SPECSAVERS SURREY COUNTY SENIOR CUP FIRST ROUND
VIRGINIA WATER 1 (1)
Alessandro Sancese o.g. (12)
EGHAM TOWN 2 (1)
Ashley Lodge (38), Rhys Rabess (88)

Egham Town and Virginia Water had not met in a competitive match since 1977-8 when the Sarnies won 3-1 at Crown Road in the FA Vase, thanks to a John Carter hat-trick. If memory serves, that was a pretty tight match, and today’s Specsavers Surrey Senior Cup tie was no different. With both teams too close to the bottom of their divisions for comfort, Waters in 15th in the Hellenic Premier and Egham 19th in the Bostik South Central, a level higher, it was always going to be interesting to see how this game played out. Waters, 2-1 winners at Longlevens on Saturday, initially took the game to their guests, 1-3 losers at Molesey. Egham boss Ashley Smith had to choose a squad from those who were not cup-tied, injured or otherwise unavailable, but was able to add new left back Jordan Lee Brown, signed today from Slough Town.
Waters took the early initiative as the Sarnies looked understandably disjointed. An early drive by Scott Jackson forced Matt Nolan into a fine save to prevent an early lead for the home side, but it was not long before they took the lead. Aided by the assistant referee failing to see that Jackson was at least three yards offside before he drove in a cross, Alessandro Sancese’s intervention was spectacular as he slid in to fire the ball into the roof of the Egham net. It will probably be the best own goal we travelling Sarnies see all season. Egham did not show much in the way of a threat and were grateful that Jackson shot wide from Adam Mills’ pass. Egham’s leveller came from nothing, skipper Ashley Lodge taking the ball on the left side of the Waters box before firing in a superb, low drive just inside Matt Jones’ right post in the 38th minute.
Egham looked more determined in the second half while for Waters the loss early on of midfielder Steve Williams to injury weakened their grip. Egham dominated possession but did little with it, Jones having not much to save even after Abraham Eze gave way to Kezie Ibe and Rhys Rabess replaced Charlie Malin. It did look increasingly likely, though, that if there were to be a winner it would be the green-kitted Sarnies who would score it. That it came in the 88th minute and courtesy of a defensive mistake by Josh Hill indicates how awkward Egham were finding it to get by some doughty defending, but when Hill lost possession in the box Rabess was alert enough to pounce before advancing and firing comfortably past Jones.
The draw for the next round has not been made yet. Egham will be pleased to have a win under their belts before entertaining a Cheshunt side who moved up to third tonight with a 2-0 home win against Bracknell Town. Two Egham players have moved on, Lewis Hobbs to Potters Bar Town and Josh Andrew to Harrow Borough.
EGHAM TOWN: Matt Nolan, Alessandro Sancese, Jordan Lee Brown, Merrick Lewis-James, Harry Tucker, Darren Abbey, Sean McCormack, Charlie Malin, Abraham Eze, Ashley Lodge (Captain), Ryan Hill. Substitutes: Rhys Rabess (Malin, 69), Ashley Smith, Kezie Ibe (Eze, 69), Dom Morgillo.