The Crows 1 The Sarnies 2 - abandoned

CALOR LEAGUE CENTRAL DIVISION – TUESDAY 21 JANUARY 2014
ROYSTON TOWN 1 EGHAM TOWN 2 – abandoned 75 minutes

“Frustroyston” is a neologism I coined as I cobbled together something for the website after getting home from seeing Royston Town versus Egham Town called off with only 5/6ths played and Egham Town winning 2-1 after going behind. The “word” barely does justice to the way everyone in the Egham Town camp felt when this game was called off. The reason for the abandonment was a really bad injury suffered by home player Jack Bradshaw, who pulled up sharply in the 75th minute, and on the halfway line, with a dislocated hip. After initial attempts at treatment an ambulance was called and arrived in impressively short time but there was a long wait before the stricken man was moved off the pitch. Just before the transfer referee Ian Rathbone had decided enough was enough and called the game off, which was probably not the best timing. However, we all understand that the safety of the player is paramount and all at Egham Town wish Mr Bradshaw a full and speedy recovery. There were only 15 or so minutes left, and even allowing for a five minute warm-up for the players the alternative, another midweek schlep via the M25, A1(M) and A505 to Garden Walk, is not ideal. Unfortunately this will probably mean that the one game suspension that Ryan O’Toole would have served had this same fixture gone ahead on 11 January, and had been moved to the rescheduled date due to Egham not playing since, will now have to be served as his team mates face Potters Bar Town on 25 January. It should mean at least that we will return to Royston with two in-form strikers, not just one.
For the 5/6ths of the game that were played Egham can be very pleased with the way they handled an in-form team sitting in third place, to Egham’s 15th. Initially our passing was pretty awful and we looked out of sorts, not helped by Mo Harkin limping off 17 minutes in with a calf strain. He was replaced Louis Chandler-Joseph. Just after the half hour Egham were behind to what could be described as “a worldy” but only if one ignores the fact that the scorer, Spyros Mentis, was allowed to run unmolested from 45 yards out before arrowing a fierce cross shot into Jamie Norris’ net. There might be an explanation why no-one seemed interested in putting a tackle in…
The lead was only eight minutes long for The Crows, as there was a “coming together” of home keeper Nick Thompson, the ball and Reis Stanislaus. Mr Rathbone ruled in Egham’s favour, awarding a spot kick that Stanislaus converted – via the keeper’s glove and the inside of the left post – and therefore gave some of the home crowd a chance to give their range of unrepeatable expletives an airing before half-time tea on a chilly evening.
The Sarnies survived a scare as the hour mark approached when Mitch Bryant was given too much time and room to come down the inside left channel and bend a shot that cannoned off Norris’ left hand post. Chances came for both sides; Jim Ward nearly converted a Luke Muldowney free kick and Norris had to make a full stretch two handed save to push a Rob Mason header over his bar. In the 68th minute Andy Crossley gave way to new midfielder Nathan Busuttil (who will be in line to make his debut all over again, this time against Potters Bar), and within seconds Egham were ahead after a Muldowney free kick from 45 yards out caused panic in the home defence. Joe Chandiram and Chandler-Joseph saw shots blocked before the ball fell for Stanislaus to ram the ball home from close range. Craig Hammond forced Norris to make another very good save, this time with his left foot as he was falling, and then the unfortunate Mr Bradshaw pulled up short on the halfway line and that was that.

EGHAM TOWN: Jamie Norris, Luke Muldowney (Capt.), Jake Galbraith, Kyle Anthony, Jim Ward, Mo Harkin, Joe Chandiram, Josh Andrew, Reis Stanislaus, Calvin Thomas, Andy Crossley. Subs: Arran Taylor-Ives, Nathan Busuttil, Brendan Matthews, Louis Chandler-Joseph, Gary Ross (GK).