Shortwood Utd 2 Egham T 1

F A CUP WITH BUDWEISER – PRELIMINARY ROUND
SATURDAY 31 AUGUST 2013
SHORTWOOD UNITED 2 (1) EGHAM TOWN 1 (1)
Egham Town scorer: Jacob Lambe (18)
Two new signings and a superb opening goal from Jacob Lambe were not enough for Egham Town to progress to the First Qualifying Round of this season’s FA Cup. Forward Ryan O’Toole and midfielder Kyle Anthony have recent experience with Windsor and will doubtless be useful additions to Lee Passmore’s squad which this season has won two games easily enough but, including this loss, lost three against sides from whom they ought to have got something.

The trip to Calor One South & West Shortwood United is one that certainly shows up any shortcomings in your satnav. Egham settled early though, with Patrick Craig coming close after 30 seconds off one of Chris Ellis’ trademark long throws. Home skipper Jake Parrott tested Gary Ross in the Egham goal on ten minutes but the visitors responded with Jake Galbraith thumping O’Toole’s lay off from distance straight at Tom King. Duncan Culley showed quick feet to test the visitors but on 18 minutes O’Toole and Jacob Lambe combined superbly, the latter turning round his man to smash an angled shot past King. Galbraith had another go from distance as Egham sought further confirmation of their domination of proceedings, something which could have come on 26 minutes from Brendan Matthew showing greater composure after a fine solo run. That miss was important; Culley was allowed time and space to roll in the equaliser off the inside of Ross’ left post on 36 minutes. In injury time Matthew fired Luke Craig’s pass straight into the keeper’s midriff.
The second period was seven minutes old when Ellis had to clear a Shortwood corner off the line and the big centre half went down under a challenge in the other box under Tom Warren’s challenge but referee Gareth Hubbard ignored shouts for a penalty. With an hour gone Luke Craig gave way to Luke Muldowney, who had surrendered his own place for Anthony’s quietly impressive debut. Unfortunately it was, as with Chertsey’s equaliser, an interception of a Muldowney pass in the centre of the park that led this time to Shortwood’s winner. Culley was fed the ball, Ellis airkicked an attempted clearance and the two raced into the Egham box, where Ellis’ challenge was only ever going to result in the award of a penalty, which Culley converted on 68 minutes. Jamie Read, with three goals in his last two games, replaced O’Toole immediately. (There was a comment made by an Egham supporter that Read scored only six League goals last season. Wrong – he failed to score in any cup games so his 32 goals can only have come in the League.) Richie Byrne, skipper for the day, was later subbed by Jim Ward. The substitutions, and the moving up the field of most of the team, failed to trouble a Shortwood side who were let off the hook and who comfortably held off their guests for all of the second period.
EGHAM TOWN: Gary Ross, Josh Andrews, Jake Galbraith, Richie Byrne (Captain), Chris Ellis, Kyle Anthony, Jacob Lambe, Patrick Craig, Brendan Matthew, Ryan O’Toole, Luke Craig. Subs: Luke Muldowney (L Craig, 60), Jamie Read (O’Toole, 71), Jim Ward (Byrne, 72), Louis Chandler-Joseph.