Ewell wanted to make up for their hasty exist in this competition last season by progressing to the latter stages this time around, though they had a tough encounter against opponents from the Kingston & District League to negotiate first. A spate of late dropouts did not help their prospects, as a healthy looking 15 man squad was eventually trimmed down to 13, including two goalkeepers, and so it is safe to say that the home side were not holding out for extra time!
With that in mind, Ewell started fairly brightly even though they were in the relatively unusual position of kicking downhill for the first half. Molesey played with a high tempo and direct approach, though this was largely nullified by a high Ewell backline, as the away side did not look like threatening for large periods. Ewell managed to create some promising openings, though perhaps the best opportunity came when neat interplay between Hodge and Kelly saw the latter’s shot balloon out for a throw-in. A temporary lapse in concentration saw the home side give away a cheap goal and go behind as a result, which was a little harsh as Ewell had done very little wrong up to that point. Molesey had not looked particularly threatening going forwards, their only danger was a ticking time bomb of a forward who had left his mark on several of the Ewell players, notably a boot to the head of Webster and elbow to Williams N in quick succession which somehow went unpunished, whilst debutant Ransom also received a few meaty challenges. Ewell’s predicament was intensified by an injury to Kingshott, who had been deployed in a more advanced role, and was forced off after only half an hour – leaving Bunde as the only remaining outfield sub for the rest of the game after Keogh had entered the fray to replace Ledley King(shott).
With half time approaching, Ewell galvanised and dealt a double blow that saw the score line reversed in a matter of minutes. The first of these stemmed from a routine occurrence – a weaving Clancy run that invited a clattering challenge – resulting in a set piece in Leighton Baines territory. Bullock assumed the responsibility for the kick, and his curling effort found the top corner, albeit after a little help from the despairing keeper. Shortly afterwards, Ewell loaded the box for a corner just before half time and reaped the rewards when the delivery landed on the head of prolific marksman Williams N, who made no mistake from a tight angle at the back post.
This meant Ewell went into the interval knowing that they had one foot in the next round, and would go through providing that they put in a professional second half showing. It turned out that the next 45 minutes would be all about weathering the storm, Ewell lost their fluency as a result of this and the route one slugging match that ensued played into the hands of the physical Molesey side. Ewell were resolute in defence as the Williams brothers marshalled the back line effectively, though Williams A went some way in equalling the heroics of his older/better(?) brother when heading off the line, whilst Ewell admittedly benefitted from some wasteful finishing, an intervention by the crossbar and surviving a genuine penalty appeal. That said, they did look a threat on the counter attack and might have extended their lead, with Clancy and Keogh coming close.  
Whilst this was not exactly the polished performance that Ewell had hoped for on what was marketed as a bumper ‘Fan Day’, which drew in a record attendance of 10, they did secure a place in the next round, and so it was mission accomplished in both respects. Winning ‘ugly’ should stand Ewell in good stead for the rest of the season, meanwhile it was also encouraging to see Nescot return to its status as a fortress.