Having just missed out on picking up all three points against Destiny last week, Ewell needed to return to winning ways against an Ashtead side occupying the lower reaches of the table, albeit with a few games in hand. Preparation for the game was by no means ideal: emergency signings were drafted in late in the day due to drop-outs and the warm-up suggested the boggy surface might hinder Ewell’s usual brand of passing football. However, a strong 11 started the game hoping to meet the expectations set out prior to kick off, which including being professional and clinical.
Ewell were unable to exert total dominance in the opening twenty minutes, and were limited to speculative efforts, with Keogh and Bullock both coming close from distance. The deadlock was finally broken when Clancy spotted the run from deep by Chipperton, for the latter to calmly dispatch beyond the onrushing keeper, finally avoiding the quick-to-be raised flag which had frustrated the side on previous attacks. Eager to kick on, Ewell doubled their lead soon after as Clancy again fed Chipperton with a similarly incisive pass and then supplied a close-range finish from the cut back that followed. The build-up for the third was not quite so pleasing on the eye, yet important nonetheless as Stevens was on hand to capitalise on some penalty area pin-ball to extend the lead further. Ewell were now in full flow, and it was Keogh this time who profited from the static Ashtead defence, collecting the ball on the edge of the area and being allowed to advance without a challenge before supplying a cool finish. The only blip on an otherwise emphatic half was Ashtead’s consolation goal, as they made the most of a momentary lapse in concentration and plundered a goal through an undetected back post runner.
The second half yielded some of the best football that Ewell had produced all season, as they sliced through the opposition defence on countless occasions with simple yet effective triangles and movement off the ball, and they were rewarded with three more goals to put the gloss on an impressive display. Clancy doubled his tally for the day after bravely contesting a 50-50 aerial duel with the Ashtead keeper following Davies’ ‘Webster-esque’ unceremonious clearance from half-way. Bullock proved he can score tap-ins and not just ‘wordlies’, as he applied the finish from inside the 6-yard box after the keeper had magnificently repelled Davies’ bullet header from a corner. He then completed the rout, finishing with aplomb after being picked out on the edge of box from a raking Chipperton pass.
All in all this was a tremendous team performance, as highlighted by the M.O.M Webster, who along with the other defensive players deserve credit for providing the backbone of the victory by sticking to their roles rather than looking for rare goals!