Godalming made the long road trip up to Egham with a depleted side. Down to the bare 11 with only the Lino, Smudge on the bench it did not bode well.
Matters got worse after 15 minutes when Nick Gill banged his head on the hard ground and remained concussed for the duration of the half. It says a lot about the courage of the player manager that he managed to stay on the pitch. With Hamilton standing in as goalkeeper Godalming went 1-0 down after 20 minutes and for most of the half were distinctly second best. Struggling to find any rhythm and unable to string any passes together they were perhaps fortunate to go in at the interval with just a 1-0 deficit to their name.
Things got worse 15 minutes into the second half when Holloway got a second and the match appeared over.
Brennan (centre Half) replaced the ineffective Hamilton in goal with the versatile clark moving into Centre back. Things immediately improved and showing a determination and effort belying their league position and Godalming hauled themselves unexpectedly back into the game. A fine pass from Nick Gill played in Neil Wilkie who took it to the by-line and the resultant cross was neatly flicked into the net by Mark Gould. 25 minutes left.
A new belief buoyed the bare eleven and 10 minutes later a fine individual goal from Nat Sharp beating 3 players and firing in off the underside of the bar levelled matters.
Holloway were visibly shaken, Godalming took the game by the scruff of the neck and on 82 minutes a fine crossfield ball from Gallaher but in Wilkie who calmly chipped the advancing goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
Some late pressure was soaked up by the makeshift back four - especially good was Alex Gill playing his first match for a number of weeks and credit should also be given to the tirleless Mursaleen in the centre of the park.
The victory was a long time coming and probably not expected at the start of the afternoon. But that's Football. It's a funny old game....