CHERRY RED RECORDS COMBINED COUNTIES PREMIER NORTH
TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER 2024
EGHAM TOWN 11 (4)
Tyrique Tekasala (14'), Joshua Williams (28'), Benjamin Thomas Peden (39'), Joshua Williams (42'), Joshua Williams (49'), Kyle Watson (61'), Reece York (64'), Excellence Muhemba (75'), Harlem Hale (81'), Harlem Hale (87'), Harlem Hale (90+3')
HILLTOP 0 (0)
Table-toppers Egham Town recorded the biggest win in their history as they ripped apart a game, but totally outplayed, Hilltop side who started and finished the evening in 11th place. The Sarnies made their guests pay for the needless dismissal (two cheap yellow cards) of Bruno Dos Santos in the 39th minute, but by then Egham were already 2-0 up.
There was some shuffling of the pack after the win on Saturday at Amersham Town, and a debut for Finn Rushton, who became the third goalkeeper in the last three games. Unlike Graham Stack on Saturday, he was largely untroubled by a side who were pushed back from the start. The usual to-ing and fro-ing saw some neat skills from the visitors, and the news that Bedfont Sports were 2-0 early on at British Airways highlighted their potential threat.
Then the fun started. Tyrique Tekasala opened the scoring, tidying away a Connor Cullen cross. Cullen was the man with the assist for the second, threading the ball through for Josh Williams, who found the defence had gone AWOL and rolled the ball beyond Hansel Coelho. Dos Santos picked up a second yellow shortly after, and in his absence his team fell apart. Zac Hawker landed a free kick on Ben Peden’s head, and for the tenth time this season he scored. A piercing pass from Reece Yorke released Williams on the left, and he sliced through the defence before leaving Coelho stranded again.
Going in for half-time refreshments four goals to the good put smiles on Sarnies’ faces. There was a comment about “against ten men”, but that is not Egham’s fault. Four minutes into the second half Williams netted the goal that made him the first to get a hat-trick for Egham this season, courtesy of Jordan Brown’s unselfish pass. Egham’s biggest home win this season was the 6-0 rolling over of Berks County. That was matched just past the hour. Luke Heneghan’s right wing free kick found the head of Excellence Muhemba, whose home re-debut was going very nicely. His header back into the box caused consternation for Hilltop’s defence, Kyle Watson went in for a tackle and in doing so saw the ball fly into the net. Mr Tekasala would be upset if I failed to mention that he did not fail to mention his assist for this one. The surprise of that was surpassed by the next goal, as skipper Reece Yorke collected the ball on the edge of the box and, with his back to the goal, flicked the ball up and hit an exquisite overhead kick that confounded Coelho. There was a chance for the eighth before it actually arrived, Harlem Hale shooting with Muhemba free in front of goal, and Muhemba was even more unlucky when his shot hit the goalframe. He did get his re-debut goal, though, as Callum Webb’s astute chipped pass found him running in for an accomplished finish.
There were ten minutes left. Brown and Ronan Hutchins set up Hale, who controlled the ball and knocked it home as he fell. 9-0.
It had been in my mind from the seventh goal that there was time enough for the team to notch up at least a record-equalling 10-0 scoreline. I know that that was the score at home against Amersham Town in the early 70s (Spartan League), and I had seen us hammer BAC Weybridge 10-0 in the Southern Combination Cup a few years later. On 2 January 1982 I also saw us turn a 3-1 half-time lead into a 10-1 destruction of a Camberley Town side destined for relegation. That was when I had a word with Ryan Phillips, hinting, not too obliquely, at the potential for this to be a club record win. The unfortunate Mr Brown skied two decent chances for 10-0, the score reached when a poorly executed back pass was tucked home by Hale.
Then came the hysterical, historical moment that I never thought I would see – an Egham player scoring our 11th goal in a game. A throw in was not dealt with, the ball landed at Hale’s feet on the edge of the box and, with his own hat-trick goal, Harlem achieved a special place in the annals of Egham Town FC.
With a record-beating win, a record-equalling second half performance, the opening at the top of the table, albeit probably temporarily, of a five point gap, (again, perhaps pro tem) doubling Amersham’s GD total, and the first two hat-tricks this season, it was a night to remember.
Meanwhile, Bedfont Sports scored one more for a 3-0 win. A day later, Wokingham Town beat Wembley 1-0, and Balham beat Spelthorne Sports by the same score to leave our neighbours four points adrift of safety at the foot of CCL Premier South. On Saturday, Amersham Town will play their game in hand, at home to Reading City. Bedfont Sports are at home to Risborough Rangers, and North Greenford United entertain local rivals Wembley. These, and many matches in the South East, could be affected by the rain predicted for Saturday. Finally, I want to thank the entire squad, on and off the park. You have made an old man very, very happy.
Spelthorne Sports next, in the Isuzu FA Vase, on Saturday 7 December, then Wokingham Town away on 11 December. The next home game is on 14 December, against Edgware & Kingsbury.

EGHAM TOWN: Finn Rushton, Callum Webb, Samad Kazi, Reece Yorke (C), Ben Peden, Zac Hawker, Luke Heneghan, Tyrique Tekasala, Excellence Muhemba, Joshua Williams, Connor Cullen.
45' Ayoub Igozouln replaced Zac Hawker
45' Jordan Brown replaced Connor Cullen
56' Harlem Hale replaced Ben Peden
56' Ronan Hutchins replaced Tyrique Tekasala
57' Kyle Watson replaced Joshua Williams