BEDFORD TOWN 4 EGHAM TOWN 3

EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CENTRAL
SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER 2015
BEDFORD TOWN 4 (2) EGHAM TOWN 3 (1)
Christian Lester (13), Bilal Yagai (21), Serigne Mor Diop 2 (82, 85)
Chris Henry (31), Brendan Matthew (69), Ryan Phillips (71)

The Eagles beat The Sarnies in a seven goal thriller at a freezing cold Eyrie. Any neutrals would have been delighted as the visitors recovered from a two goal deficit to take a lead that they threw away in a last eight minutes that included some very late drama that saw Egham keeper Jamie Norris prevent a humiliation.
Egham Town were in 3rd place to Bedford Town’s 15th but neither side had great recent form. Egham had a one point and an FA Trophy loss in their last three outings. Bedford, similarly, had lost in the Trophy and collected only three points from their last fifteen. The game began badly for Egham with the home side taking the lead after only nine minutes as Christian Lester rifled the ball into the top left corner from Serigne Mor Diop’s lay off. In the build-up, though, Egham had chances to clear the danger. Egham made their first serious challenge in the 18th minute when Brendan Matthew’s mishit ought to have been turned in by Tarome Hemmings. Shortly after Bedford took a firmer grip on the game with a goal by Bilal Yagai. Matthew was denied room to capitalise on some loose home defending and home keeper Maime Fondop Siwe made a point blank save from Chris Henry’s low drive as Gary Meakin’s men began to realise that the home defence was considerably less than sound. That point was proven just past the half hour as Hemmings and Jake Cass combined for Henry to fire in a shot that clipped the inside of the right post on its way in.
Apparently the Egham boss was less than thrilled at the break. That he was not happy with his defence was evidenced by the replacement at half time of full backs Larry Boateng and Dominic Rhone by Callum Webb and new man Ryan Phillips, son of Assistant Manager Greg. The change immediately gave Egham more attacking impetus, Ollie Jones firing a 25 yard shot just wide and a Callum Webb cross creating havoc in the home back line. That was followed by Webb, off Phillips’ astute pass, stretching Siwe, who could only parry the shot to Bajram Pashaj, and he in turn saw a curling attempt drift just off target. Finally the pressure told. Webb, Henry, Pashaj and Cass were all involved the build-up to an equaliser of great simplicity as Matthew capitalised on not being marked at the back post. After 71 minutes Egham were ahead, Phillips marking his debut by being the first Egham man to score directly from a corner since left back Paul Reed did it thrice in two seasons in the days of Byron Walton’s managerial tenure. That left the visitors 19 minutes to see out a game which they were now dominating. Then, with eight minutes left, Egham imploded. I did not describe the second Bedford goal, and won’t for their third and fourth, partly to save the culprits’ blushes but mainly because all three were, in effect, the same goal; the management will have to sort out any inherent problems and saying what I believe them to be will not help and may give other managers ideas. What I will say is that it beggars belief that Diop, the biggest man on the park, was allowed to score the last two. He is, it is safe to say, never likely to be unnoticeable. As if the tossing away of a hard fought advantage against a team the like of which Egham were knocking over with some comfort just last month were not bad enough Egham then managed to concede two penalties in injury time. Jones was the first to concede with a needless challenge in the box, but Norris pulled off a remarkable save from Diop’s attempt to score a hat-trick, diving to his left to save. The ball was still live, though, and Cass’ intervention was no more judicious than Jones’. Kyal McNulty tried his luck this time but his rising spot kick was pushed over the bar by Norris. If Gary Meakin was unhappy at half time I can only surmise what his mood was like after the game.
The punishment for the last eight minutes was dropping to 7th, when they could and should be sat on top of a five strong group on 31 points. On Tuesday the Sarnies renew acquaintance with Corinthian Casuals in a Surrey Senior Cup 2nd round tie. On Saturday, back in the league, it gets no easier as they entertain a 6th placed Aylesbury side for whom former Sarnies hitman Ryan O’Toole has been proving this season that he has not lost any of his goalscoring ability. The next Tuesday Egham are have another cup tie, at home to Godalming Town in the Red Insure Cup Second Round. Ex-Sarnie Danny Bassett will not be playing as he scored the only goal of the game in the last round win at Uxbridge.
EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, Larry Boateng, Dominic Rhone, Reece Yorke, Luke Neville, Ollie Jones, Chris Henry, Jake Cass, Brendan Matthew, Tarome Hemmings, Bajram Pashaj. Substitutes: Ryan Phillips (Boateng, HT), Callum Webb (Rhone, HT), Tom Collins, Iven Kumanda.