POTTERS BAR TOWN 0 EGHAM TOWN 1

EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH
SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY 2016
POTTERS BAR TOWN 0 (0) EGHAM TOWN 1 (0)
Callum Webb (90+4)

A rare full programme of Southern One Central fixtures saw some noteworthy results but for Egham Town boss Gary Meakin the only one that would matter is this, another late win that maintains their promotion push.
Some of the travelling Sarnies’ faithful were worried by previous results at the Pakex Stadium, a 1-1 draw and a 0-1 loss, neither game seeing the Surrey side cover themselves with glory. Kurtney Brooks returned to the starting XI after missing the 1-0 win at Leighton Town, and Egham started well on a surface that was muddy in places, sandy in front of one penalty area and generally perfectly playable. The home side, “The Scholars”, then found their feet and put the Egham back line under some heavy pressure. Eoin Casey fired wide, and Jamie Norris was stretched by Evandro Delgado’s clever flick shot. For Egham Bajram Pashaj embarked on a 40 yard run that fizzled out with a misplaced pass and soon after Delgado had shot that Norris saved with his feet. Casey was denied by the worryingly busy Egham keeper and home skipper Gary Jones fired over. Egham then started to get their own game sorted, Brendan Matthew finding space to attack and when the ball was cleared it found Jake Cass for a shot that home keeper Ben Goode pushed away for a corner. Matthew combined with Pashaj for the latter to fire in a shot that Goode again pushed clear, Cass had a shot that trundled wide and Matthew headed over off a Pashaj free kick.
Early in the second period Matthew missed again, his header off a cross by Pashaj going wide. Just past the hour Cass gave way to Callum Webb. His first involvement of note was setting up Chris Henry for a cross to Pashaj, who could not quite get enough on the ball to turn it in. Elliott Carey replaced Hassan Sulaiman, who had taken a knock, as Egham continued to look like the side higher up the table (they started in 6th to their hosts’ 11th) but without actually doing much to threaten the home goal. Brooks’ pass from midfield to Pashaj set up a chance to do something about that, but from the cross Matthew could not head goalwards and Henry shot wide. Matthew was replaced by Ryan De Battista with ten minutes left and while Egham were getting used to the changes Jack Lyons shot wide after a run on the visitors’ goal. A minute into injury time Casey hammered a shot on target but Norris was its equal with a splendid save to his right. Time was running out but Egham, who were forced to push to the end in their last game, show that they had one more attack in them. Pashaj set the seal on another top drawer performance with a perfect cross that beat Henry but found Webb rising at the far post for a header that found the top right corner of the Potters Bar net. The Egham players celebrated, the home players looked crestfallen and the Sarnies had recorded another double after a 4-0 home win in October.
This, Egham’s 8th 1-0 win in the league this season, was pretty important given that leaders AFC Rushden & Diamonds drew 0-0 at Fleet Town, St Ives in third lost 0-1 at home to third from bottom Aylesbury United, Royston Town could only get a point (1-1) at basement club North Greenford United and Chalfont St Peter were beaten 0-2 at Beaconsfield SYCOB. Of the sides above the Sarnies only Kings Langley won, beating Leighton Town 2-1.
Egham have three home games now, Ware making their first trip to Egham in a decade on Tuesday before the Sarnies entertain Uxbridge and, next Tuesday, Royston Town.
EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, Hassan Sulaiman, Ryan Parsons, Reece Yorke, Luke Neville (Captain), Kurtney Brooks, Jake Cass, Wes Daly, Brendan Matthew, Bajram Pashaj, Chris Henry. Substitutes: Ryan Phillips, Elliott Carey (Sulaiman, 67), Ollie Jones, Callum Webb (Cass, 61), Ryan De Battista (Matthew, 80).