Uxbridge 0 Egham Town 5

CALOR LEAGUE CENTRAL DIVISION

SATURDAY 7 SEPTEMBER 2013
UXBRIDGE 0 (0) EGHAM TOWN 5 (1)
Egham Town scorers: Louis Chandler-Joseph (12), Ryan O’Toole 2 (62, 68), Jamie Read (75), Jim Ward (90 + 4)

It would not be to diminish this result to say that I doubt anyone expected it. Sixth hosted fifth in this first league encounter between these clubs since season 1984-85 in the Isthmian League Division Two South. Since then the sides have met in friendlies, Uxbridge generally having the upper hand.
On a superb playing surface Egham were on the offensive from kick-off with former Uxbridge striker Ryan O’Toole setting up a chance that Patrick Craig drove towards the bottom left corner of the home goal but Rourke Pickford saved well. Craig Tomkins and Kieran Knight threatened Gary Ross’ goal but after only 12 minutes Egham took the lead when O’Toole played a wall pass for Louis Chandler-Joseph who had his first shot blocked straight back to him; he made no mistake with the rebound. A firm grip in midfield stifled Uxbridge’s ambitions for the first half which contained chances only for Jamie Houghton, forcing a smart save from Pickford shortly after the goal and in injury time a run and shot by Reis Stanislaus, with no-one following up Pickford’s parry.
Four minutes into the second period Uxbridge’s Knight made a hash of a chance after a free kick. Luke Muldowney came on to replace the dynamic “Patch” Craig in midfield after a heavy tackle. Just past the hour Egham were two up when Muldowney’s long pass found O’Toole running clear of a threadbare defence to finish with ease past the stranded Pickford. The points were secured when the same Egham striker scored the goal of the season so far for the Sarnies, a perfectly judged lob from a difficult angle out on Egham’s left wing arcing perfectly into the net. Stanislaus and Jacob Lambe left the field to be replaced by Jamie Read and Luke Craig, a decision given almost immediate justification when O’Toole presented the ball to Read who, with one sweep of his right boot pinged the ball in off the left post from 15 yards. With the game well won there was some sloppiness at the other end that briefly threatened a second straight clean sheet but such danger as there was soon dissipated. Instead Jamie Houghton knocked in a corner that skipper Jim Ward headed over then, soon after, hit another flag kick that had the home defence playing statues and Ward running in to belt the ball in from close range.
No poultry is being quantified yet with just one seventh of the season gone but Egham have a good squad which, with the other results coming in, sits in the fifth place they attained after Tuesday’s comfortable win over Chalfont St. Peter. Early FA Cup departure at Shortwood means that the next game is on Tuesday 17 September, at home to AFC Hayes, which will give players such as Patrick Craig, Chris Ellis and Andy Crossley time to recover from early season niggles. Joel Jacobs, Richie Byrne and Arran Taylor-Ives will unfortunately take a while longer. What the club have found so far at this level is that the standard of pitches far exceeds that of the Combined Counties League, as does that of the match officials.

EGHAM TOWN: Gary Ross, Josh Andrew, Jake Galbraith, Kyle Anthony, Jim Ward, Patrick Craig, Louis Chandler-Joseph, Jamie Houghton, Reis Stanislaus, Ryan O’Toole, Jacob Lambe. Subs: Jamie Read (Stanislaus, 68), Luke Craig (Lambe, 68), Luke Muldowney (P Craig, 55), Brendan Matthew, Andy Crossley.