CHERRY RED RECORDS COMBINED COUNTIES PREMIER NORTH
SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2024
EGHAM TOWN 4 (2) Tyrique Tekasala (11), Harlem Hale (36, p),
Connor Cullen (60), Excellence Muhemba (75)
WEMBLEY 1 (0) Daniel Sefton (56)

It looks like the race for the CCLPN title has just two contenders after the results on Saturday. Amersham Town, winners by 2-0 at Edgware & Kingsbury, are in pole position, and have 54 points, one more than Egham Town, who have a game in hand and a far superior goal difference. North Greenford United are 11 points behind Egham, losing 3-0 to Virginia Water (5th). The match at Runnymede Stadium saw the Sarnies take on the side sitting second bottom, so a home win was expected, and with an early goal by the industrious Tyrique Tekasala there was not much from the visitors to prevent them extending their winning run. After an opening ten minutes of sizing each other up, the breakthrough came when Tekasala set off on a run from midfield, riding tackles before passing to Harlem Hale. The return ball was perfect, as was the calm, sidefooted finish. Wembley keeper Avante Joseph was tested by Hale, and Connor Cullen. Just past the half-hour mark the lights on the main stand side all went out. There was enough illumination from the other set, and Mother Nature, for play to continue to the break, by which time Egham were two up. A completely unnecessary upending of Ben Peden in the Wembley box resulted, inevitably, in a penalty that Hale blasted into the roof of the net.
Sterling work by Dan and Steve Bennett fixed the lighting problem, and 4.15 play recommenced. The Wembley keeper had certainly kept his concentration, making a flying save three minutes in, off Cullen’s header from Tekasala’s driven cross. Soon after Egham could have taken a three goal lead, but Luke Heneghan saw his free kick headed on by Reece Yorke and turned onto the bar by Joseph. Moments later Cullen hit the right post. Egham were clearly the better side, but, like last week at Berks County, raised concerns when the opposition hit back. With Tyler Tobin not yet fit for keeping duties it was Trent Carter-Rogers in goal, and he was caught out by Daniel Sefton’s header. The two goal advantage was soon restored, Jordan Brown (on for Heneghan) tearing down the right and crossing for Cullen to run the ball into the net. Wembley still had some life in them, making a surge into the Egham box and hitting the goalframe. The game was put to bed with the fourth Egham goal, Excellence Muhemba notching up his second since his return, and Egham’s 75th in the league, with a deft finish to reward Josh Williams for a great break down the left. Johnson prevented a fifth going in as he turned a Callum Webb corner over the bar, but the final play came at the other end. Carter-Rogers saved well from a Jeremy Stewart free kick, and recovered well to prevent the loose ball being turned in.
Egham will want to carry their form into the New Year, playing Broadfields United away on 4 January before tackling London Lions in the 4th round of the FA Vase a week later.
EGHAM TOWN: 1Trent Carter-Rogers, 17 Callum Webb, 3 Kyle Watson, 12 Ben Peden, 5 Reece Yorke (C), 6 Ayoub Igozouln, 18 Tyrique Tekasala, 10 Luke Heneghan, 15 Excellence Muhemba, 16 Connor Cullen, 14 Harlem Hale. Substitutes: 2 Alex Nolan, 4 Samad Kazi, 7 Joshua Williams, 8 Kyle Brooks, 9 Jordan Brown.
58' Jordan Brown replaced Luke Heneghan, 71' Joshua Williams replaced Harlem Hale
71' Kyle Brooks replaced Connor Cullen, 78' Alex Nolan replaced Kyle Watson
78' Samad Kazi replaced Ben Peden