EGHAM TOWN 2 ROYSTON TOWN 1

SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CENTRAL
TUESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2014
EGHAM TOWN 2 (1) ROYSTON TOWN 1 (1)
Egham Town scorers: Reis Stanislaus (34), Dan Read 64)
Royston Town scorer: Craig Hammond (35)

Lee Passmore resigned as Egham Town manager on Saturday after seeing his side go down 1-4 at home to Rugby Town. It would appear he had made his decision, made as work and family pressures took their toll, on Thursday, but clearly the manner of the loss against the Midlanders was the final straw. Something had to change. Egham had played – well, “played” is pushing it – been appalling at Bedford Town and failed to lift themselves against Rugby. Lee left with Egham Town in 11th place in the Central Division of the Southern League, with five wins and six defeats. Last season Egham finished 11th in their first season back at this level for a decade. He took over from John Hamsher after Hamsher’s ill-fated desertion to Chipstead and led Egham Town to the Combined Counties League title in season 2012-2013, the first such success since Egham won the Athenian League title in season 1974-1975. There is no way his tenure as the Sarnies’ boss can be described as anything other than a magnificent success. His name is carved into the annals of Egham Town history and he will always be a welcome face at the Runnymede Stadium. Assistant Manager Jack McKinlay and Coach Neerav Patel have also left. Lee had two spells as a classy midfielder at the club, and was in Egham’s colours when he suffered a bad injury in a 3-0 win at Sandhurst Town in the first game of the season in which he took over the reins so successfully.
Jack McKinlay, Assistant Manager, has also left. McKinlay was Egham Town manager straddling seasons 2006-2007 and 2007-8, starting his own stint with a 6-0 home win over Guildford City and ending it with a 0-6 reverse at Merstham. He was a Sarnie legend before then, for his wholehearted efforts in Egham’s colours at centre back. Probably his best playing moment was a Beckenbauer-esque (if you are too young, ask your Dad) run from deep down the slope at Chessington & Hook in a 3-1 win in 2007. Neerav Patel, the Coach, joined from Chertsey Town and became a favourite at the club for his stylish midfield play and calm assurance in defence. He had his leg broken at Molesey and, after recovering, suffered another bad injury at Horley Town, the latter ending his playing career. Egham Town owe all three gentlemen a massive debt of thanks for their unstinting and successful efforts to improve the lot of Egham Town Football Club and wish all of them the very best in the future.
As can be seen, Egham Town like to promote from within. It has not always been successful but in the case of Passmore, McKinlay and Patel the club struck gold. In the same vein Egham have named skipper Luke Muldowney as the new man in charge, with Richie Byrne assisting him. Muldowney has been at the club for so long it seems impossible for him to have ever been anywhere else, but he became a Sarnie after spells at Staines Town and Chertsey Town. Richie Byrne joined the club last season. This is Richie’s record:

2000–2003 Shamrock Rovers
56 (0)
2003–2005 Dunfermline Athletic
19 (0)
2005–2008 Aberdeen
50 (1)
2008 Oldham Athletic
4 (0)
2009 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
0 (0)
2009 → St. Johnstone (loan)
5 (0)
2010 Darlington
4 (0)
2010 Hungerford Town
? (?)

This is from his Wikipedia page:

Byrne signed for Shamrock Rovers in the summer of 2000 from Stella Maris F.C. and made his debut in the Leinster Senior Cup away to St. Francis on 21 November 2000, in a 6–2 win. He was Young Player of the Year for the 2000–01 season. He made his full league debut on 16 September 2001 in a 3–0 win over Shelbourne. He made a total of six appearances in European competition for the Hoops, two in the UEFA Cup and four in the UEFA Intertoto Cup.
He joined Scottish club Dunfermline Athletic in August 2003 and helped the club reach the 2004 Scottish Cup Final, where they were beaten 3–1 by Celtic at Hampden Park. He was signed by former manager at Dunfermline, Jimmy Calderwood for Aberdeen in January 2005 for £50,000.[2] He played in the 2007–08 UEFA Cup against Atlético Madrid.

Not too shoddy, eh?

(This is the longest preamble to a match report I have ever written.) On to the game mentioned at the top of this piece. The new boss left himself out of the line-up, and recalled Ryan Lake and George Gould, with Ricky Farnden to the back four. Otherwise it was the same side that had failed against Rugby, but there was a very discernible difference in the performance. Royston had come to the Runnymede Stadium in second place, and had beaten Marlow 3-1 on Saturday. They were expecting a win. What they faced was a red shirted wall of defiance, only once punctured. There was not a lot to write about until Egham took a 34th minute lead as the home side worked hard at nullifying the Crows’ threat. The opening goal was simplicity itself, Mo Harkin whipping in a low corner kick to the near post where Reis Stanislaus was on hand to smuggle the ball past keeper Paul Bostock. Immediately they were caught out; from the kick off a more than decent cross from Kane Adams found Craig Hammond who took advantage of the space afforded him and scored easily. Prior to the goal burst Egham had been pushing Royston back but without a great deal of threat to Bostock’s goal, but they were already showing more fight and vigour than against Rugby and at Bedford Town, its predecessor.
Royston came out for the second half in determined mood, but once Jamie Norris had pulled off a good save from Craig Watters 20 yard drive three minutes in they never really looked in much trouble. They worked hard all over the park and after 64 minutes got the reward for that endeavour when Stanislaus flicked the ball into the path of Dan Read, who had not scored since the opening day win at Barton Rovers but looked comfortable as he ran between the centre backs before beating Bostock with a thumping drive that bulged the Jungle End net. There was a delay in play as physio Heather Stevenson patched up Lake, the new skipper. Louis Chandler-Joseph, looking more like the player he was two seasons ago, was subbed by Brendan Matthew before Stanislaus ripped down the left and whipped in a cross that Josh Andrew volleyed into Adams’ midriff. Andrew was then taken off, replaced by Matt Grave, and Dwayne Antonio came on for Stanislaus deep into injury time.
Egham face Marlow away on Saturday and on Tuesday entertain Slough Town, promoted from One Central through the play-offs last season, in the Red Insure Cup First Round.
EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, George Gould, Jake Galbraith, Ryan Lake, Ricky Farnden, Mo Harkin, Josh Andrew, Joe Chandiram, Dan Read, Reis Stanislaus, Louis Chandler-Joseph. Subs: Brendan Matthew (Chandler-Joseph, 81), Dwayne Antonio (Stanislaus, 90+5), Lee Morley, Matt Grave (Andrew, 90+3), Ashley Quashie.