FARNBOROUGH 1 EGHAM TOWN 2

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY
TUESDAY 21 JULY 2015
FARNBOROUGH 1 EGHAM TOWN 2
Louis Theophanou : Brendan Matthew Danny Bassett

After the heavy loss on Saturday to Ryman Premier Metropolitan Police a trip to Farnborough, from the same division as The Blues, could have been a daunting task for Trevor Norris and his men. Egham Town, though, were able to shake that defeat off with a magnificent performance at The Rushmoor Community Stadium. Some of the squad were released, replaced by the welcome return of players such as Luke Neville, Wilson Gondwe and Josh Andrew, with new faces Larry Boateng, Darren Caesar and Foulton Chandler-Joseph, brother of stalwart Louis all adding to the overall strength of the squad.
Both sides settled well on an excellent surface and it was the home side who took the lead. Boro’s former Staines Town hitman Louis Theophanou missed a sitter after a quarter of an hour but four minutes later found the back of Jamie Norris’ net with a well struck shot from the edge of the area. Egham became more of an attacking threat from the 28th minute when Brendan Matthew had a cross shot held. Troy Ferguson and Matthew then both forced the home keeper into saves before Matthew received the ball in the inside left channel, cut inside, rounded the keeper and found the far corner of the net for a 38th minute equaliser. Boro were almost ahead at the break with a header that hit the post in the last minute of the half, but were denied such chances in the second period by some excellent defending against a strong attack.
In the second half Gondwe, Haluna Masembe, Danny Bassett (above), Mason Welch-Turner and Yinka Salami were given their turn. Welch-Turner, signed from Corinthian Casuals, played a key role in the winner by breaking up an attack in the Egham half and creating the momentum that led to a corner kick. When the ball found Andrew at the back of the area his shot was expertly turned in by the alert Bassett. Norris kept out a thunderous drive from the man the home fans called “Sarge” and then gave way to Ollie Short, another player new to the club. Egham pressed to the final whistle and Masembe came close a couple of times to adding a third, and at the end were worthy winners.
EGHAM TOWN SQUAD: Jamie Norris, Larry Boateng, Foulton Chandler-Joseph, Darren Caesar, Tom McGarry, Luke Neville, Josh Andrew, Troy Ferguson, Brendan Matthew, Jordan Carter, Louis Chandler-Joseph, Haluna Masembe, Danny Bassett, Wilson Gondwe, Mason Welch-Turner, Yinka Salami, Ollie Short.