SATURDAY 27 JANUARY 2024
CHERRY RED RECORDS PREMIER SOUTH
EGHAM TOWN 0 (0)
READING CITY 5 (2)
Ellis Cowd (7')
Daniel James Warre (34')
Joe Pilling (60')
James Oliver Richardson (72')
Tyler Robinson (91')

This won’t take long. There’s no real point in dwelling on unpleasantness. This was a horror show. Egham had gone 12 unbeaten in CCL Premier North and lost two weeks ago at home to Milton United. In that match passes were misplaced, there was little penetration and the opposing keeper had a very quiet afternoon. Presumably after at least four training sessions, with last week’s match at Wembley postponed, Egham had a chance to do something about those issues and improving a home record that, frankly, sucks. What was offered up was a repeat of the Milton performance, but worse. In only the 7th minute failure to defend Reading City’s first corner, after a brief but bright opening by Egham, allowed Ellis Cowd to convert at the back post. There was not a lot in the way of a cohesive response, and a dreadful back pass in the 33rd minute opened up the Sarnies’ defence for Dan Warre to tuck the ball beyond Lewis Gallifent in the Egham goal. Two down and looking toothless, Egham were reduced to ten men, losing skipper Adam Humphries in first half injury time after a stiff challenge on Cowd. Humphries has now been sent off twice against Reading City.
Manager Harrison Williams took off full backs Cerny Andy and Clyde Ikpo Ondo and replaced them with left back Tristan Francois and striker Billy Murphy. Immediately, but all to briefly, there was a half-chance as Francois sent Murphy away down the left, but City keeper Charlie Yorke was able to smother the chance. Two minutes later Gallifent passed the ball straight to Warre, who was so surprised he failed to capitalise. It was a rare lapse by the Egham keeper, who made a great save from Eddie Lee. Unfortunately, in their next attack, Gallifent could only parry Warre’s shot and Joe Pilling tapped the ball into the empty net. James Richardson added the next, again after Warre drew a decent save from Gallifent, and Tyler Robinson’s own tap in came after a break down Egham’s right met only feeble resistance.
The Sarnies have slipped down three places to 11th. On home form they are 12th, and on away form 5th, an imbalance that hopefully can be resolved, in the right way, during the rest of the season. Away games at Burnham (3 Feb) and Edgware & Kingsbury (10 Feb) precede a pair of home games against Hilltop (13 Feb) and Holyport (17 Feb).

On a brighter note, Egham Town Ladies made their debut in spectacular fashion on Wednesday in the Combined Counties League Cup, thrashing Hilltop 9-1. They face Ashford Town (Mx.) Ladies this Wednesday in the next round.

EGHAM TOWN: Lewis Gallifent, Cerny Ando, Clyde Ikpo Ondo, Adam Humphries (Captain), Arlie Talboys, Kayode Conteh, Nathanael Boakye, Ben Peden, Eli Simpson, Nathan Hogan, Abel Vendrells. Substitutes: Deante Gibson, Billy Murphy (Ondo, HT), George Tucker (Conteh, 83), David Lopes (Talboys, 75), Tristan Francois (Ando, HT).