EGHAM TOWN 2 AYLESBURY UNITED 1

EVO-STIK SOUTHERN DIVISION ONE CENTRAL
SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2015
EGHAM TOWN 2 (1) DANNY BASSETT (24, pen), BRENDAN MATTHEW (45 + 1, pen)
AYLESBURY UNITED 1 (1) (Shane Wood (31)

Egham Town recorded their second win of the season with a spirited showing that followed on from the magnificent performance at Slimbridge in the FA Cup. Not surprisingly Jamie Norris got his No. 1 shirt back, allowing Brendan Matthew to partner Danny Bassett up front. Wilson Gondwe was on holiday, giving James Richmond, signed from Hampton & Richmond Borough, an opening for an excellent debut.
The team were clearly not feeling the effects of two long journeys and two hours of high intensity football in Gloucestershire. Bassett was on target with a shot as early as the fifth minute and soon afterwards left back Mason Welch-Turner forced Ducks’ keeper Alex Tokarczyk to tip a powerful shot over the bar. Egham’s start was in contrast to the way they have started most of their league games this season, and after 24 minutes the pressure told when Bassett’s trickery befuddled visiting skipper Jack Wood into fouling him in the box. Bassett lashed the spot kick home. There is perhaps a lesson to be learnt from not pushing on and allowing the opposition back in, with Shane Wood scoring with a low shot off the inside of the right post just past the half hour. Egham got back into the groove and Tarome Hemmings tested Tokarczyk with a 20 yard stinger. Egham’s forwards got themselves in a tangle and wasted a good opening but still won a corner after which Bassett’s shot was blocked. As half time approached Shane Wood and a dithering Tokarczyk failed to deal clearing the ball, Matthew gave chase and the keeper flattened him for the Sarnie’s second penalty. Matthew clearly was not going to let go of the ball and rammed the ball into the same part as had Bassett.
A Ducks’ fan opined before the start of the second half that his team were “playing the worst we have all season against the worse side we have faced all season”. Presumably the visiting manager Tony Joyce was of a similar mind as his charges upped the pace in the second period. Shane Wood’s shot early on drew a good save from Norris and from the corner Alex Collard’s header was cleared off the line by Welch-Turner. Nadean Fosu did well to deny United’s Eoin Casey and when Casey was fouled on the edge of the box Greg Williams’ free kick would have found the target but for an excellent diving save by Norris. Bassett and Matthew were fighting hard at the other end, the former showing great determination to dig the ball out of a tackle before seeing his shot blocked and the latter not quite getting enough elevation in a one-on-one as he tried to lob the lanky Tokarczyk. Darren Caesar made his debut for Egham, replacing the hardworking Bajram Peshaj, and with his second touch blasted a 25 yard shot that Tokarczyk could only push to safety. Seconds later the Egham new boy got himself booked, which made it an interesting start in a red shirt. Egham had to defend well and with some luck on their side for once as they withstood late pressure but held on for a win that only lifts them up one place (17th). With a free Saturday next week the next match is at Barton Rovers on 19 September. At least Egham have the comfort of going into the mini-break with three decent performances and this encouraging win to lift them. It was a good start for Ahmet Akdag (pictured) and Koo Dumbuya.
EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, Larry Boateng, Mason Welch-Turner, Nadean Fosu, James Richmond, Luke Neville, Josh Andrew, Tarome Hemmings, Brendan Matthew, Bajram Peshaj, Danny Bassett. Subs: Jon Hippolyte (Bassett, 90), Seb Castello, Mitchell Gutteridge, Tom McGarry, Darren Caesar (Peshaj, 80).