CHERRY RED RECORDS COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE

DORKING 0 (0) EGHAM TOWN 4 (2)

29.4.10

EGHAM TOWN SCORERS: CHARLIE MCCARTHY 2 (11, 65), TOM MARTIN (32), JAMIE HOUGHTON (57)

WWW.EGHAMTOWNFC.COM

A final four goal flourish brought Egham Town’s season to a suitable end, the Sarnies cementing their fourth place finish thanks to a double from Charlie McCarthy and one each from Tom Martin and Jamie Houghton. With their record CCL Premier finishing place, 77 points, 97 goals and just two defeats in their last 17 games Steve Baker, assisted by Colin Bartholomew and Roy Butler, has made his Egham Town team one of the most attack minded, and attractive, sides to watch at this level. A vast improvement in the standard of the playing surface has played its part; it looks now better than many (certainly at non-league) will come August.

Egham were determined to end the season on an upbeat note, especially against a side who had been beaten 8-0 at the Runnymede Stadium. Dorking, relegated but potentially capable of a shock result, such as Tuesday’s 4-1 success against League Cup winners Cove, were much changed, but it soon became clear that the Cove result can only have come from the Hampshire side’s tiredness (it was their third game in four days) because Dorking were willing but very limited. Egham’s Anthony Oaks, Supporters’ Player of the year, took an 11^th minute free kick that Tom Martin saw saved at point blank range by Sam Freeman, but in the same minute Egham surged forward through the bustling presence of Charlie McCarthy, off an Oaks free kick, the forward lifting the ball into the roof of the net. Matt Grave, top scorer (29  League , 2 Cup) and winner of the double of Players’ Player and Manager’s Player of the Year, nearly added to his impressive total but his shot was blocked by Nathan Farquarson, and on 20 minutes Freeman made a fine save from another McCarthy effort. Tom Martin does not score many goals for Egham. If memory serves he has netted just four times, all away (at Thamesmead Town, Bedfont and, this season, a fluke at Epsom & Ewell) and now at Dorking, and this was his best. Taking a neat through ball from Luke Muldowney; with agility reminiscent of the goal scored by Barcelona’s Pique against Inter Milan he turned Farquarson inside out before taking the ball nearer the goal and slotting a forward’s finish for 2-0 at an awkward angle. Egham knew they had the game won, so did not over extend themselves, but after a second half delay that saw Chicks’ centre back Zib Nyatitto go off with an ankle injury after trying to stop Charlie McCarthy, Martin headed wide following a bout of head tennis in the home box before Egham went three up on 57 minutes. Grave not only scores goals, he makes his fair share too, and from an astute square pass he gave Jamie Houghton space and time to rifle the ball into the roof of the net. Grave, Martin and skipper Wayne Noad all went off, Jamie Keith, Neerav Patel and Michael Carey having a run in their stead. Tom Bentley took the skipper’s armband. With 65 minutes gone it was 4-0, a superb, strong, forceful and utterly determined run by McCarthy getting its just desserts with a close range finish. McCarthy has blossomed this season; he started off like a firecracker with three goals in his first two games before a long lean spell, but has ended the season with 15. The game petered out, with Dorking’s forwards firing wide from various distances; for the Sarnies the only target left was getting to or exceeding 100 goals, but 97 is not too shoddy.

EGHAM TOWN: Lee Pearce, Anthony Oaks, Paul Bartholomew, Wayne Noad (Capt.), Tom Martin, Tom Bentley, Karle Andrews, Luke Muldowney, Matt Grave, Jamie Houghton, Charlie McCarthy. Subs: Neerav Patel (Grave, 60), Michael Carey (Noad, 60), Jamie Keith (Martin, 60).