EGHAM TOWN 0 STAINES TOWN 4

MAGNA CARTA TROPHY
SATURDAY 1 AUGUST 2015
EGHAM TOWN 0 (0) STAINES TOWN 4 (2)

It was Pat Bennett, Chairman of Egham Town FC, who had the idea of staging this match, against near neighbours and old rivals Staines Town, as a way of renewing contact with The Swans and of marking the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta at Runnymede. It was also a wonderful way of raising funds for Chertsey based charity White Lodge Centre, whose representatives were delighted to have seen around £750 raised by the 200 strong crowd.
Egham had gone into the game with just one win in their warm-up games, at Farnborough while Staines had won all theirs. With usual first team keeper Jamie Norris still crocked after hurting his left ankle on Carshalton Athletic’s brand new plastic pitch last week, and with his deputy Jamie Cunningham crying off sick the day before this game Egham boss Trevor Norris had to call on Ollie Short, untested save for the last few minutes of the Farnborough game. Egham had several former Swans in their line-up: Wilson Gondwe apparently made one appearance in a friendly; Luke Neville and Danny Bassett came over the river with Troy Ferguson late last season. Bassett had scored in each of the three friendlies preceding this game. Ferguson, though, lasted just four minutes before taking a knock that, given his importance to the team as its skipper, called for a safety first approach. It was as he was hurt that Short pulled off an excellent point blank save from Michael Kalu’s flick and volley. Staines took the lead after 13 minutes, Jack Hutchinson sidestepping a challenge before steering the ball past Short. His deft footwork was mirrored by that of Egham’s Josh Andrew after 31 minutes but Andrew saw his shot brilliantly saved by Jack Turner in the Staines goal. Briefly Egham looked like an equaliser was on the cards, Andrew and Bassett working an opening for debutant (and Ferguson’s replacement) Tarome Hemmings. The shot was heading for goal until a Staines boot diverted the ball out for a corner. Six minutes before the break Jeremy Boakye advanced to just outside the area and hit a perfectly placed cross shot into the net. The lack of anything resembling a challenge doubtless gave him confidence to have a go. When Andrew found Masembe Haluna to run on to a lovely through ball the young winger could only steer the ball wide of the left hand post.
With but three minutes gone in the second half Hutchinson was allowed time to take the ball into the penalty area before dinking a cross in for the huge figure of Shamir Mullings, who was credited with the scoring touch. That third goal killed the game, that and Egham lacking any punch up front. Luke Wanadio hit the Sarnies’ bar from distance with Staines comfortably in control. Neville and Darren Caesar (another new signing) cleared awkward situations but it was only once a tap in for Swans’ sub Callum McAllister in the 85th minute that the home side caused Staines any problems. A defensive slip at left back nearly cost Egham a fifth then Bassett hammered a shot that clipped the bar. He then went on a fine run before finding Seb Castello for a shot that Warner tipped over. From the corner Caesar put in a lovely ball for Brendan Matthew’s diving header that almost certainly would have given Egham a “consolation” goal had it not hit Bassett, standing a yard from the target.
Egham Town start the 2015-2016 season with a potentially difficult trip to Aylesbury, who reached last season’s play-offs. The Sarnies then have home games against Hanwell Town (11 August) and Leighton Town (15.08.15).
EGHAM TOWN SQUAD: Ollie Short, Wilson Gondwe, Mason Welch-Turner, Troy Ferguson, Mitchell Gutteridge, Luke Neville, Josh Andrew, Phillip Appiah, Danny Bassett, Brendan Matthew, Haluna Masembe, Yinka Salami, Tarome Hemmings, Darren Caesar, Seb Castello, Larry Boateng.