Chessington & Hook United 5 vs 5 Epsom & Ewell

Sometimes there are absolutely no signs of what is to come, and although an opening half an hour with two goals only, is a long way from the end, I’m sure no one was calling a ten goal thriller.

The opening goal came after an even ten minutes, when both sides huffed and puffed but got nowhere, only for a moment of controversy to be the biggest contributor to us going behind. A right wing cross from a full metre over the by line, with the assistant referee badly out of position, and our shocked and hesitant defence was breached as the attacker did what he should and slotted home.

We responded with a sense of injustice driving us on, and when Harry Smart latched onto a fine through ball on seventeen minutes he side-footed home with confidence to draw us level.

As the half hour was reached, a free kick awarded harshly against former Epsom player Dre Grobler, was only half cleared, and to be fair the strike from the edge of the box was spectacular and unstoppable. Maybe only a defensive coach would suggest we were slow to shut the ball down. Unperturbed by the setback we set about trying to restore parity, and although we were back on the front foot we were nearly punished from our own corner when poor defensive set up play, saw Andrew Heath outpaced by the Epsom striker but thankfully he blazed high and wide. Moments later however a similar long pass caused exactly the same problem, but this time we were punished to fall three one behind with just thirty seven minutes played.

Needing to get in to the dressing room to re organise we were undone again just three minutes later, when again some lacklustre defending saw a free shot deflected away from Smith and into the corner of the net.

Quite what was said at half time is unclear, but certainly we played with a determination to fight our way back, and when Harry Smart curled home a sweet left foot shot on forty seven minutes we had cause for optimism.

With the side fired up we needed to be resolute at the back, but sadly on fifty three minutes some questionable defending yet again allowed a simple tap in at the far post for our visitors, and you could be forgiven for thinking that was that.

And to be fair for twenty minutes or so that was the case. Immediately following the fifth goal against, three substitutions were made, with Heath, Oldershawe, and Betancourt, replaced by Green, Cole Bolt, and White, but as said despite their introduction the game had petered out.
It sprang back into life however with thirteen minutes to go, when having delivered the ball into the penalty area Burns clever play and perseverance created enough room fro him to get his shot awa,y doing just enough to avoid the despairing attempt by the goalkeeper to execute a block.

Still it seemed an uphill task, and even more so when opportunities that fell to Reece Jackson and Nicky White were spurned when they should have done better.

With seven minutes remaining and from a half cleared corner of our own, Aaron Leacocks delivery into the box was met by Green`s well timed run and he rounded the goalkeeper to fire home to leave just one goal in it.
Unbelievably and with three minutes left on the clock, Green broke down the right before crossing to Smart who drilled home a first time shot from the edge of the box to spark mass celebrations.

With the Chessington players not knowing whether to stick or twist they were ordered forward by the bench, and incredibly had one further chance when Reece Jackson’s shot was blocked.

The final whistle brought a sense of relief all round and a point that was just about deserved given the heroics in the last quarter of an hour.