The day before this match someone from Beaconsfield Town was presumably trying to make some kind of cackhanded point by using Twitter to post highlights of their 7-0 demolition of Arlesey Town on 7 April. Perhaps, though, this should be compulsory viewing for Egham Town’s players after this humiliation. They might learn something about how Beaconsfield can rip into shoddy defending. There could be some bleating about Simon Lane shuffling his pack, perhaps with one eye on the forthcoming visit of The Rams, resting top scorer Brendan Matthew and influential wide man Michael Kalu, giving defender Enock Saganile his first game since the 0-4 reverse against Aylesbury United and granting Daniel Gbadeyan his debut in midfield, but this should not even have been a consideration. It is possible that Arlesey, unhappy at having been relegated after a torrid season, felt the shackles of fear lifted. Being belted on a regular basis tends to inhibit teams. For this match they were probably the worst opposition Egham could have faced. They had a lot more about them than the Fleet Town side that lost at the Runnymede Stadium on Saturday. Perhaps that comfortable win affected selection policy; if we can beat Fleet 3-0 then the side that are so poor they finished rock bottom should be a doddle! This, though, was on the night when, just off Junction 2 of the M40, Beaconsfield Town, second placed and hungry for points, faced AFC Dunstable and whipped them 4-0, and had the rub of the green as fellow promotion contenders Hartley Wintney went down 0-1 at Kempston Rovers. An upward trajectory is secured for Gary Meakin and his squad peppered with former Egham Town men; for the manager it is third time lucky having taken The Sarnies to the play-offs in each of the last two seasons but overseen semi-final losses. Not that there has been much “lucky” about their progress this season; only one week out of the top seven and twenty weeks in the top three speaks of notable consistency. Those who know the author of this piece will be aware how much it pains me to say this, but congratulations are due to Mr Meakin and his squad. Enjoy Step 3.
Those who know the author of this piece may also know that such a lengthy preamble tends only to happen when there is sod all to write about as far as the match is concerned. However, convention dictates that I have to commit some details to screen for posterity, although no-one in red will ever want to recall this mess. A goal down as early as the 10th minute, Hafid Bounyafe’s shot being spilled by home keeper Matt Nolan for Tony Williams to net off the rebound, Egham failed to create any decent chances, only skipper Ashley Lodge’s 15th minute shot forcing any kind of custodial intervention. As a dull first half crawled to its end the match suddenly came to life. Lauric Diakiesse, who opened his goalscoring account on Saturday, raced from the halfway line and, as Lewis Elsone in the Arlesey goal tried to narrow the angle, he fired home confidently. Then, from the kick off, defending that went miles beyond beggaring belief let in Williams for the visitors’ second goal. From that restart Egham pushed again, and from Diakiesse’s run and pass Ryan Debattista was unlucky to hit the foot of the left post.
Danny Julienne was subbed for Georges Ehui at the start of the second half as Lane tried for some more vigour in his team. A handball shout from Egham as a Diakiesse cross hit Ryan Lamond failed to interest referee Tristan Greaves then the striker and Alex Nolan combined, but the latter shot wide. Williams would have had a hat-trick but for Nolan saving a 20 yard shot with his left foot, and spasmodically Arlesey entertained themselves with what must have been a rare experience this season; taking the ball down to the corner flag and fannying about. Egham pushed on, dominating possession but with no penetration until five minutes from time, when Elsone blocked Mitch Wiseman’s header. Wiseman then had consecutive shots blocked in Egham’s next attack, and Joe Debayo, unmarked six yards out, headed wide from Alex Nolan’s cross. It probably would have been an injustice had Gbadeyan’s injury time shot gone in instead of hitting the post.
The task now is to end the season with some kind of poise and self-respect. A win against Beaconsfield would be unlikely at the least. It would make the last day interesting for them, away to their local rivals Marlow, and leaders AFC Rushden & Diamonds, who entertain Ashford Town (Mx.). Egham go to Chalfont St Peter who are hovering outside the automatic play-off places in 7th and praying for a win on Saturday as well as a series of miracles to allow them to take part in the post-season bun-fight. The Sarnies then travel to Aylesbury, who tonight were hammered 1-7 at Diamonds on 1 May. It would be so very Egham to do something like beat The Rams and lose to The Moles.
EGHAM TOWN: Matt Nolan, Alex Nolan, Enock Saganile, Danny Julienne, Joe Debayo, Mitch Wiseman, Daniel Gbadeyan, Stephan Hamilton-Forbes, Ryan Debattista, Ashley Lodge (Captain), Lauric Diakiesse. Substitutes: Devante McKain, Georges Ehui (Julienne, HT), Josh Andrew (Hamilton-Forbes, 57), Greg Haydon (Diakiesse, 69), Brendan Matthew.