Another long journey beckoned as Ewell returned to league action against the only unbeaten side left in Junior Division Two, in the the first of a catalogue of key fixtures that will ultimately shape which cabinet the league trophy will end up in come May. Ewell welcomed Hitch back into the fold for this encounter, yet once again they found themselves relatively light in terms of numbers, and were forced to make changes in the heart of defence due to the unavailability of 3 usual candidates. 
However, Ewell were quick out of the traps and passed the ball crisply on a slick, flat pitch, manipulating it methodically from the back and stringing together neat interchanges. A period of intense pressure had left the home team rattled, so much so that they resorted to unsavoury measures in order to stem the flow of Ewell pressure, routinely employing intimidation and wild tackles. Ewell had the perfect tonic for this, as they took the lead just inside the 15 minute mark when Chipperton’s teasing cross was diverted into the net by a Knights player. This slice of fortune was well deserved due to their bright start, but Ewell couldn’t believe their luck when Kelly’s half volley deflected wickedly off a defender’s trailing leg and wrong-footed the keeper to extend the lead with a second own goal in the space of 5 minutes. 
Kerria began to self-implode at this point and proceeded to up the ante in their crude attempts to stop Ewell by hook or crook, but they did manage to string together a rare attack on the counter which enabled them to halve the deficit. This interrupted what had been one way traffic, but Ewell thought they were firmly back on track when Keogh produced a tidy finish from close range. However, a suspect offside decision robbed Ewell of what was a perfectly legitimate goal, one of their own making rather than Kerria’s charitable defending. 
The second-half was always going to be about containment, and despite the referee’s attempts to deter Kerria’s persistent foul play by dishing out several cards, their cynical and dangerous approach ultimately proved to be Ewell’s undoing. Credit where it is due, they equalised with a simple but incisive break that caught Ewell off guard. Their physically then told, as they bundled home a corner that Kelly inadvertently helped on its way, although an attacker was poised to pounce had he not attempted to intervene. Understandably, this left Ewell somewhat shell-shocked, as despite Bunde pulling off some impressive saves, they had largely bossed the game. The inevitable combination of tired legs and a desperate attempt to salvage a goal kicked in, and Kerria struck on the counter once more to add a misleading gloss to the score-line. Webster had done well to recover and execute a last ditch challenge, yet the referee was coaxed into buying a tenuous and half-hearted penalty appeal, which was dispatched courtesy of a ‘big toe’ that fortuitously found the top corner. 
Battered, bruised, and deflated, Ewell left the field feeling aggrieved at the fact they had surrendered the points, especially having fought so hard for the entirety of the game. This sentiment was vindicated by the referee’s acknowledgement that the opposition’s conduct had been reprehensible and created an atmosphere of intimidation, one that incidentally continued after the final whistle. Ewell pride themselves on their ability to bully teams with their footballing ability, yet unfortunately they came up against a side who were more intent upon honing their boxing prowess. Nevertheless, Ewell did produce some of their most eye-catching football of the season, and will look to bounce back stronger next week against Wilf Kroucher.