Farnborough Town 4 Egham Town 1

FRIENDLY
TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER 2014
FARNBOROUGH TOWN 4 EGHAM TOWN 1

Gentlemen, methinks we have found ourselves a new right back. In a friendly that had to be switched to Farnborough Town’s ground after trouble at ours on or before Monday (causing the postponement of a Youth team game) Egham Town’s performance managed to lift the spirits, despite the scoreline, because there were pleasant surprises all over the pitch.
The starting line-up saw the hitherto almost unused Danny Williamson in midfield and George Gould, signed as a striker, playing at right back. Both shone, as did the returning Louis Chandler-Joseph, who looked like he’d never been away and seems to have come back physically stronger.
Williamson used his strength and pace to deliver several dangerous crosses and Gould, who looked timid on the two occasions he has come on as a sub, was here a revelation with astute positioning, tough tackling and the occasional overlapping run. The first 45 minutes saw the Sarnies pitched against a Farnborough XI mainly drawn from their first team, and we did not look out of place. All that separated the sides was a splendid turn and strike from their impressive No.11.
Matt Grave, starting up front, had a great chance to level the scores two minutes into the second half, but hit the right post with a penalty kick awarded after Chandler-Joseph had been felled in the box, chasing a Calvin Thomas through ball. On the hour Ricky Farnden almost scored at the wrong end with a clearance that clipped the top of Jamie Norris’ bar. Midway through the half the Conference side, or more accurately, the Capital League men who had replaced the majority of the first team at the break, went 2-0 up, the No. 11 taking full advantage of not being marked closely enough with a low cross shot. Two minutes later Grave and Marcus Moody opened up a hole in the home defence, Moody crossed to the unmarked Chandler-Joseph, four yards from an open goal – and the ball went sailing over the empty net. The No. 11 smashed in a penalty for his hat-trick, after a foul by Farnden, and the No. 9 drilled in a 22 yarder for 4-0. By this time more surprises had been unveiled. Tom Martin, stalwart defender and one time goalkeeper in a County Cup tie, had come on and, again, looked comfortable, as did Scott Todd, who scored on his debut when we won 3-0 at Molesey in the FA Cup a few seasons back. Also on was a midfielder called Darren, whose surname I don’t know, who showed some lovely touches initially. Egham deserved a goal or two and finally got one, deep into injury time, when Joe Chandiram ran from central midfield and leapt to meet Reis Stanislaus’ cross from the left wing. The header looped over the home keeper and hit the inside of the far post on its way in. Todd, whose ferocious drive forced the keeper to tip the ball over with the score at 0-3, ended a surging run with another well hit effort but this one went wide. Three players coming back and two taking the chance to show what they can do, even if possibly out of position in Gould’s case, means that there should be a resurgence in our fortunes in a season that has so far not matched pre-campaign expectations.
Thanks go to Spencer Day and his Farnborough Town team for agreeing to switch this game at very short notice.

Mark