mickley sprung to his left low down to tip the ball around the post.

This gave an immediate lift to the ten outfield players and the game changed, with Sheerwater passing better and creating chances.

A left-foot shot on the turn by York was somehow pushed on to the post by McKimm, then McKimm tipped York’s fierce effort from the edge of the box over the bar.

At the other end Chandler blocked a shot on the edge of the area, then Milne surged into the box and saw his shot blocked too.

Colliers Wood worked and worked but could not create another chance to take the lead, with the final whistle bringing pure joy for Sheerwater and despair for their hosts.

T J Barbato, Luke Stone and Sean Wallace saved Sheerwater from the drop in 14 games, leaving Trevor Wenden - who has done every job possible at Sheerwater over many years - ecstatic at the end.

By Mike Clement