BOSTIK SOUTH CENTRAL - SATURDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2019
HANWELL TOWN 3 (2) Brian Testolin 2 (42', 45'), Harvey Killeen (84')
EGHAM TOWN 1 (0) Brandon McCarthy (50')

EGHAM TOWN: Joshua Bramwell, Luke King, Joe Peters, Luke Randall, Tristan Toney, Joseph Morrison, Jonathan Miller-Annor, Samir Bajja, Ibrahim Kehinde, Brandon McCarthy, Ahkeem Belford. SUBSTITUTES: Christopher Manangu, Dylan Randall, Anas Lamti, Temiloluwa Oladejo, Jack Wingate (kpr)

Egham Town went down to their 14 straight away defeat, and 8th loss in 9 league games since Dickson Gill took the reins at Runnymede Stadium. With only 5 trips left and 8 home games time is fast running out for the club, whose total of signings rose to a staggering 91 with the arrival of goalkeeper Joshua Bramwell (Uxbridge, AFC Hayes), wingers Akheem Belford (Hampton & Richmond Borough) and Chris Manangu (winger/forward, Ytterhogdals IK [Sweden], Eynesbury Rovers), Dylan Randall (forward, H & R B) and Anas Lamti (defender, H & R B). Striker Perry Coles has gone back to Farnborough, after a fruitless 3 game stint.
Once upon a time, four managers ago, Geordies’ boss Chris Moore was in charge at Egham. His removal, as long ago as early last season, may perhaps have precipitated a slide down the rankings for the Sarnies, to their current parlous state. The opening exchanges were encouraging, former Sarnies’ keeper Aaron Bufton having to make saves in the 3rd, 18th and 20th minutes, all from Brandon McCarthy. When the home attack started to click they found Bramwell in an equally stubborn mood. Ibrahim Kehinde had to go off injured in the 27th minute, replaced by the rawboned Randall. Egham had played equally as well as their hosts, so it was a pity to see them go behind to a sloppy goal. The other Randall, centre half Luke, made a brave diving header to clear a dangerous cross. The ball went out for a corner, from which Brian Testolin was given too much room for his scoring header. Soon after Testolin skipped past left back Joe Peters far too easily and rifled a shot past Bramwell.
Hopes were lifted when Jonathan Miller-Annor’s 1-2 let McCarthy in on Bufton, for a low shot that evaded the home custodian. Chris Manangu came on for Belford but the service to the wing was too spasmodic to give him a run at the Hanwell back four. Harvey Killeen sidefooted wide off Louis Bircham’s pass, but when Testolin was the provider six minutes from time his shot squeezed past Bramwell. Before that third goal went in Egham had a decent shout for a penalty turned away. The problem for the Sarnies is that once they concede there is little sense that they will recover. Gill has put together a squad that can play some attractive football but the old enemies of defensive lapses and a lack of attacking punch bedevil them. .
Next up the tiny little matter of runaway leaders Hayes & Yeading United, who have 12 wins and one draw in their last 13 league games, and a goal difference that, at +75, is a whopping 125 better than Egham’s. There will be goals.

Mark