CHERRY RED RECORDS COMBINED COUNTIES PREMIER NORTH
SATURDAY 23 MARCH 2024
EGHAM TOWN 1 (1)
Luke Maguire (7)
FLACKWELL HEATH 3 (3)
Wiktor Makowski (28), Marcus Mealing (33), Marcus Ayres (38)

Since taking up the reins from Harrison Williams Egham Town co-managers had only experienced one defeat, a 0-2 reverse at Flackwell Heath. That was turned into the concession of a league double as the Sarnies lost their way following an excellent start. The home side began brightly and pushed second-placed Heath back on their heels with fast-paced interplay that doubtless caught the more fancied visitors off guard. The reward for an enterprising start came in the 7th minute as Luke Maguire rediscovered his shooting boots and hammered the ball in from well outside the area, leaving keeper Oliver Burger-Williams a spectator. Egham had a half chance to extend their lead when Armando Pires Costa found room for a shot after controlling a long kick from keeper Lewis Gallifent, but after that there was little threat from the home side as Heath wrested control and scored three in quick succession. The first was a gift, the hitherto reliable Rodney Dos Santos bringing Jack Shakespeare down with an untidy challenge. Just as he had done in the first game, Wiktor Makowski buried the penalty past Gallifent. Unfortunately for Dos Santos, it was his next mistimed tackle that gave the (briefly) former Egham striker Marcus Mealing the chance to drill a low free kick into the bottom right corner. Matthew Ayres then took advantage of some wayward defending to score from the edge of the box, and the worry was that the scoreline would take a decidedly unpleasant turn.
Arlie Talboys returned from an injury lay-off to replace Dos Santos at half-time, which seemed to settle Egham down at the back. Mealing missed a presentable chance in the 54th minute, but with Egham unable to rediscover the intensity of the opening twenty minutes, and offering next to nothing in the way of a threat to the opposition, the game became a midfield tussle. Egham’s already depleted resources as an attacking force will be further diminished after Maguire was red-carded for a ridiculous challenge in 76th minute, chasing and fouling Ryan Avery. Referee Connor Fanelli had no choice but to dismiss the Egham goalscorer, but, strangely, it briefly led to Egham’s best move of the half as they won their second-half corner. There were sighs of relief when Shakespeare hit the bar from distance in injury time. Another goal would have been unfair on Egham, whose second half efforts deserved no further punishment. Egham have slipped down to 8th place. The new date for the game at Reading City is Thursday 18 April. Given the problems The Cityzens have had with their pitch the venue might be labelled as “to be confirmed”, given that Woodley United (CCL One) are tenants. City have ten home games to play, and United have eleven. The season ends on 27 April. The night before that Egham will be away, somewhere, against Hilltop, who lost 1-10 to Bedfont Sports yesterday evening at Uxbridge FC. In this rain-bedevilled season Hilltop have 15 games left to play.
Next Saturday Egham travel for their debut visit to Risborough Rangers, where Virginia Water triumphed 2-1. On Easter Monday league leaders Rayners Lane, managed by former Egham boss Gary Meakin, visit for an 11.30 kick off, and on 6 April Egham visit Harefield United, also managed by a former Egham man, Wayne Carter.
EGHAM TOWN: Lewis Gallifent, Rodney Dos Santos, Tristan Francois, Alex Paine, Adam Humphries (Captain), Ben Peden, Armando Pires Costa, Jon-Jo Bates, Luke Maguire, Ben Jordan, Alison Junior Ferreira de Paiva.
Substitutes: Callum O’Keefe (Jordan, 85), Billy Murphy (Pires Costa, 62), Arlie Talboys (Dos Santos, HT), Dan Brown, Deante Gibson.