Farnham Town 2 Egham Town 1

CCL PREMIER DIVISION
FARNHAM TOWN 2 (2) EGHAM TOWN 1 (1)
Egham Town scorer: Tom Hedges (4)

An early lead from Tom Hedges was not enough for Lee Passmore’s side to win for the first time on the road since the change of management at the Runnymede Stadium. Farnham sit in mid table, while Egham came to Mead Lane as top of the CCL pile, a position that is, though it pains me to say it, probably a false placing; Egham and Croydon are the only side in the Premier Division to have played 10 games. Still, 21 points out of 30 is a decent start but unfortunately in Farnham they faced a side who did more with less possession.
The early lead for the Sarnies came after good work by Jamie Read and Brendan Matthew, who created the space that found Hedges in space to turn the ball in from 10 yards. Luke Muldowney came close with an angled shot that the keeper turned away. In fact Farnham did not, alas, seem rattled by the early deficit, and a powerful header by Craig Smith from a corner pulled them level. Hedges, having taken a knock, was replaced by Louis Chandler-Joseph, who immediately curled in a dangerous looking shot. Egham pushed forward, Arran Taylor-Ives heading just over from a corner, but fell behind to an outrageous fluke when a Farnham corner hit a claret shirted player before flying in off Smith for the striker’s second.
That slice of home luck proved to be the end of the scoring, but not for want of trying by both sides. Early pressure by Egham saw Jamie Houghton’s shot deflected for a corner, and with the subbing of Brendan Matthew by Enrico Rossoni the Sarnies introduced the scorer of the dramatic midweek winner against Badshot Lea. Read did get the ball in the net but a raised flag stilled celebrations. The visitors dominated, James Brown indirect free kick forcing a hasty clearance, but the speed of the Farnham breaks was a constant niggle. Paul Borg had to make a superb save and saw another shot smack his right post. Egham’s chances were less clear cut despite their own pace up front and after some optimism from the travelling faithful that the match would (sort of) follow last season’s pattern (Egham scored in the fifth minute through Marcus Moody, went 1-2 down and levelled with about 15 to go with a Dale Marvell equaliser) the clear opening they craved never came.
Egham’s next game is on WEDNESDAY 26.9.12 at Whyteleafe against their tenants, WARLINGHAM, who are 5th from bottom of CCL One, and who lost 1-4 at home to Spelthorne Sports.
On Saturday Egham were due to play at Chipstead against Epsom & Ewell, but the fixtures have been reversed. Egham Town v Epsom & Ewell now plays on 29 September, and the Epsom & Ewell v Egham Town game is on 11 December.
EGHAM TOWN: Paul Borg, Matt Smith, Jake Galbraith, Arran Taylor-Ives, Alex Rodrigues, Luke Muldowney, Jamie Houghton, James Brown, Brendan Matthew, Jamie Read, Tom Hedges. Subs: Charlie McCarthy (Read, 83), Enrico Rossoni (Matthew, 62), Louis Chandler-Joseph (Hedges, 35), Josh Henry.