EGHAM TOWN 2 UXBRIDGE 2

EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CENTRAL
SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2016
EGHAM TOWN 2 (1) UXBRIDGE 1 (1)
Brendan Matthew (21) Chris Henry (82)
Michael Wiseman (45) Mark Dennison (67)

Egham Town were forced to fight to keep their promotion push going with a draw against an Uxbridge looking to avenge their 0-7 drubbing in September, and, two weeks later, removal from the Red Insure Cup. Having recovered in the previous game from 0-2 at half time to win 3-2 against Ware, a decent side sitting in the middle of the table, Egham knew that the previous game would not be easy but in truth they should still have had all three points. That it did not happen was down to the two factors that determine all football matches; chances taken and defensive alertness. Seconds after Anthony O’Connor, Uxbridge’s No. 9, had been denied by an excellent save by Jamie Norris, Egham’s top scorer Brendan Matthew headed Jake Cass’ excellent cross in off the post for a 21st minute lead and his own 20th goal of the season. It also meant that Egham had scored 11 unanswered goals against their Middlesex rivals (the last in the 3-1 win at Honeycroft last season, the 1-0 win here, and the eight this season.) Ryan Phillips saw his shot deflected for a corner taken by Bajram Pashaj and from which Cass headed wide. Pashaj was lucky to be able to continue after a brutal challenge, and home keeper Jamie Norris came off worst as Wayne Carter closed in on goal, with the home side calling for a penalty. Egham had been the superior side for the first period but the failure to add to their tally almost inevitably let Uxbridge back in. With seconds left before the break some dozy defending left Mitchell Wiseman free to head in.
Jamie Norris, who had missed the Ware game with illness and had not fully recovered, was replaced by former Beaconsfield keeper James Reading at half time, with Ryan Phillips also being swapped for Elliott Carey. Uxbridge were an improved side in the second half and went ahead with Mark Dennison’s header on 66 minutes, again after Egham had not defended a corner. This is an old failing, one of those that historically bedevils Egham but which seemed to have been pretty much eradicated this season. Before that happened Matthew had had a header blocked and had slid into poke Chris Henry’s cross shot past Paul McCarthy in the visitors’ goal, but he was marginally offside. Midfielder Wes Daly came off, striker Ryan De Battista came on and Carey went on a solo run that ended with a cross that the Egham players thought had been handled in the box. Unfortunately the referee disagreed. In the 65th minute O’Connor’s clever pass to Carter forced Reading to race out to block the shot, conceding the corner from which Dennison scored. So far the performance of the home side had been somewhat less than what will be required in the final third of the season if even a play-off place is to be achieved. Perhaps realising this they upped their game. Cass had a close range shot blocked then Henry tore down the right and drilled in a cross cleared with some desperation only as far as the six yard box where McCarthy and Matthew went for the ball. When it dropped Cass hammered the ball goalwards but the shot was cleared off the line. Henry then went on another run for a shot that was cleared for a corner that the striker took, home skipper Luke Neville headed on and De Battista was unlucky to see his shot on the turn hit McCarthy’s right post. Egham, for all that they had not played as well as they could and should have, did not deserve to lose and finally the equaliser came. With eight minutes left Henry broke down the right and fired in a shot that was blocked straight back to him, so he drilled the rebound past McCarthy from a tight angle. With an unexpected five minutes of injury time played Egham might even have won it when De Battista took the ball down the right and drove in a cross that managed to beat both Henry and Matthew.
There was positive news on the injury front as the side welcomed back defender Mitchell Gutteridge after a long lay-off with a shoulder injury. He had a warm-up game on the Tuesday before with Ascot United, scoring the first in the Berkshire side’s 4-0 thrashing of derby rivals Bracknell Town.
Still third, Egham have Royston Town coming to the Runnymede Stadium on Tuesday before a trip to basement side North Greenford United on Saturday. Royston sit one place and one point behind the Sarnies, but have played one more game. Egham still have the tightest defence in the division but will have to be at their best against the Cambridgeshire side who reached 70 goals on Saturday with a 4-1 win over strugglers Arlesey.
EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, Jake Cass, Ryan Phillips, Reece Yorke, Luke Neville (Captain), Ryan Parsons, Kurtney Brooks, Wes Daly, Brendan Matthew, Bajram Pashaj, Chris Henry. Substitutes: Mitchell Gutteridge, James Reading (gk) (Norris, HT), Ollie Jones, Elliott Carey (Parsons, HT), Ryan De Battista (Daly, 60).