EGHAM TOWN 1 BEDFONT SPORTS

CHERRY RED RECORDS COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 4 MAY 2013

EGHAM TOWN 1 (0) BEDFONT SPORTS 0 (0)

CHAMPIONS! The word that Egham Town dare not mention before this scramble of a win against determined opponents can now be, and has been, shouted from the rooftops round these here parts. All that hard work on and off the park, all the sweat and grind now has its due reward. On the day when Guernsey did to Hartley Wintney what Hartley Wintney did last week to Egham Town (and more – the score was 8-1) the pressure for players, managers and supporters was massive. Lost sleep and upset stomachs were the order of the days before this final fixture, Guernsey’s win on Friday by 1-0 against already relegated Dorking not helping in the least.
With skipper Arran Taylor-Ives on a holiday booked long before the atrocious weather meant an extension to the season and leading marksman Jamie Read injured two key figures in the ascent of Lee Pasmore’s team were absent. Apart from the skipper the starting line-up was the same as that against Horley Town, Alex Rodrigues coming into central defence. Egham got off to the liveliest of starts, Luke Craig’s low cross from the right finding Brendan Matthew, whose strike against the post seemed harder than scoring. Not a minute had gone. Thereafter it was bloody hard work. Sports’ young side weren’t about to become sacrificial lambs. It was not until the 32nd minute that the next decent chance came Egham’s way when Matthew went one-on-one with Alex Vines in the visitors’ goal, the keeper saving with his feet. The tension was getting to everybody and Tommy Hedges was lucky that no harsher action than a yellow card resulted for both him and Jamie Saville, the Sports’ No 6, after a pointless confrontation during which Saville disgraced both himself and his club with a disgusting display of cheating, going down like a sack of ordure, clutching his face. Not long after, with five minutes remaining of the half, Vines got himself a yellow for time wasting and Justin Thompson scythed through Hedges and got away with it.
Reis Stanislaus came on just before the hour, replacing Matthew, with later substitutions of midfielder Steve Coultas by Patrick Craig and Kemo Maphela on for Luke Craig. Eleven minutes of the season remained when finally the breakthrough came, and for all his tireless work for Egham Town since he joined several seasons ago it was fitting that it was Luke Muldowney who was on the end of one of Josh Andrew’s passes after a surging run. The goal, which can be seen in all its glory on You Tube, triggered manic celebrations. Bedfont Sports were deflated and three minutes later a man short after Thompson got his marching orders for a second (at least!) cautionable offence.
The trophy was presented in front of the newly renamed “Brian Askew Stand”. Brian, who passed away earlier this season, would have been delighted to see his side come good. His widow Doreen and son Neil were present to accept a winner’s trophy.
This has been a remarkable season that started with such high hopes after a well deserved 4th place last season under the aegis of John Hamsher, Wayne Noad and Colin Bartholomew. When Hamsher and Noad jumped ship to run Chipstead it left Egham Town Chairman Pat Bennett with almost no time to appoint a new management team. He turned to Lee Pasmore, whose playing days ended with a nasty injury in the opening day’s 3-0 win at Sandhurst Town. Lee called on former Egham player and former manager – and permanent Egham hero – Jack McKinlay, and Neerav Patel, who is all of the above apart from the manager bit. Pasmore is now firmly a Sarnie hero, whatever happens. These men love this club and it shows. They took the departure of players for Chipstead on the chin, and brought in talent like defenders Jim Ward, Josh Andrew (who went to Chipstead and recently returned), Joel Jacobs and Tim Pitt, midfielders (and uncle/cousin) Luke and Patrick Craig, Kemo Maphela and Steve Coultas, and forwards Jacob Lambe and Reis Stanislaus. Jamie Read, apparently on the verge of being bombed out by Hamsher, blossomed – his 32 goals have been as much part of the club’s title success as any other factor.
Whither Egham now? Wherever it may be it will involve more hard work and more travelling. Evo-Stik Central looks more likely, with derbies against Ashford Town (Middx.) and Chertsey Town. Journeys up and down the M40 to Aylesbury and Daventry seem preferable to hiking up and down the M25 to Kent several times. Still, we used to do that sort of trip to Tilbury, Rainham, Grays, Aveley, Purfleet and Saffron Walden. You just get on with it. The decision will apparently be made in a couple of weeks. It has taken Egham seven seasons to get out of the Combined Counties League. When we first entered the League I was sure we would be out again in a season or two, and felt horrified that my club had sunk so low that it could be drawn in the League Cup against a side that didn’t have lights. A couple of times we came uncomfortably close to playing in a division against sides without lights. Key players have already pledged allegiance for another campaign. 38 years after winning the Athenian League Division Two title it’s upwards now. Let’s see what 2013 – 2014 brings.
EGHAM TOWN: Paul Borg, Josh Andrew, Joel Jacobs, Alex Rodrigues, Jim Ward, Luke Muldowney (captain), Tom Hedges, Steve Coultas, Brendan Matthew, Jacob Lambe, Luke Craig. Subs: Louis Chandler-Joseph, Junior Wright, Patrick Craig (Coultas, 62), Kemo Maphela (Luke Craig, 78), Reis Stanislaus (Matthew, 58).

Thank you everyone who was involved. You have made a middle aged man very, very happy.

Mark