Barton Rovers 3 Egham Town 1

CALOR LEAGUE ONE CENTRAL
SATURDAY 26.10.13
BARTON ROVERS 3 (2) EGHAM TOWN 1 (1)
EGHAM TOWN SCORER: JOE CHANDIRAM (40)

This was not a happy return to Sharpenhoe Road for the Sarnies, who last visited in season 1994-5. Just after the team sheets were being handed over Jack McKinlay came into the Barton Rovers Presidents’ Lounge to inform the home side of a late change – midfielder Patrick Craig had a leg injury and was replaced by Jamie Read, who is a striker. It was a big loss as Craig’s dynamism in the centre of the park has been a key feature of recent matches. The absences of right back Josh Andrew, banned (Luke Muldowney took his place), midfielders Jamie Houghton and Jacob Lambe were unfortunate, but with three decent strikers (Read, Shane Graham and Ryan O’Toole) on the park the potential for an attacking performance was there. The first six letters of “potential” spell “potent”, and that, unfortunately was just what Egham weren’t, and neither Read nor Graham lasted the 90 minutes, the latter going off as early as the 20th minute, replaced, after picking up a leg injury, by central defender Arran Taylor-Ives. By the time the club skipper had come on Rovers had forced Gary Ross to make another of a burgeoning catalogue of top drawer saves, Bobby Dance almost taking advantage of slack marking. In the 27th minute Dance was given another chance and took it. Egham had a justifiable beef about the goal. Referee Nic Evans had given a free kick that wasn’t, taken with a moving ball in the wrong place, but even so the defending was well short of what was needed. There was not much in the way a response, but there was some awful officiating from Mr Evans, who saw Dance commit a blatant handball offence and, to general bemusement, said the ball hit the striker’s head. That would only have happened if he were, let’s say, constructed in an unusual fashion. Ricky Cook blazed over a chance for 2-0 and it was not until the 40th minute that the visitors provided any real threat to Kyle Foster in the home goal. It came from a Chris Ellis throw, bravely met by the flying Joe Chandiram, for an equaliser that was close to being followed by the lead as Jake Galbraith’s ball into the box was rolling down the slope and towards the target before Liam McDevitt slid in and hooked the ball away. It looked as if Egham now had the bit between their teeth but then Rhys Hoenes ran down the right, and was allowed to cut into the area where Ellis brought him down for a clear, and needless, penalty that Dance converted.
The second half was no better, against a very ordinary side who were not a patch on Cirencester Town, whom Egham beat in last week’s FA Trophy tie. Louis Chandler-Joseph tried hard down the right but in common with his team mates seemed to lack the zip and urgency required. Read went off five minutes into one of his least inspired performances (not surprising, to be fair, as he was out of position) to be replaced by Brendan Matthew, who, five minutes later, dithered when presented with the one chance he had in the game. A second equaliser and then who knows? Instead, two minutes later, a bog standard cross from Rovers’ right and mistimed header by the criminally unfettered Jermaine Hall fell off the forward’s head, leaving Ross wrong footed. Were it not for a brave intervention by Kyle Anthony with fifteen to go Hall would have scored a fourth. Andy Crossley, out for a while recovering from injury, replaced Ellis, who had gone down with a leg injury and put in some decent crosses but Egham only threatened once more, O’Toole’s free kick causing Foster some discomfort before he gathered the loose ball.
Egham have slipped to 12th place, having gone six league games without a win, the last success coming at Uxbridge on 7 September. With three draws and three defeats they sit in the Football Web Pages “last six” form guide above only local rivals Chertsey Town (one win) and Ashford Town (Middx.) (nul points).
On Tuesday Egham Town play in the Surrey County FA Saturday Senior Cup second round (they had a bye in the first round) against South Park, currently in pole position to be successors to the Sarnies’ Combined Counties League title. On Saturday Egham travel to Carshalton Athletic, third from bottom of the Ryman Premier in the FA Trophy Second Round Qualifying, and playing for the last time under caretaker boss Ian Hazel, who had decided to quit. In the League Cup, after the dismantling of Guildford City, the reward is a trip on 12 November to Godalming Town. In all of these, but chiefly in the league, Egham must rediscover their mojo. Barton Rover, meanwhile, now sit in first place of the Calor One Central.
EGHAM TOWN: Gary Ross, Luke Muldowney, Jake Galbraith, Kyle Anthony, Chris Ellis, Mo Harkin, Jamie Read, Joe Chandiram, Shane Graham, Ryan O’Toole, Louis Chandler-Joseph. Subs: Arran Taylor-Ives (Graham, 20), Brendan Matthew (Read, 50), Patrick Craig, Joel Jacobs, Andy Crossley (Ellis, 70).