ST IVES TOWN 0 EGHAM TOWN 1

EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE
SATURDAY 19 DECEMBER 2015
ST IVES TOWN 0 (0) EGHAM TOWN 1 (1)
Chris Henry (88)
Egham Town travelled to Cambridgeshire and came away with three hard fought for points, in the process ending their hosts’ eight match unbeaten league run. On a pitch that had passed a 10.30 a.m. inspection the heavy playing surface caused both teams to take an age to adapt to the playing conditions. The first incident of note came in the 7th minute when the home right back had to be replaced after suffering a muscle pull. The next 24 minutes drifted by with both teams probing but with neither side being able to find a telling ball with neither keeper being tested. To add to all 22 players’ frustration the continuous shrill of referee Richard Hart’s whistle meant rhythm was even harder to find. Finally the game settled down. Egham’s best chance of the first half came in the 31st minute when a burst down the left wing by Bajram Pashaj saw his cross just evade Brendan Matthew’s outstretched boot six yards from goal. St Ives then enjoyed their best spell of the game. This saw them force a number of corners that created three notable chances and two superb Jamie Norris saves. It was from one of these corners in the 34th minute that Charlie Death’s goalbound header was clawed out by Norris, diving full stretch away to his right. On 38 minutes Norris stretched himself the other way to tip over Ben Seymour-Shove’s rasping drive. The half ended with the same player spooning over a gilt-edged chance from yet another corner when unmarked in front of goal five yards out.
The start of the second half saw the game remaining tight but Egham were seeing more of the ball. With Kurtney Brooks and Wes Daly battling in the centre of the park and Matthew and Ryan De Battista working tirelessly up front Egham began to assert themselves on St Ives whilst still only creating half chances. In the 68th minute Egham were forced to reshuffle when Reece Yorke picked up an eye watering injury to his nether regions which turned out to require “needle and thread” hospital treatment. Everyone at the club wishes Reece a swift and safe recovery. [Ed: the injury was not as leg-crossingly bad as feared; his performance three days later at AFC R & D was magnificent.] On came Callum Webb, allowing left back Ryan Parsons to slot into the heart of the defence alongside Luke Neville. Two minutes later Egham made their final change with Chris Henry replacing De Battista up front. This was a game changer. With his direct, battering ram style of play Henry soon started punching holes in the St Ives defence which now came under sustained pressure. On 73 minutes Henry had a goalbound effort charged down and another two minutes later smothered by keeper Tim Trebes. Matthew then shot narrowly wide and Neville put a header over from a corner. On 83 minutes Henry popped up unmarked at the far left hand post to head the ball back across goal. It evaded Trebes and everyone else as it bobbled agonisingly inches past the right hand post. With St Ives pinned back mistakes set in and was from one of these that Egham finally profited. In the 88th minute Matthew forced Trebes into a headed clearance on the edge of his box but he could only direct it straight to (who else!) Henry who, 30 yards out, took one touch before executing a glorious lob back over a frantically back-pedalling Trebes into an empty net. Cue team pile-up and the bursting of the local festive spirit!

Match report kindly supplied by Badger. Cheers!