Off the back of a bitterly disappointing defeat to Cheam Village Warriors last week, Ewell had even more of an incentive to set about correcting their early season blues and bank an opening league victory for the season. However, this determination was not exactly helped by the fact that Battersea could muster no more than three players by the time 2pm had passed – though after the prolonged standstill the game got underway some half hour later. Ewell seemed to begin brightly and did not take their customary first twenty minute gentle warm up approach to the game, which allowed them to take control of the game from the outset for a change. They managed to create opportunities without really troubling the keeper, and perhaps the cleanest contact of the half was made by Williams A., who, having failed a rigorous pre-match fitness test, was patrolling the touchline in disgust with the home side’s finishing and unleashed a fierce volley on the newly acquired water bottle carrier. Kelly, Bullock, Chipperton and Hodge had open-play chances, whilst Kingshott thundered a header off the bar and Davies glanced narrowly wide from set pieces, meaning that Ewell somehow went in at 0-0, yet they suffered a lucky escape when a free header from a corner hit Chipperton in the face on the line and went out. After dispatching a few more unfortunate water bottles, Williams A led the half time inquest into how Ewell had not managed to take the lead, though surely it was only a matter of time before this changed?
In a word, yes. For the first time in the match, Ewell showed their clinical side when persistent play from Hodge saw him get deep into opposition territory and square to Kelly, who managed to steer his sliding finish high into the net. This came as a great relief for the home team, yet they were made to wait a while for the next goal, and despite dominating the game they still had to negotiate this period in which the narrow lead could be overturned against the run of play. Fortunately for them this wasn’t the case, as Tom Daley or Steve Clancy (you pick) won a free kick which Chipperton swung into the box ala Chris Keogh, and his cross evaded the heads of at least three players before finding the bottom corner at the far post. More good work from Hodge resulted in him being bundled to the ground, and in his desperation to open his account he took responsibility for the resulting penalty, though he fluffed his lines from the spot. However, the miss didn’t prove to be costly, as Kelly returned the earlier favour and set up Hodge to put it away from close range, despite the latter’s best efforts to pass up the chance! Bullock popped up to neatly tuck away the fourth, the fifth goal was added by Davies’ side footed finish, whilst some individual play/greed from Clancy wrapped up the romp and crowned an impressive display from the Saturday Seniors. The only potential dampener was a nasty injury to Sear, though he was lucky that the medical equipment recently underwent its once every 5 year update and Chipperton has had plenty of practice wrapping Christmas presents – both of which meant he was patched up before visiting Epsom General.
The much welcomed return to form has helped Ewell rise to 3rd in the table, whilst it gives them confidence going into their Second Round County Cup encounter next weekend.