The combination of ‘UKFF-Gate’ and no fixture last weekend handed Ewell an enforced two week ‘spring’ break, which , whilst extremely frustrating at the time, was in some ways welcomed due to the impending batch of fixtures that see their playing season conclude in under a fortnight. However, the management team and interested parties may still be regularly browsing the Mitoo website well into May in order to determine the destination of the league title, as the battle looks set to go to the wire. Nonetheless, the break afforded an opportunity for some additional training in order to remain sharp in the coming weeks, although this proved somewhat abortive due to numerous deserters, and all that it really revealed was that Stevens handles a football far better than his drink.
Heated words were exchanged in the aftermath of abandoned game at Nescot two weeks prior to this fixture, which provided further incentive for Ewell to maintain their title challenge at UKFF’s expense, having wasted around an hour warming up for the game never to materialise on that occasion. Going into the match the preparations were not ideal, the pitch was small and the surface uneven, as Williams A’s car will attest to: having become inexplicably stuck in the mud. A well-staffed relief force was unable free the trapped vehicle, but the vigorous exercise and new training attire would ultimately pay dividends.
Unsurprisingly, the game started after the allocated kick off time, with additional delay resulting from Ewell’s refusal to play with a ball that was fit only for youngster Bunde’s back garden football. However, in spite of the slightly unconventional warm up and pre-match exploits Ewell were fully aware that a professional performance and three points were required, and so put all other thoughts aside when the whistle signalled the start of the match.
Within the first minute Kingshott had rattled the post, and a series of opportunities followed as the UKFF backline persisted in attempting to play out from the back and struggled to get the ball into the Ewell half. The high tempo start provided great encouragement against what, going into the game, was something of an unknown quantity in UKFF, and they continued to grow in confidence when Bullock poached the game’s opening goal. The goal came as he prodded home just shy of the goal-line after stealing in on Stroud’s seemingly target bound effort, and his decision to leave nothing to chance was probably warranted. Ewell were desperate to capitalise on their early dominance, and as their opposition remained in a charitable mood numerous other chances were to be had. Ewell’s aerial presence at set pieces yielded a second and fourth goal, as emphatic finishes from Kingshott and Bullock respectively came either side of Chipperton’s lob that made it 3-0. Stevens was the next player to fill his boots, rising to nod home from close range after a UKFF defensive header provided an assist that stat-addict Chipperton would have been proud of. Clancy capitalised on some more static defending and calmly slotted home to notch his first goal of 2013, and further extend Ewell’s lead.
A ruthless first half display helped to engineer Ewell’s healthy 6-0 lead against a side reduced to 10-men since the half hour mark, yet whilst the game was arguably now won, the potential significance of goal difference at the season’s end was mooted during the interval. Therefore, Ewell aimed to start the second half in the same manner as they ended the first, and it is wasn’t long before their pressure paid off, enabling them to replicate their first half tally.
Keogh made no mistake with two well-taken finishes, Bullock gratefully accepted the invitation to seal his hat-trick, Chipperton firmly headed home a corner, Groves tucked away a left footed shot into the top corner from a one-two and Clancy ghosted in following a quick throw to grab his second. Admittedly, it could and probably should have been even more convincing, though everyone ought to be pleased as the side finally reached the double figure mark, having threatened to on several occasions earlier in the season.
However, tough tasks await and Wednesday’s final in particular promises to be a far closer encounter, and one in which Ewell must banish any hint of complacency if they are to bring home the coveted Geoff Ellis Shield.