South Park 2 Egham Town 1

COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISON
SATURDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2011
SOUTH PARK 2 (0) EGHAM TOWN 1 (1)

Egham Town scorer: Marcus Moody (39)

Egham Town saw a 1-0 half time advantage slip away in their first ever trip to South Park. Cue “Kill Kenny” jokes; unfortunately that was probably what John Hamsher felt like doing after centre back Ken During's wayward header gave home striker Chris Smith, who had already equalised, an unmissable chance for what proved to be the winner.
Egham had started brightly, taking the game to their hosts from the start but they found the home side rugged and, at times, wild with their challenges. That, initially, was not the real problem for Egham; the problem, not for the first time this season, was wanting to over-elaborate and walk the ball into the net. Hamsher had swapped top scorer (but not in any great goalscoring form lately) Dale Marvell for the promising Italian Enrico Rossoni, who was unlucky to hit the post from a tight angle 18 minutes in. At the other end Paul Borg made two superb saves from Chris Smith free kicks, to his right and then to his left, with a nine minute gap. There seems to be a strange lack of confidence in Egham's front line, Rossoni electing to pass square to Matt Grave, although as the South Park defence struggled to clear Jamie Houghton almost bundled the ball home. Skipper Marcus Moody then did what Rossoni had done when presented with a clear shooting chance, before showing what could be done when aiming the white round thing between the white sticky things. Grave took a free kick, curling it onto the head of Moody, and Egham were a goal up. Simple. After that things got a bit unfriendly. Houghton fouled Jerry O'Sullivan, no doubt, but the reaction of the assistant manager/magic sponge carrier was laughable, as he ran on to the pitch to tend to O'Sullivan while shouting at the ref “He's gotta go, he's gotta go!” The referee, J Ryan not only did not consider the challege cautionable, he did nothing to punish the South Park bag carrier. Similarly he failed to act when Michael Smith aimed at, and missed, Tom Hedges' head just before the whistle. That whistle did not stop the silliness, with O'Sullivan giving Hedges a slap. Mr Ryan must have seen something – he booked the South Park man – so why not a red?
The second half did not go well for Egham. It started with both full backs needlessly conceding corners before Chris Smith was the last man to touch the ball over Borg's line after another corner was not cleared, after 52 minutes. The driving attacks that at least had Egham creating, if not making the best use of, openings failed to materialise as South Park upped their work rate, harrying and closing down the visitors. Grave and Rossoni went off, Max Galbraith going into midfield and Marvell up front. There were calls from the home side for a penalty after During and Chris Smith fell over in the area, but all appeals were waved away. Egham came close to restoring their lead after Marvell made a surging run down the inside left channel before crossing for his skipper, but Moody saw his shot saved well by the diving James Wastell. With eleven minutes left During made his crucial error, heading the ball into an area that was untenanted by his team mates but where Chris Smith was lurking, and the finish was inevitable. From the kick off it could have been 1-3 with the defence all at sea. Brendan Matthew came on for Houghton, which livened Egham up again, and Marvell saw a fierce volley blocked on the line by Daniel Guscott. Once Wastell had held a Luke Muldowney shot the game was up for Egham who next face Ashford Town (Mx.) at home on Tuesday in the Surrey Senior Cup and, in the League, have another trip via Junction 8 of the M25 to play Epsom & Ewell at Merstham FC.

EGHAM TOWN: Paul Borg, Dan Hartlebury, Jake Galbraith, Lee Pasmore, Ken During, Luke Muldowney, Jamie Houghton, Marcus Moody (Captain), Enrico Rossoni, Matt Grave, Tom Hedges. Subs: Brendan Matthew (Houghton, 82), Dale Marvell (Grave, 57), Tom Brunton, Louis Chandler-Joseph, Max Galbraith (Rossoni, 57).

Results for CCL Premier Clubs: Ash United 0 Guildford City 4, Badshot Lea 1 Colliers Wood United 0, Banstead Athletic 2 Raynes Park Vale 2, Croydon 1 Farnham 1, Hanworth Villa 1 Chessington & Hook 0, Horley 0 Dorking 2, Mole Valley SCR 0 Cove 3, Molesey 3 Sandhurst Town 0, Wembley 0 Camberley Town 2, Windsor 1 Epsom & Ewell 0.