Egham Town 1 Guildford City 1

COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 27 MARCH 2011
EGHAM TOWN 1 (1) GUILDFORD CITY 1 (1)
Egham Town scorer: Dale Marvell (30)

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Egham Town manager John Hamsher is facing a bit of a defensive dilemma before the August Bank Holiday Monday short hop to Hanworth Villa and his FA Cup return to Merstham on Saturday. What he can't have wanted, then, is a game against the only side in the CCL Premier to have won all five of their opening games. Without Ken During, unavailable here and on Monday, and Aarron Taylor-Ives, who went off at half time in the midweek home defeat against Wembley, what he was not about to do was put Luke Muldowney in the back four because it was that move that led to the Londoners turning round an Egham half time lead. What he did do was put Lee Pasmore in the back four, along with Paul Bartholomew, who has not played any competitive football since last season and whose pre-season was ruined by a tackle that broke his right fibula at Hillingdon Borough in the first friendly. (That led to the signing of right back Dan Hartlebury, who has proved to be a superb acquisition, so there was a silver lining to that particular cloud.) Putting this untested combination together against a potent attack was a huge gamble and it is to the credit of every single Egham player that it worked but especially Bartholomew and keeper Paul Borg.
Guildford put their hosts on the back foot from the off and after only two minutes Austin Ganchev took advantage of an understandable mix-up in the back line but Bartholomew, even with the lack of match sharpness, was on hand to race in and clear the danger. Egham had decided to tackle the league leaders with a positive policy that had Scott Todd, leading scorer Dale Marvell and former City man Matt Grave all detailed to attack. After seven minutes Todd got clear on the Egham right and elected to shoot when a square pass to Marvell may have been more profitable. Egham had to regroup when, with 19 minutes gone, skipper Marcus Moody landed awkwardly as he challenged City keeper Anthony Hall. He lasted until half time. Marvell could have done better than curl a shot into Hall's hands, after collecting a long pass from Jake Galbraith, before the Egham defence collectively threw everything into stopping shots by Ganchev and Jack Guilford. When Egham finally cracked, after 29 minutes, it was because they stood off as Dan Moody shaped up for and scored with a curling shot from the edge of the area, the ball beating Borg off the inside of his left post. To Egham's credit they got that goal back immediately, and it was Grave who created it, working hard to create space for a cross that Marvell met with a powerful downward header past Hall. Guildford hit back, Borg making a superb stop and then reacting smartly to gather the loose ball off a shot by Ben Camara. Egham could have taken the lead when Pasmore's raking pass found Marvell, who raced in on Hall but perhaps took the ball too close to the keeper, who held on as Grave closed in, but then City could have taken the lead themselves as the half ended, Borg leaping to turn a Ben Rayner piledriver over the bar.
Moody's injury got the better of him, forward Brendan Matthew replacing him as the second half started. Egham got the rough end of some controversial decisions in the first ten minutes, a booking for Marvell being followed by a drop ball after Ganchev had clearly cut Muldowney down with a crude challenge and the refusal to award a penalty as Grave was fouled in the box. Guildford's fans cheered on 63 minutes as a Ganchev shot headed goalwards but Bartholomew was on hand again to clear his lines. Another excellent save by Borg prevented Camara from converting Ganchev's pass and both Marvell and Hartlebury had to make critical tackles on Ganchev with 20 minutes still to play. Bartholomew picked up a caution, as did Hartlebury, with Egham penned into their own half, but with the pace of their front line Egham were still able to remind Guildford of their own threat. Bartholomew was applauded off as Youth centre back Jake Joslin made his bow. Half chances for Pasmore and Marvell came and went before Borg denied Ganchev again after 82 minutes. Yet another stop by Borg, well positioned after Ganchev found room, preceded two late substitutions, Todd replaced by Ross White and Ganchev by Luke Bradnick.
Other results did not do Egham any great favours, but Egham will be pleased to see pre-season promotion candidates such as Badshot Lea (1-1 at home to Raynes Park Vale) and Windsor (goalless at Croydon) drop points.

EGHAM TOWN: Paul Borg, Jake Galbraith, Dan Hartlebury, Paul Bartholomew, Lee Pasmore, Luke Muldowney, Jamie Houghton, Marcus Moody (capt.), Dale Marvell, Matt Grave, Scott Todd. Subs: Ross White (Todd, 88), Brendan Matthew (Moody, HT), Jake Joslin (Bartholomew, 78), Josh Henry, Wayne Noad.