LEIGHTON TOWN 0 EGHAM TOWN 0

The writer of the Non-League Paper report for Leighton Town this Sunday gave Egham Town goalkeeper Gary Ross the Star Man accolade for his heroics between the sticks in this entertaining, if at times somewhat feisty, first encounter between the teams since 1997-8, a season that saw the Sarnies’ first ever relegation (Ryman Two to Three). That recognition tells only part of the story. Leighton Town, happily, do not seem to have much of a cutting edge else we would have been facing a defeat. Between minutes 3 and 12 these things happened: Leighton had a corner that was headed back by Gareth Chendlik for the unmarked Dom Marsala, who headed over an open goal; Ryan Plowright had a 25 yard shot held; Ross seemed caught in two minds dealing with a long ball and was glad to see Plowright leather the ball over the bar; Chendlik headed against the bar and then nodded the rebound into the arms of the grateful keeper, who was sat on the goalline. Then Egham started to show as an attacking force but when Ryan O’Toole raced through the home back line and was clear he was hauled back by Jack Downes, who was clearly the last man. Referee W Cartmel was in a festive mood and gave him just a yellow. The officials then missed an O’Toole shot being blocked by a defender’s hand and home keeper Bradley Kirkwood had his own slice of luck when he dealt with an O’Toole free kick by sitting on the ball as it threatened to squeeze under him. After the fine performance at Marlow the expectation was for a similarly potent showing in Leighton Buzzard but with new man Calvin Thomas taken to hospital by his wife on Saturday morning, Jamie Houghton and Luke Muldowney still injured, Marcus Moody working and Andy Crossley and Mo Harkin unavailable the midfield had to be reshuffled with forward Brendan Matthew at left midfield and former Hampton & Richmond Borough man Ashley Quashie getting his first start.
As the wind picked up the game stayed as frantic, with the home side breaking at pace whenever possible. Matthew had a decent chance to give Egham the lead but shot wide, but before that there had been a massive scramble in the visitors’ area. In all honesty it was the home side who looked the more likely to break the deadlock, even with Joe Chandiram almost catching Kirkwood out with a wind-assisted free kick. In the last five minutes Chendlik and Plowright combined with the latter shooting goalwards but Kyle Anthony was able to clear the ball off the line. Finally it took a superb save from Ross, dealing with a fierce cross shot from the left wing by Shane Bush, to see Egham leave with a clean sheet and a point.

1. Gary Ross 2. Josh Andrew 3. Jake Galbraith 4. Arran Taylor-Ives (skipper) 5. Kyle Anthony 6. Ashley Quashie 7. Brendan Matthew 8. Joe Chandiram 9. Reis Stanislaus 10. Ryan O’Toole 11. Jacob Lambe. Subs: 14. Jim Ward 15. Richard Byrne 16. Adam Bernard 17. Louis Chandler-Joseph. Substitutions: 11/16 (6 minutes), 6/14 (51) 7/16 (75).