HARTLEY WINTNEY 1 EGHAM TOWN 3

COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
TUESDAY 12 MARCH 2013
HARTLEY WINTNEY 1 (1) EGHAM TOWN 3 (0)

Egham Town scorers: Arran Taylor-Ives (74), Jamie Read (76), Tommy Hedges (89)

Egham Town made it six wins on the spin, but they made hard work of it against a Hartley Wintney side who had their tails up after eye-catching triumphs at South Park and Epsom & Ewell. The confidence those successes gave them in their quest for CCL Premier safety was clearly evident in a first half in which they took a seventh minute lead from Zac “Zico” Reynolds cute finish from a right wing cross. Indeed, they had forced Paul Borg into his first save with only seconds on the clock. They then defended resolutely from the front, posing questions for the league leaders. Egham were pretty comfortable in ensuring they did not go further behind but were having a bit of an off day up front. Apart from some niggly fouls and righteous indignation from both benches there was not a lot else to keep a small crowd warm.
Promise of better things in the second came, as with the first, in the opening seconds, Egham’s top scorer Jamie Read showing fallibility with a shot wide, Brendan Matthew’s run having created the chance. After 50 minutes Reis Stanislaus was denied by a good save from Craig Atkinson in the home goal, and again ten minutes later. The standard of play from the home side dropped while Egham , still far from their fluent best, showed they were better at getting something, even if playing badly, than their hosts. Having survived a Craig Barker 25 yard free kick, which hit the bar on the way out, the substitutions made by Lee Pasmore began to make a mark. Just prior to that free kick Matthew had been replaced by Kemo Maphela, who set up a chance for Stanislaus, who fluffed his lines. Tom Hedges’ run and pass down the middle for Read almost led to a goal, but Atkinson blocked the shot for a corner that was not cleared, and landed at the feet of Town skipper Arran Taylor-Ives, who scored from close range. That goal, after 74 minutes, settled Egham down while seemingly doing the opposite to Hartley Wintney, who conceded sloppily two minutes later. Patrick Craig threw the ball in to Jamie Houghton (on for Luke Craig), and the sub moved the ball on, parallel to the six yard box. Atkinson should have caught it, didn’t and Read was left with an open goal from eight yards, and was never likely to miss. That made it 23 in all competitions now for Read, who was subbed for Jacob Lambe after 82 minutes. Lambe proved his worth for the third, taking on and beating a couple of challenges before slaloming his way into the box. The ball was not cleared and Hedges used his own deftness of touch to create just enough room for a magnificent low drive into the bottom right corner.
Egham move now six points clear of Epsom & Ewell with three games in hand and a massively better goal difference. The problem of Guernsey continued as they were snowbound, unable to leave the island to play at Bedfont Sports. Not even half their league games completed, in the middle of March (19 completed in 8 months!), and with at least two FA Vase games to fit in, they continue to be the main talking point of the league.

RESULTS THIS EVENING

Middx Charity Cup
Hanworth Villa 1-1 Cockfosters (Hanworth Villa won 4-2 on penalties)

Aldershot Senior Cup
Badshot Lea 1-3 Cove
Old Farnboronians 0-1 Ash

El Records Premier Cup
South Park v MVSCR OFF
Sandhurst 0-2 Cobham

CCL Premier
Bedfont Sports v Guernsey OFF
Dorking 2-0 Colliers Wood
Farnham v Croydon
RPV 2-3 Windsor
EGHAM TOWN: Paul Borg, Patrick Craig, Alex Rodrigues, Arran Taylor-Ives, Jim Ward, Luke Muldowney, Luke Craig, Tom Hedges, Reis Stanislaus, Jamie Read, Brendan Matthew. Subs: Jamie Houghton (Luke Craig, 74), Kemo Maphela (Matthew, 67), Jacob Lambe (Read, 82), Louis Chandler-Joseph, Tim Pitt.