EGHAM TOWN 0 BEDFORD TOWN 2

EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE CENTRAL DIVISION
TUESDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2015
EGHAM TOWN 0 (0) BEDFORD TOWN 2 (2)

With an opening trio of unbeaten games, and an enforced lay-off on Saturday with the game at Aylesbury rained off, Egham welcomed Bedford Town, a side ten points and four places below them. The game gave the Sarnies a chance to make amends for an utterly dreadful performance at The Eyrie on 27 September. It didn’t happen. Egham were outfought, out-thought and out-tackled. They made mistakes for both of the Eagles’ goals and mustered just one shot on target, from Seb Castello, a sub whose usual positions are in defence and midfield. It came in the 87th minute.
Former Staines Town player Troy Ferguson made his bow for the Sarnies and Louis Chandler-Joseph was available again after a period away doing modelling work. From the kick-off Egham looked bright with Reis Stanislaus coming close with an audacious effort just 20 seconds in dropping just wide of Bedford keeper Gary Malone’s goal. Malone had, thereafter, a fairly quiet night even though the home side had the pace and goalscoring ability of Reis Stanislaus, Dan Read and Haluna Masembe on show. The problem was that the visitors were better organised and had the advantage of going ahead on ten minutes when Calum Lewis got the last touch to a largely hopeful cross drilled in from the left. After 18 minutes Egham keeper Jamie Norris needed treatment after landing awkwardly as he tried to sort out a dangerous situation caused by the home defence being all at sea. He recovered after a three minute break but the injury seemed to have its part to play in Bedford’s second, just before the break. Masembe played an underweight pass back towards the Egham area, the Bedford forwards pounced, Norris was not his usual brave and decisive self and within seconds Rob Parker parked the ball into the Jungle End net.
Brendan Matthew gave way to Chandler-Joseph at half time and in their first attack the Sarnies at least put some pressure on the Bedford back line, without actually shooting on target. The second half became a midfield battle with Egham giving the ball away slightly less often than in the first but the lack of penetration must be a worry for Koo Dumbuya, the Sarnies manager. All attempts to find the front men were blocked by a hardworking defence in which skipper Ollie Wilkinson shone. It comes to something when Stanislaus-Read-Stanislaus-corner kick (too easily cleared) was a highlight until Castello replaced Wayne Jackson and Masembe gave way to Dwayne Antonio, whose pace might perhaps have done more to breach the away team had it been utilised earlier.
Egham Town face Uxbridge at home on Saturday (looking for a double after winning 3-1 with the sort of ballsy performance that would have seen them perform a lot better than tonight) then on Tuesday have the extremely daunting prospect of a Red Insure Cup Semi-Final tie at Premier Division leaders Poole Town, who tonight beat Chesham United (who are 9th) 3-0. This replaces a trip to Central Division leaders Kettering Town, a fixture for which a new date has not yet been announced. North Leigh of the South & West Division face a trip to Corby Town (Premier, 4th) in the other Semi-Final. Unless there is a massive improvement over the next week the Sarnies could be on the wrong end of a hiding down by the sea.
EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, Danny Williamson, Ben Hunter, Wayne Jackson, Wilson Gondwe, Mitchell Gutteridge, Brendan Matthew, Troy Ferguson, Dan Read, Reis Stanislaus, Haluna Masembe. Subs: Seb Castello (Jackson, 77), Dwayne Antonio (Masembe, 84), Louis Chandler-joseph, Yinka Salami, Jamie Cunningham.