Egham Town 3 Hanworth Villa 1

COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
MONDAY 2 JANUARY 2012
EGHAM TOWN 3 (2) HANWORTH VILLA 1 (0)
Egham Town scorers: Charlie Muldowney 2 (26, 28), Jamie Houghton (55)

Charlie Muldowney made a triumphant return to the Egham Town fold with a quickfire double against one of the clubs he has played for since he last left the Runnymede Stadium. He came on as sub for Molesey in August in the FA Cup, but has apparently not played much football since. There was no sign of ring rust though as Egham sought to bounce back from their 1-4 reverse at Windsor, and in so doing make 4th place their own, at least for the time being.
Egham were missing skipper Aarron Taylor-Ives but were glad to see Luke Muldowney, Charlie's cousin, unfit for the game at Stag Meadow, fit enough to come in and wear the armband. The home side were keen from the start to get a grip against a side that had won 2-0 at The Ranch in August. Charlie Muldowney raced to the byline and knocked in a cross that seemed destined for Dale Marvell's head until Rossoni's attempted back heel inadvertently cleared the ball for the visitors. Rossoni had a more positive intervention on 26 minutes as his clever pass found Charlie Muldowney who beat one defender before a clinical finish from six yards. If that goal was well constructed then the second, just two minutes later, was not; it was, to be honest, a fluke. Jamie Houghton powered his way past two men and unleashed a shot that keeper Terry Buss could only turn out for a corner, taken by Marvell. From the flag kick Lee Pasmore saw his header cleared off the line but that clearance hit the re-signed striker on the leg and flew past Buss. Houghton was denied by Buss just after Villa's Shaun Preddie hammered in a cross that no-one got to. With six minutes left of the half a free kick on the Egham right was headed goalwards by Lawrie Shennan but Paul Borg flung himself to the right and at full stretch produced a wonderful save which he matched from the same man with half time tea beckoning, this time to his left.
Villa pushed from the restart but seemed to lack some of their usual zip. Borg smothered a half chance at the feet of Shennan, and they did score on 78 minutes with a header by Levi King after the ball was allowed to bounce around in the Egham area. Given that Egham find keeping clean sheets particularly troublesome they were grateful that ten minutes into the second half Charlie Muldowney's cross was too much for Buss who punched the ball right where Houghton was poised to smack the ball into the bottom left corner. With time running out both Shennan and King had shots blocked but overall Egham were in control, which will serve them in good stead for an interesting month ahead.
On Saturday John Hamsher's men will be aiming to win at Wembley, who won 2-1 at Egham earlier this season, and on Tuesday 10th January have a rearranged game at Banstead Athletic, beaten 4-0 in September, (kick off 7.30). A week later comes a trip to Cobham FC for a match against Mole Valley SCR, whom Town have beaten in League and Vase. Then on 28 January comes one of the most eagerly anticipated games Egham have faced in recent years as they take on Guernsey, Champions elect of the CCL Division One. Guernsey are running away with that division. Finally the month ends with a visit by Cove, at whose ground Egham notched up a 7-1 win with seven different scorers.

EGHAM TOWN: Paul Borg, Dan Hartlebury, Jake Galbraith, Paul Bartholomew, Lee Pasmore, Luke Muldowney (Capt.), Jamie Houghton, Enrico Rossoni, Dale Marvell, Charlie Muldowney, Tom Hedges. Subs: Matt Grave, Brendan Matthew, Josh Henry, John Hamsher, Tom Brunton.