HANWELL TOWN 0 EGHAM TOWN 4

EVO-STIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CENTRAL
TUESDAY 8 MARCH 2016
HANWELL TOWN 0 (0)
EGHAM T OWN 4 (2)
Brendan Matthew (7), Bajram Pashaj (29), Aaron Morgan (87), Mitchell Gutteridge (90)

Egham Town continued their run of scoring late goals, but this time, much to the relief of all Sarnies, the game was already won. Egham face a difficult trip to Northwood on Saturday, so this result, and the manner of its achievement, will be particularly useful. The dogged determination that saw Egham push to the end in their last half dozen fixtures was here allied to a return to the skilful and entertaining play they were showing when Gary Meakin first stamped his mark on the club. Forward Aaron Morgan (Hendon, Hampton & RB), made his debut and something clicked. From the start there was a feeling that this was not as likely to be a nailbiter, and when Brendan Matthew scored after only 7 minutes it settled the visitors. Kurtney Brooks started the move by winning the ball in midfield then feeding it out to Bajram Pashaj on the left. About 20 yards out he cut inside, leaving two defenders trailing in his wake, before playing a perfect pass to Matthew. A drop of a shoulder, a low hard shot down the middle and home keeper Martin Herdman probably thought he was in for a difficult night. Chris Henry had home defenders chasing shadows and Morgan was working some neat interplay with Matthew, Pashaj and Brooks. Just before the half hour a long free kick from the back found skipper Luke Neville. From his header the move seemed to have broken down but Pashaj showed great awareness to take control of the loose ball, step inside a challenge and rifle the ball into the far corner. Herdman’s decent save from Morgan prevented Egham going into the break three up.
Hanwell Town, sitting in 19th place and eight points above the relegation slots, put together a fine move eight minutes into the second half, and it took an excellent diving save from Jamie Norris (pictured) to prevent Bradley Simmonds starting a comeback. For the next quarter of an hour little of note happened, but with the Sarnies in control. Jake Cass replaced Henry, Pashaj smashed a free kick against the cross bar and Oliver Duffy stretched Norris at the other end as play began again to hold the interest. Cass was unlucky with a powerful volley that was inches off the mark then Matthew was taken off with five minutes left, Mitchell Gutteridge his replacement. Two minutes later a routine Egham corner left the home defence all at sea and Morgan took full advantage, walloping the ball in from six yards with an angled drive. Cass nearly made it 4-0 with a shot that clipped off a defender then Gutteridge did it instead. He had a free kick on the right, and it wasn’t the best he will ever take, but it bamboozled defenders and keeper, Herdman letting the ball slip from his grasp before it rolled between his legs and over the line. The bow he took in celebration probably means that this goal will get better and better in the telling.
Egham are now in second place, overtaking AFC Rushden & Diamonds, who are two points behind having played two games more. Kings Langley are top, by one point, and they, like Diamonds, have played 33 games.
EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, Elliott Carey, Ryan Parsons, Reece Yorke, Luke Neville (Captain), Kurtney Brooks, Chris Henry, Wes Daly, Brendan Matthew, Aaron Morgan. Substitutes: Mitchell Gutteridge (Matthew, 85), Ryan Phillips, Jake Cass (Henry, 72), Ryan De Battista, Chris Moore (Morgan, 90).