2/4/2008

Sport

Football - Cobham gain vital points to fight drop

Cobham                         1
Egham Town                 0

THE hour before the kick off  of Cobham’s match with Egham Town on Saturday a heavy downpour of rain and sleet threatened to make the Anvil Lane unplayable.

However, the surface was just good enough for the game to get underway and with a strong cross wind blowing it  took both teams a little while to adjust to the tricky conditions.

To their credit the two sides adjusted well to the blustery wind and sodden pitch to produce some good quality attacking football and the visitors were forced to clear a Michael Hicks effort off the line to prevent the home side going one up.

On 20 minutes a right wing cross from the visitors was caught on the wind and a back-pedalling Rory Parsons in the home goal did well to tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

Cobham steadily started to exert control on the game with both Dalhouse and Knight up front testing Gooding in the Egham goal. In the space of 10 minutes Mark Knight could have netted a hat trick with only Gooding’s heroics keeping the score level.

Shortly before the interval, the referee waved away a strong penalty appeal for Cobham as Dan Rousell was  pulled back with only the keeper to beat.

The start of the second half saw Joe Stevens replaced by Shane Rideout, making three  youth team players on the pitch for the home side.

Cobham looked to have  finally made good on the promise of the first half in the 46th minute when Knight rounded the keeper to slot home, only to see his effort ruled out for offside.

Insult was added to injury when Knight was show a yellow card for kicking away the ball in frustration.

Gooding again came to Egham’s rescue soon after when he did well to save Shane Rideout’s fine volley from Mark Remnant’s crosss.

Egham then created their only clear chance of the half when a corner found a visiting forward unmarked and his effort was blocked on the line.

There then followed an almighty scramble involving several players from both sides fumbling for the ball, before the Cobham defence finally cleared upfield.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 65th minute when an inch-perfect pass from Mark Remnant played in Knight, who had managed to stay onside.

As Gooding advanced the Cobham striker lifted the ball over his head and into the net.

Cobham continued to press home their advantage in the final quarter of the match and had several more chances to increase their lead, the most notable being David Andrews’ header over from close range.

The final 10 minutes saw Egham Town pressing for the equaliser as Michael Hicks made way for Mark McKendrick.

But Egham did not threaten much and Cobham were able to see out the closing stages to secure a much needed home win.

The result leaves Cobham  just above second-from-bottom Raynes Park Vale who they play on Saturday in a vital fixture for both teams.

First printed in: News & Mail Series