There was one change from the Epsom lineup that played at Seaford the previous Saturday with Adam Grant replacing Tiago. Our opponents on the evening registered a fine 4-1 victory against one of the last years off teams, only 11 days before.

After the opening exchanges, we took the lead in the 10th minute through Richard Pingling’s first goal for the club with a perfect finish which curled around the keeper’s desperate effort and nestled into the net. In the next 30 minutes, there were very few chances for either team and then our opponents scored an equaliser in the 42nd minute with an unstoppable shot. This setback appeared to galvanise us and we retook the lead in the 4th minute with Jabril Adamson with a low try that beat the goalkeeper. The halftime whistle sounded and we were leading 2-1.

No sooner had the second half started, we again increased our lead with a fine finish from our marauding left-back Steve Springett; it was a good goal after some excellent build-up play. We looked comfortable for the next 10 minutes until an in-swinging corner from our opponents was headed into our net, 3-2.

We expected to face an onslaught from the visitors from that moment on when in fact the case was that we did most of the attacking and created various chances. As we all know 3-2 is never a safe scoreline, however with 13 minutes to go Brad Peters rose at the far post and headed in our 4th goal of the evening- shortly afterwards in a repeat of the move he headed our 5th goal this time from a free kick and not a corner.

The final whistle sounded and we had won convincingly 5-2; it was a good performance but still with room for improvement which we hope to do in our next match which is away against Worthing United next Saturday.

‘Up the Salts’