Sutton & Epsom 49 – Harlow 19. Saturday 10th May

A great deal of credit must be given to Papa Johns for their contribution to grassroots sport. Sutton & Epsom have finally caught up with their soccer neighbours in Gander Green Lane and heartily embraced the competition. In 2022 Sutton United had a day out at Wembley for the 2022 EFL Trophy Final sponsored by the renowned pizza supplier. United lost 4-2 after extra time having been denied by Rotherham’s 96th-minute equaliser in normal time. In contrast to the soccer competition that had all of the League One and League Two clubs plus 16 category one academy teams the take up for the rugby equivalent has been apathetic. A picture of the end of season landscape was provided via the unreliable format of a club survey and the inaugural year was greeted with cascade of walkovers and the competition remains somewhat unloved despite a plethora of trophies being available that are spread liberally across the levels.

This season Sutton could have felt unlucky having been given a rare away first round tie and being in a section of the draw that would lead to two further away rounds. But the appetite for this competition is akin to a super model dining on nouvelle cuisine in the 1970s. Grasshoppers RFC generously provided a walkover in Round 1. S&E advanced to the next round against London Irish Wild Geese for a game due to be played at Hazelwood. However, a pre-booked tournament meant that no pitches were available and the game was switched to Rugby Lane. A grateful Black & Whites scored a magnificent seven goals in a 49-33 triumph. Destined to be on the road again they were saved by the start of the cricket season and Crescent Farm was unavailable for Rugby and Sidcup RFC journeyed to Cheam. Another 49-point haul, including a hat trick from lock Ewan McTaggart, and a 49-27 win saw the hosts advanced into a semi-final against Harlow.

For devotees of Sutton Rugby Harlow RFC are a familiar foe having been promoted as champions of London 2 North they played S&E from 1993-4 to 2003-4. So it was a delight for the Rugby Lane crowd to welcome back the Essex club on a beautiful sunny afternoon with a place in the final the prize for the winners. Sutton & Epsom fielded a strong squad featuring 11 from 18 of the players with the most league appearances from this season. Liam Batty initiated proceedings for the visitors who played towards the Cabbage Patch. S&E opened brightly looking to employ their back division at every opportunity. An excellent 50/22 from Tom Lennard put the hosts in a prime attacking position. The ball safely secured from the throw it went to the wing where Archie Fitzgerald touched down. Unfortunately, the final pass was forward but fortunately play was brought back for an earlier misdemeanour. Sutton took a tapped penalty and Rob Hegarty muscled his way over from short-range. Freddy Bunting mastered the breeze for a 7-0 lead after five minutes.

The Black & Whites dropped the restart on their 22. Harlow took advantage and centre Casey Teague made a telling break with Brad Etherington in support the ball came to lock Bamidele Coker who lost control just short of glory. Denied the instant reply the visitors were forced back on the defensive. Captain Bunting turned down a kick at the sticks on the 22 in favour of the nudge to the corner. The Rams repelled the catch and drive and Sutton released their backs. A long miss pass by Bunting bounced favourably for Archie Fitzgerald, on a rare visit to the UK, to gather and score in the corner. Freddy Bunting made light of a challenging conversion for 14-0.

At the end of the first quarter the hosts were reduced to 14 men when Kyren Ghumra knocked on an attempted interception. It was a justifiable yellow as a wonderful floated pass on the Harlow 22 had created a fabulous opportunity to counter. Buoyed by the numerical advantage the Latton Park men went in search of their first score. Once more the ball was lost under the posts but, on this occasion, Harlow secured possession and a jubilant Matt Gleeson crossed the whitewash to score. Liam Batty impressively converted the winger’s try to trail 7-14. However, Sutton soon restored their 14-point cushion. On the half-hour, having secured the line out ball, Freddy Bunting executed a set play to score. He added the extras to his try for a 21-7 lead.

If the home crowd thought this was going to be a pleasant processional bathed in sunshine they had a rude awakening. For the remainder of the first period the men from Essex gained the ascendancy. The back row triumvirate of Stalley, Hoole-Jackson & Etherington marauded forward. The centre combination of Teague and Lancaster made breaks and lock Bamidele Coker was producing an eye-catching display. Running back a Sutton clearance from halfway forwards and backs combined in unison. For the third time a probable score was thwarted by a fumble in sight of the line. However, as per Sutton’s opener, play was brought back for a penalty. Prop Mobashar Mahmood powered over the line for the visitor’s second try. Liam Batty made it 14-21 with an excellent kick.

With the first period approaching time added on the men in green made a stunning break from halfway deep into the Black & Whites 22 as the hosts scrambled in defence. In fact, S&E were saved when the play was interrupted by their physio treating an injured player who was in the path of the attack. Play was brought back for a knock on and a Harlow scrum. Brad Etherington picked up from a retreating pack and carried it forward for his back row comrade Dale Stalley to score. The conversion just drifted by the posts but the game was well poised with Sutton & Epsom leading 21-19. The first half concluded with Harlow on the front foot and the result very much in the balance.

The second half began with two key incidents, which on reflection, proved to be most significant for the final outcome and shifted the momentum in this encounter. In the first minute Kyren Ghumra made amends for his earlier botched interception by picking off a pass and sauntering in from forty metres. The Bunting boot made it 28-19. That most demoralising form of try to concede was followed moments later by a yellow card awarded against Harlow. The team of three showing consistency penalised a knock on that occurred whilst attempting to cut out a Sutton pass. Down to 14 the visitors were immediately punished. The penalty was kicked to the corner, the catch and drive was clinically executed as Dan Jones was ushered over the line for S&E’s fifth try of the afternoon. Another immaculate conversion from the flank made it 35-19 and a game that was on a knife-edge had swung violently in favour of the hosts.

In addition, the Sutton defence was much improved in the second period as the organisation and alignment that had become an encouraging feature of the recent league campaign was present once more. Indeed the Black & Whites were to keep a clean slate in the second half. Another familiar feature, the impressive form of Adam Bibby, became evident the longer the game continued. His balanced running, gliding through the defence and bouncing off would-be tacklers combined with selfless passing gave the S&E attack another dimension. With the numerical advantage the Surrey men could have added three more scores. Firstly, they failed to pass the ball down the line where an eager Archie

Fitzgerald would have scored. Secondly, Kyren Ghumra was held up over the line by tenacious tackling. Finally, and most unexpectedly, Adam Bibby lost control of the ball under the posts in the act of scoring.

The dynamic Dale Stalley lifted the siege with a barnstorming break from the scrum that followed the Bibby boob. The flanker exploded down the paddock and reached halfway leaving a poleaxed Sam Palombo in his wake. The unfortunate 15 was ushered off the pitch to take no further part in the contest. Restored to their full complement the Rams tried to get back into the match. They were aided by a flurry of penalties as they pressed hard for a morale-boosting score. The Black & Whites defence was now far more resolute and cussed resilience eventually saw them earn a turnover penalty near their line.

As the match continued the Essex team were not helped by injuries as key performers were replaced. The heat, the situation and the scoreboard made the game become increasingly scrappy. With the final whistle approaching the Rugby Lane team added two more goals to their ledger. Good fortune favoured the hosts as a probing kick bounced cruelly away from the cover and arrived in the hands of Josh Rea who triumphantly strode over. The Captain made it 42-19. Then Sutton maintained their numerical novelty of scoring 49 points in every round. A penalty awarded for a scrum infringement on halfway was kicked to the 22. Tom Lennard made the telling break from ten and Archie Fitzgerald, with his dubious hair colouring, collected his second try. Freddy Bunting maintained his 100% conversion record for the day, and in the competition, as his personal tally rose to 19 points and his side advanced to 49-19. Soon after the referee concluded proceedings.

After a thoroughly entertaining match Sutton & Epsom had earned their place in the Papa Johns Men’s Regional 2 South Plate Final. The game had started with a Sutton swagger, no doubt the result of two comprehensive victories in earlier rounds, but Harlow had shown enough intent to indicate to the neutral observer that this might not be an easy afternoon for the hosts. Harlow hit back and by the break were more than in contention as only an errant conversion separated the teams at 21-19. However, the Black & Whites scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to gain the glory of a place in the final. That match will take place on Saturday 17th May at Shaftesbury Park. This fine facility is familiar to S&E as it was a venue during their National 2 season being the home of Dings Crusaders in Bristol. Their Plate Final will be one of four matches that afternoon as a festival of club rugby starts at 11am. The Sutton charabancs will not be departing at breakfast but at a more polite time of midday as their game against Drybrook is the last one on the menu at 5pm. The West Country outfit were Sutton’s first ever Papa Johns opponent in 2023. On April Fool’s Day the Mannings Ground men left Rugby Lane 31-0 winners so the 2025 Sutton vintage will be keen to make amends this Saturday.

Sutton & Epsom: Palombo, Fitzgerald, Bibby, Bunting ©, Ghumra, Lennard, Lovatt, Lennie, Howes,
Johnson, Glanville, McTaggart, Rea, Jones & Hegarty.
Replacements: Madadangoma, Duey, Davies, Davis, Williams & Nelson.
Harlow: Creasey, Hunter, Lancaster, Teague, Gleeson, Batty, Enyon R., Mahmood,
Davies, King, Coker, Garner, Stalley, Hoole-Jackson & Etherington ©.
Replacements: Alagoz, Clark, Terrington, Enyon O., Wright & Rundall.

Image credits: Robin Kennedy

Spelthorne Sports 1-4 Epsom and Ewell FC. Combined Counties League – Premier Division South. Saturday 29th March.

It’s like London buses; you wait eight matches for a win and then along come two at once! The same story could be applied to our little winger Luke Miller, who had scored 36 goals for our club previously, but not a single one since September, and yet his well taken second half hat trick was enough to break a fairly weak Spelthorne resistance as we won at the Sports Club by four goals to one, confirming our mathematical escape from relegation this season.

Maybe unsurprisingly, we stuck with an unchanged starting eleven for our meeting with the club at the foot of the League in the hope that momentum gained in Tuesday’s win over Corinthian-Casuals would continue. Going into this contest we knew that a win would guarantee our survival at Step Five for 2025/26, but anything less would leave us looking over our shoulders at the fast improving Balham team.

We got off to a fine start at the Spelthorne Sports Club; a venue we have never lost at in five previous visits, and were ahead as early as the seventh minute after some early pressure led to the ball being passed around on the edge of the Spelthorne Sports penalty area and out of nowhere, Brendan Murphy-McVey struck a shot across home keeper Aaron Etukado with the outside of his left foot. It was a cultured and clinical finish and was also our new man’s first goal for the club, having been unfortunate when hitting the post four days previously.

The home side were forced into an early substitution due to injury and after Jason Bloor was brought down on the edge of the area, Murphy-McVey’s strike forced Etukado into a low save. Bloor sent a strike over the bar from distance and Toby Young headed wide from a deep Miller free kick. It was interesting to see the Spelthorne number ten Glenn Yala stumble in the penalty area and then receive a yellow card for simulation which looked harsh, before a card was issued in the direction of our bench for something that was said. Just before half time Ethan Nelson-Roberts saw his shot take a heavy deflection wide and from the corner Anthony Nazareth headed wide at the far post.

As the players went off at half time there was only really one team in it, but a substitution at the break worked instantly as Oliver Jovanovic came on and with just 20 seconds having elapsed, he tried his luck with the breeze now in his favour and it flew right into the top corner, leaving Sami Nabbad helpless.

A week or two ago this might have caused us to wobble, but the home side rarely challenged and we soon picked up where we had left off in the first half. There was time to see Craig Dundas trying a cheeky throw in off the back of a retreating opponent in an attempt to get the ball straight back, but he was pulled up for the foul throw! However, it didn’t take much time before we restored our lead and it arguably came from an unlikely source. Miller had missed three good opportunities against Casuals on Tuesday and hadn’t troubled the scorers for a few months, but this time he was far more clinical and when he ran on to Ethan Brazier’s great pass over the top of a static defence, he ran in on goal before cheekily flicking the ball, again with the outside of his foot like Murphy-McVey had, to send the ball beyond Etukado’s left hand and into the far corner of the net in the 64th minute.

We then posed a tricky problem for the referee when substitute Kionte Gillfillian-Waul made good ground on the left before colliding with the keeper. It wasn’t clear to see who was at fault here, but despite our appeals, the man in black waved away the penalty appeals. Again though, it didn’t matter as we made the game safe in the 80th minute. This time Gillfillian-Waul did well down the right flank and his pull back enabled Adam Green to strike a low shot at goal from just outside the area. Etukado got down to make the save, but couldn’t hold on and Miller was there at the far post to firstly win the ball off a defender before tucking it in from a narrow angle just a couple of yards out.

Etukado was badly injured in making the save and required treatment for a lower leg injury before being replaced in some pain. This required the home side to throw in an outfield player and as they had used all their substitutes by then, they were also down to ten men as a result. I thought the same was going to happen to our Captain Green in the 89th minute after he needed treatment, as we had also used our subs by then, but he recovered to rejoin the action and Miller wrapped things up in the third minute of injury time with a cheeky lob from an angle, only twelve yards out, that went in off the far post to give him his third hat trick in Epsom colours, and his first one away from home after registering triples against Mile Oak and Billingshurst, both at our temporary home ground of Fetcham Grove in 2021/22.

Spelthorne will now take a season or more out in Division One of the Combined Counties League, having fallen away quite badly this season, while Corinthian-Casuals will surely dispense of their Manager at season’s end having just about survived at this level, when they will have been hoping to bounce straight back. What I will say in our favour is that these two wins were pivotal and you can only beat who is in front of you. We’ll get a better idea of whether we have really turned the corner on Tuesday against in-form Balham, but either way, assessing the performance is not really important right now; it was all about the points, and as it was at the end of last season we have made it count just when we needed to. The same could also be applied to Miller, who now jumps five places on our Club Hall of Fame list to 42nd after not moving for such a long time. I think he would agree, it was overdue!

Epsom & Ewell: Sami Nabbad, Ethan Brazier, Ethan Nelson-Roberts, Adam Green (c), Toby Young, Anthony Nazareth, Luke Miller, Niall Stillwell, Craig Dundas, Brendan Murphy-McVey, Jason Bloor

Subs: Kionte Gillfillian-Waul for Stillwell (63), Ali Fofahan for Bloor (75), Jack Torbett for Murphy-McVey (83), Stefan Aiwone for Nelson-Roberts (85), Nicolas Bostan for Brazier (85)

Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk

Remembering Don Turner: A Legend in Local Athletics

Epsom and Ewell’s athletics community is mourning the loss of Don Turner, who passed away on Sunday, 9 March. A dedicated member of Epsom and Ewell Harriers for an incredible 70 years, Don was not only an accomplished athlete but also a respected official and administrator who left an indelible mark on the sport, both locally and nationally.

Don’s career in athletics was nothing short of remarkable. An international-standard distance runner, he completed 65 marathons, but his true talent shone in even longer races. He broke the world record for a six-hour track run in challenging conditions at Stompond Lane, won the grueling Isle of Man TT course race twice, and was part of a Surrey trio who dominated the 1962 Comrades Marathon in South Africa, finishing within the top four.

His dedication to the sport extended far beyond competing. Don was a pillar of athletics officiating, holding key roles within Epsom and Ewell Harriers, Surrey Athletics, the South of England AA, and South of the Thames Cross Country Association. His expertise in timekeeping was widely recognized, and he became a mentor to many officials in the region.

A true pioneer in race technology, Don played a crucial role in introducing photofinish techniques in an era when timing relied on manual stopwatches and wet film processing. He was a key figure in international athletics, including officiating at the prestigious Crystal Palace events and working with Seiko at the Barcelona Olympics test event in 1991.

Perhaps one of his most well-known contributions was his involvement in the founding of the London Marathon in 1981, working alongside Chris Brasher and John Disley to organize the race’s finish and timekeeping. Yet, despite these high-profile roles, Don remained dedicated to grassroots athletics. Well into his 80s, he could be found officiating at local youth competitions, including the Ebbisham League at Ewell Track.

Helen Maguire, MP for Epsom and Ewell and an Epsom and Ewell Harriers runner, paid tribute to Don’s immense contribution:

“Don officiated in many a race I’ve taken part in during my 14 years running for Epsom & Ewell Harriers. Don also helped start the London Marathon alongside Chris Brasher in 1981. He lived in Stoneleigh. His contribution to the sport of running has been enormous and he will not be forgotten. Thanks, Don, for everything you have done for the sport.”

A Club with a Rich Heritage

Don Turner’s legacy will live on through Epsom and Ewell Harriers, one of the oldest and most successful athletics clubs in Surrey. With a membership of approximately 250 athletes of all ages and abilities, the club competes in a range of track and field, cross country, and road running events at regional, national, and even international levels.

The club’s facilities include a six-lane track and provisions for high jump, long jump, pole vault, hammer, discus, and javelin training. It is a strong competitor in the Surrey Cross Country leagues, Area Cross Country Championships, and road running events. Additionally, the club actively supports and encourages coaching and officiating qualifications among its members.

Epsom and Ewell Harriers also play a vital role in the local running community, including their well-established link with Nonsuch parkrun, where they frequently provide volunteer support. As a registered charity (number 1187959), the club continues to promote athletics and nurture future generations of athletes.

Don Turner’s passing marks the end of an era for Epsom and Ewell athletics. He will be remembered not just for his achievements and contributions but for his unwavering passion and generosity in supporting the sport at every level. The athletics community will deeply miss him, but his legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.

Image courtesy England Athletics

Corinthian-Casuals 1-2 Epsom and Ewell FC. Combined Counties League – Premier Division South. Tuesday 25th March 2025

It could be argued that our opponents were the ideal team to play as they had not won any of their last 15 League matches dating back to November, but we of course went into this match on a nine match losing run of our own; our worst run since the relegation season of 2003/04, (when we went down with just one point fewer than Corinthian-Casuals!) so nothing was ever going to be straightforward in our battle to escape relegation, which was brought into sharp focus by our 3-2 defeat to Balham on Saturday.

Although Dundas was technically in charge yesterday, he continued his role up front, so the bulk of the match decisions were in the hands of Max Johnson and the rest of the Coaching team. It could therefore be argued that there was not a lot of difference, but our performance in this match was more aggressive and attacking than we had been in recent matches.

We made a couple of personnel changes from Saturday’s match. Former Casual Sami Nabbad came in between the posts against his old club while Ethan Brazier returned to the starting eleven, resulting in Niall Stillwell moving forward into a midfield role in place of the absent Sean-Michael Anderson.

It was clear from the opening exchanges that this was going to be a more open encounter. Both sides fired early sighters just wide of the goal and Nabbad had to come out smartly to head clear. Young gave away a foul out on the touchline but the free kick was claimed by Nabbad as the “home” team shaded the early possession. As the half went on though, we began to gain a foothold in the match. The 44 year old Dundas set a fine example by chasing down a lost cause and retrieved the ball just before it went out of play, which led to a shot from Brendan Murphy-McVey that smacked against Murillo Bernardes’ left hand post with a defender just preventing Jason Bloor from knocking the rebound into an empty net.

Adam Green tried his luck from distance with Bernardes turning the ball around the post before Murphy-McVey saw his shot flick up off a defender, requiring an acrobatic save from the keeper to claw the ball away. The best chance of the half came for us in the 45th minute when good pressure from Dundas and Green allowed Luke Miller to have a clear shot at goal from fifteen yards, but he dragged the shot horribly across goal when he should at least have hit the target. Still, as the half time whistle blew, we appeared to be in the ascendency, despite the goalless scoreline.

Of course this counts for little as we found out three days previously if you don’t sustain things in the second half and in the 48th minute we were behind after Ben Checklit drilled a low shot across Nabbad into the far corner from just inside the penalty area to put us in a difficult situation. We were going to have to come from behind to win for the first time since winning at Phoenix Sports in an August F.A. Cup tie.

It is sometimes easy as a supporter to focus on your own club’s shortcomings on the field of play without realising that other clubs have their own issues too. For example, our nine match losing run had been underlined by our inability to hold onto a lead against Balham. However, Casuals had concerns of their own, having failed to win for so long themselves and from the point when they took the lead, they started to exhibit the same signs that we had been guilty of so recently. A defensive error let Miller in on goal just four minutes after we had conceded, but with just Bernardes to beat, he lifted his shot over the bar from just twelve yards.

Then in the 57th minute came the turning point in the match as a hopeful ball forward took a very solid bounce and completely deceived Bernardes who could only get a faint glove on the ball, enabling Bloor to continue the run he made and nod the ball into the empty net from eight yards! It was a massive lifeline and we had taken it to level the scores.

Seven minutes later it was Bloor again who received a ball on the left and as he cut in, he was brought down in the penalty area by Marcus Dos Santos who then received a second yellow card for his foul. Ironically, their powerhouse midfielder will now be suspended for their next fixture against…. Balham! Adam Green tucked away the penalty in the 65th minute and we had a lead. In fact, we had turned the match around in a ten minute spell, much the same as Balham had done to us on Saturday, but could we hold on?

Against ten men it should have been fairly straightforward to manage the game, but it was never going to be quite that simple as our opponents began to push forward in search of an equaliser. Our bench cleverly broke up any momentum with some regular substitutions during this period with Ali Fofahan, Kionte Gillfillian-Waul, Stefan Aiwone, Callum Wilson and Nicolas Bostan all joining the action over the next twenty minutes and it was interesting to see Wilson stationed up front as we tried to relieve any pressure with a clearance in his direction, although we kept trying to push forward in this match instead of sitting back and Miller sliced a shot wide in the 70th minute before his pull back from the touchline was cleared just ahead of the incoming Green.

At the other end Toby Young made a great defensive block but we looked dangerous going forward and Fofahan saw his shot turned around the post, before receiving a superb crossfield ball from Miller a couple of minutes later, which really should have brought success, especially when he had done the hard work to cut inside the defender, but with just the keeper to beat, he put the ball over the bar from ten yards.

Nabbad had to be alert to block a shot at the near post, but the final whistle blew soon after and celebrations commenced. Although we are not mathematically safe yet, the relief was everywhere to see and the exuberance was justified on this occasion. We now sit four points clear of Balham who have just two matches remaining and also now sit above Chipstead with a better goal difference. We can guarantee safety with a win at bottom club Spelthorne Sports on Saturday, or with a win for Corinthian-Casuals over Balham on Saturday and failing both of those outcomes we still have three more fixtures to play. We’re almost there now and for the first time in a while we have momentum; one of the most important things to possess in any sport. New Manager bounce? It definitely exists!

Epsom & Ewell: Sami Nabbad, Ethan Brazier, Ethan Nelson-Roberts, Adam Green (c), Toby Young, Anthony Nazareth, Luke Miller, Niall Stillwell, Craig Dundas, Brendan Murphy-McVey, Jason Bloor

Subs: Ali Fofahan for Murphy-McVey (66), Kionte Gillfillian-Waul for Bloor (68), Stefan Aiwone for Dundas (78), Callum Wilson for Nelson-Roberts (79), Nicolas Bostan for Brazier (87)

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council will provide free morning tennis sessions in all council-owned tennis courts across the borough this summer, between 22 July and 29 August 2025.  The decision, made by the Environment Committee last week, follows a similar initiative which took place last year.  In addition to the summer program, starting April 1 residents can enjoy free Sunday morning sessions at Gibraltar and Poole Road Recreation Grounds. The council already offers two hours of free, bookable tennis sessions at courts every weekend throughout the year.

Epsom & Ewell moved to a pay-to-play model for tennis last year.  The scheme aims to ensure that council tennis courts are well-maintained as well as providing funding for future improvements.  Maintenance carried out so far includes clearing and treating all courts for moss; improved signage; new court-side benches at Poole Road and Auriol Park; and installing windbreakers at Court Recreation Ground, Gibraltar Recreation Ground and Poole Road. New laser line marking at Alexandra Park will take place later this year.

Councillor Liz Frost, Chair of the Environment Committee, commented: “We were really pleased with how well received the free tennis sessions were last summer and we’re very happy to be able to offer them again. They provide a great opportunity to give a tennis a try for free – whether you are a complete beginner, haven’t played for a few years, or just want to get some extra practise in.

“I hope residents will take advantage of the various free sessions on offer now and this summer. Booking details are available on the council’s website.”

Court sessions are available to book online 24 hours a day on the ClubSpark website, and paid coaching sessions are also available to book at Court Recreation Ground, Alexandra Park and Auriol Park: Find & book a tennis court near you | LTA.

Free summer tennis sessions are available up to midday (12 noon) from 22 July 2025 to 29 August 2025.

To take advantage of the free tennis offer, individuals must first register with ClubSpark and then use the platform to book their free sessions.

In addition to the free morning sessions available in the summer, free sessions are available year-round at the following times: 

• Alexandra Park

  • Saturday: 9am-10am 
  • Saturday: 10am-11am, this session is run by a coach or volunteer

• Auriol Park

  • Saturday: 9am-10am 
  • Saturday: 10am-11am, this session is run by a coach or volunteer

• Court Recreation Ground

  • Saturday: 10am – 11am
  • Sunday: 10am-11am, this session is run by a coach or volunteer

• Gibraltar Recreation Ground

  • Saturday: 9am – 11am
  • Sunday: 9am – 11am

• Poole Road

  • Saturday: 9am – 11am
  • Sunday: 9am – 11am

Reeds Weybridge 28 Sutton & Epsom RFC 33. Saturday 22nd March.

The denouement of the campaign is rather lacking in a crescendo this season. This was the penultimate Saturday and it will be followed by yet another tedious blank Saturday. No doubt the boffins would argue that clubs need a rest before the frantic finale.

When these two teams met in December the nation was mopping up after Storm Darragh and everyone was grateful to avoid a postponement. A trio of Sutton tries edged out the visitors in a keenly contested match that ended 17-11. With Sutton lying fifth in the table and Reeds only a place below, expectations were for another even encounter. The crowd was not disappointed as Sutton & Epsom edged a game of fluctuating fortunes by 33-28.

Despite an ominous roll of thunder whilst the teams warmed up, the match was played on a dry afternoon on a very firm surface. The Whiteley Village location has arguably the most significantly advantageous slope in the league. Sutton kicked off with the advantage not only of topography but also the breeze.

The visitors started well, dominating possession in the opposition 22, running through their patterns. After a couple of penalties the pressure told as prop Callum Gibson forced his way over in the third minute for the opening try. Freddy Bunting converted for a 7-0 lead.

Reeds immediately illustrated the attacking potential of their illustrious back division as they ran back a kick and won a penalty. The chance to get on the scoreboard after winning the line out was squandered by a poor pass as the low ball was kicked through and a grateful S&E touched down for a drop out.

Five minutes later that attacking threat bore fruit with a sumptuous score from 40 metres out. Matt Stevenson was put into space by an initial break and finished with élan as he left defenders floundering in his wake. Joshua Clark converted to level the scores at 7-7.

The Black & Whites returned to attack mode aided by a penalty kicked into the corner. Yet again the hosts demonstrated not only superb defensive organisation but also cussed tenacity as Sutton launched wave after wave of attacks. Dan Jones was halted by a high tackle near the line. The result was a penalty and hooker Rhys Day getting ten minutes off for bad behaviour. From the penalty Sutton forced their way over and their leading tryscorer Dan Jones got his rewards. Freddy Bunting added the easy extras to restore the lead with a 14-7 advantage near the end of the first quarter.

Everything was in Sutton’s favour — the slope, the breeze, and now the numerical advantage. However, they failed to convert pressure and a spirited Reeds continued to look to unleash their backs at every opportunity. The quality of the visitors’ play also deteriorated. They were held up over the line, they opted to kick to the corner and kicked it dead and were frustrated.

After the half-hour mark Matt Whitaker replaced Ben Tame as the back row reorganised to accommodate the talismanic Number 8. The malaise spread to the decision-making. A fatal failure of risk assessment saw a clearance from the 22 declined in favour of running the ball. Optimist tackled, penalty gifted and try conceded. The ruthless Reeds attack took the opportunity as prop Kerran Beavis muscled his way over. Despite the conversion failing the hosts only trailed 12-14.

A two-point advantage with less than ten minutes remaining in the first half was not only insignificant but also well below par for this particular location. Sutton urgency began to look like desperation as another attempt to counter from their 22 ended with poor passing. The situation deteriorated as Captain Bunting was given a yellow for a collision in the centres. Joshua Clark stepped up and knocked over the subsequent penalty for a 15-14 lead.

As the travelling support from Rugby Lane pondered how it had gone so heinously awry they were served up one final unamusing amuse bouche before the break. They were awarded a penalty in front of the posts on the 22. Declining a simple three points to retake the lead when playing with 14 they opted to kick to the corner. Their bearings were faulty as the ball was kicked dead.

The situation could have swiftly turned from trying to terminal as a Reeds counter threatened to score. Small mercies for the visitors as Mr Lipetz-Robic blew his whistle to end the half with Reeds Weybridge 15-14 up.

At the break the hosts held the advantage not only on the scoreboard but also on the pitch with favourable conditions, a man advantage and a back division that was on song. It was going to be an uphill struggle for Sutton & Epsom in every sense of the phrase. Their defence would have to be at its best and they would have to find a tactical approach to maximise their strengths whilst mitigating the slope.

Thomas Boaden replaced Dan Johnson in the visitors’ front row but the hosts turned the screw at the start of the second half. A flurry of penalties was followed by a warning to the Black & Whites as they were forced back in their 22. With a sense of inevitability a penalty was kicked to the corner and the Whiteley Village pack exploited the lineout to usher over lock Cameron Goodwin for their third try of the afternoon. Clark’s conversion failed but Reeds led 20-14.

Sutton regained possession at the restart and won a penalty that they advanced deep into the enemy 22. This signalled the moment that veteran Matt Whitaker began to impose his considerable talent on the afternoon’s proceedings. Playing his 201st game with all the hunger of his first he scored his 118th try — a typically abrasive carry leaving tacklers hanging off his powerful frame. Freddy Bunting inched Sutton ahead by 21-20.

The Black & Whites had appreciated that the road to glory on this afternoon would be on a path trod by their pack. The trio of Whitaker, Lennie and Gibson were at the forefront of a mighty effort to negate the slope as they carried relentlessly, compiling impressive statistics for yardage gained.

However, the quality back play of the hosts would remain a constant threat. Ten minutes later the partisan crowd were raising their glasses to salute their bonus point score as Reeds regained the lead. Once more it was superb back play with the excellent Will Jones at 15 creating the opening for replacement Nick Brown to score. It was advantage Reeds as they led 25-21.

In this fluctuating fixture the crowd did not have to wait long for another twist. Within five minutes S&E had their bonus point for a fourth try and had taken back the lead. Playing with renewed vigour and belief they demonstrated impressive efficiency as the pack turned pressure into points in the 22 with Rob Hegarty being the beneficiary on this occasion. The conversion drifted wide as the Rugby Lane team led by a solitary point 26-25 as the referee informed the protagonists that they had 15 left to play.

The visitors’ chances were dealt a blow at the restart as Thomas Boaden was issued a yellow and Sutton again had to play with 14. The hosts tried desperately to make the advantage count. The Black & White line held, repelling a 5-metre lineout as they kept the ball with their tireless pack.

With five minutes remaining Reeds Weybridge were awarded a penalty. Joshua Clark stepped up and calmly bisected the uprights from 45 metres for a 28-26 lead.

As the match entered time added on the referee intervened once more to flourish a yellow card. A high tackle on Dan Jones meant that the hosts would finish the match a man down.

A minute later S&E had scored. Demonstrating superb control from a lineout, first Matt Whitaker and then Sam Lennie carried towards the line. The ball was spun wide to prop Callum Gibson who was in splendid isolation. He ran home his second try of the afternoon, concluding with a celebratory dive that was less Tom Daley and more of a belly flop. Freddy Bunting added the vital extras for 33-28, meaning Reeds required a try to draw or a goal to win.

Almost inevitably Sutton conceded a penalty at the restart to ensure high anxiety for the conclusion. Penalties followed as the ball advanced to the 22. The hosts declined the kick to the corner and tapped from a central position, no doubt searching for a try that would have a more advantageous position for the conversion.

The S&E defence stood strong until the hosts knocked on and from the scrum they dispatched the ball into the neighbouring pitch for a hard fought win.

The season concludes on Saturday April 5th as the Black & Whites head to Horn Park where Old Colfeians will no doubt be a much improved outfit to the one that lost 50-7 on the opening day of the season. Whilst Sutton were winning in Whiteley Village the Old Boys had a significant 31-17 win at Gravesend that secured their Level status.

Sutton & Epsom:
Findlay, Nelson, Bibby, Bunting ©, Scott, Lennard, Munford, Johnson, Lennie, Gibson, McTaggart, Glanville, Tame, Jones & Hegarty.
Replacements: Boaden, Whitaker & Rea.

Reeds Weybridge:
Jones, Maitland, Stevenson, Forbes, Bennett, J. Clark, Beavis, R. Day, Agyapong-Ntrah, Goodwin, Finn, Ewington, Wastie & Corner.
Replacements: Howe, McKinley & Brown.

Horley Town 2-0 Epsom and Ewell FC. Combined Counties League – Premier Division South. Tuesday 18th March.

We made some changes from our defeat at Tadley Calleva on Saturday as Kevin Kardel returned between the posts, with Toby Young in front of him in place of Stefan Aiwone, while Kionte Gillfillian-Waul came back in on the left, enabling Ethan Brazier to switch back to his natural right hand side and releasing Niall Stillwell to play further forward. Up front there was another surprise as Craig Dundas took on the centre-forward role ahead of the late arriving Carl Oblitey and Ali Fofahan came in ahead of Jason Bloor. However, for the second match in a row we went behind in the opening minutes.

It’s one thing conceding early, but quite another to let a goal in that is easily preventable and in the fourth minute the ball was just pinged into the danger area from the left wing, where former Salt Will Kendall was waiting unmarked to guide a header past the helpless Kardel from fairly close range.

We then had a chance of our own two minutes later when a ball through towards Dundas came back off the Horley keeper George Hyde, rebounding kindly for our Player / Coach to get a shot in, but he hooked his left footed shot just over the bar from eight yards out. We didn’t know it at the time, but our best chance had already gone.

Kardel had to punch away a dangerous delivery, but we were on the attack soon after where Luke Miller saw his shot blocked only for Brendan Murphy-McVey to strike his shot wide from a good position, and whilst it took a slight deflection on the way, the corner came to nothing.

The home side were creating more than us though and had a spell of corners, from which they extended their lead in the 31st minute after one wasn’t cleared and Ben Senior’s shot from ten yards ended up in the net via at least one deflection. Clearly our boys were unhappy with this, although it wasn’t clear from where I was standing exactly what had gone on, but it must have been important as Anthony Nazareth protested to the extent that he found himself in the sin-bin for his comments.

We didn’t suffer too much during this enforced absence and Adam Green came quite close with a superb strike from around twenty yards that dipped just over the Horley crossbar, but we could have no real complaints at the scoreline as the teams went in at the break with the home side two goals up.

We had been playing for just a couple of minutes after the restart when we really should have gone three goals behind. Another former Salt, Lewis Pearch, made tracks down the right and his delivery in found Kendall six yards out and completely unmarked, from where he lashed his shot against the frame of our goal; rebounding down and away off our crossbar. It was a lucky escape, but could we use this let off to get back into the match? Regrettably not, as we created little by way of a threat from this point. Miller set up Green for another powerful strike that was just wide of the top corner.

Oblitey came on as we went with an extra man up front and it took Horley a few minutes to come to terms with it, during which we nearly got a goal back when a clever ball over the top from Brendon Murphy-McVey put Dundas through, only to be denied by a well-timed challenge just as he was about to shoot. Oblitey sent a dribbler straight at Hyde before Sean-Michael Anderson and Conrad Essilfie-Conduah were introduced, but the pattern of the match remained unchanged and our final chance of the match came when Green’s cross was headed wide by our final substitute Bloor. Seven minutes of injury time were played, but we were unable to reduce the deficit and the final whistle confirmed another loss for our boys.

We can look at this result in two ways. We can look at the eight straight defeats and feel sorry for ourselves, or we could take in the simple fact that despite the losses, a win on Saturday at home to Balham will guarantee our survival. A loss to Balham would leave them just one point behind us and make for an extremely nervy end to the season, but we can consign all that to the history books with a home victory. It’s not much to ask, but it would require a significant improvement from our recent performances if we are to achieve that.

Epsom & Ewell: Kevin Kardel, Ethan Brazier, Kionte Gillfillian-Waul, Adam Green (c), Anthony Nazareth, Toby Young, Luke Miller, Niall Stillwell, Craig Dundas, Brendan Murphy-McVey, Ali Fofahan

Subs: Carl Oblitey for Fofahan (58), Sean-Michael Anderson for Miller (71), Conrad Essilfie-Conduah for Stillwell (79), Jason Bloor for Dundas (87)

Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk

Tadley Calleva 5-2 Epsom and Ewell FC. Combined Counties League – Premier Division South. Saturday 15th March.

“We are right in the s**t now” stated our Manager Warren Burton after Wednesday’s awful loss at Guildford City and if he felt bad then, who knows what he is thinking now after this self-inflicted implosion at Tadley Calleva who defeated us 5-2 without really playing that well. In fact, this was a dreadful advert for the Combined Counties League with six of the seven goals scored as a direct result of bad defensive errors, whilst the referee also got into the act with the worst display I’ve seen in over a hundred matches watching Epsom and non-Epsom matches this season.

On a bitingly cold day in front of a pitiful crowd, Burton handed Brendon McVey his debut after joining from South Park, but before he had a chance to get involved we were already up against it in a big way after Stefan Aiwone miscontrolled the ball and Alex Miller got through, only to be brought down for a penalty. Worse was to follow as the referee then decided our man should also receive a red card! Now, I’m aware that the rules state that this can still happen, but thought that it needed to be in cases where the defender made no effort to play the ball, which Aiwone clearly tried to do. Either way, Kieran Rodgers stepped up and sent Sami Nabbad the wrong way from the spot in just the fifth minute. It’s possible this may have been our earliest ever sending off in a match and in my opinion it was the wrong decision.

This was a nightmare start but we were nearly level just three minutes later when McVey tried his luck from thirty yards, only to see the ball cannon off the face of the Tadley crossbar. It would have been a great way to mark a debut! Then Luke Miller drilled the ball low into the net, only for a foul to be awarded against Jason Bloor in the build up.

From that point though, we began to struggle as the home side began to make the extra man count. Nabbad made a great save when the Tadley player got through on goal and then a few minutes later in similar circumstances the shot was fired wide. Unfortunately Nabbad then came out for an ambitious long ball, but misjudged the bounce and caught it just outside the penalty area. The moment I saw the Assistant’s flag go up, I knew we were in trouble, yet for some reason the referee awarded only a yellow card. Any thoughts of having had a lucky escape were crushed moments later when the free kick was saved but not held by Nabbad and Ash Neal knocked the loose ball in from close range to make it 2-0 in the 35th minute.

Despite the deficit, we were still competitive. Then the home side started to make errors themselves, firstly when a pass was sent back to the home keeper Donny Burke whose touch let him down and allowed Carl Oblitey to take the ball round him, but his own touch wasn’t the greatest and allowed Burke to recover and reclaim the ball. We went in at the break 2-0 down and a man down, but also fortunate to not be down to nine men.

The second half had been in play for just three minutes when the referee; clearly struggling with the contest and appearing to be out of his depth, stopped the game for an injury and restarted it with a contested drop ball, yet this rule was removed in 2019 according to Law 8!

We tried to reduce the deficit and with the wind in our favour McVey tried a lob from 40 yards, but Burke was able to catch it comfortably. Unfortunately, in the 56th minute the contest was as good as over with the only goal of the entire match that could truly be credited to the attacking side, as Rodgers scored his second and Tadley’s third with a good run and cut back before almost stroking the ball beyond Nabbad into the far corner from 18 yards.

Yet within three minutes of their third goal, the home side started to be generous too. A hopeful ball towards the penalty area wasn’t dealt with at all, and Oblitey ran through on goal, guiding the ball just inside Burke’s left hand post to reduce the deficit. We then had another chance as the Tadley defence was opened up with substitute Sean-Michael Anderson setting up Adam Green for a shot, but it was a difficult angle and his shot was kept out by the well-positioned Burke. The match continued to be end to end though and in the 64th minute the home side restored their three goal lead with a slide rule pass through to Rodgers as our defence parted which left Rodgers a simple finish from fairly close range to complete his hat trick.

However, we were soon back on the attack and Green saw his shot brilliantly tipped over the bar by Burke, although Burke was fortunate when his next clearance hit Anderson and could have gone anywhere, but went across goal with our man requiring treatment for a ball to the face for his troubles. Burke would not be so fortunate in the 74th minute though, when he went to claim a simple catch, only to completely fumble it and leave another of our substitutes Ali Fofahan with an empty net to fire into from ten yards out and reduce the score to 4-2.

Despite being two goals behind, there were enough errors being made to give us some small hope of turning things around, but that was extinguished in the 81st minute after another bizarre decision. Oblitey clearly thought he had been fouled and said something, earning him a visit to the sin bin. However, Oblitey clearly was injured and as he walked slowly towards the touch line, he went down again, only to be shown a second yellow card! I’m still not entirely sure what rule he broke here and many of our people were confused with the situation also. Either way though, we were down to nine men for the eleventh time in our history and any chance of recovery was gone.

There was still time for some more poor defending in the 88th minute when Nabbad kicked his clearance straight at Oliver Rowan who then put it straight back past him for a fifth Tadley goal. To be fair to Nabbad he then made two good saves in the closing minutes as we fell apart and these could be really important now, as goal difference may yet come into it, although we did ourselves no favours in this match. We could blame the referee for some of this, but he also let us off big time with Nabbad’s handball, which was almost identical to the offence that led to a red card for the Guildford keeper on Wednesday.

So where does this leave us? Strangely enough, things have become a lot clearer after this week’s results as Balham also lost. Quite simply this now means that a home win against them next Saturday will relegate them and require something miraculous from Spelthorne Sports to overhaul us, even if we were to accumulate no further points at all. However, a loss next week against Balham will leave us in a precarious position and it’s clear that we are going to need at least three more points from our remaining seven matches, starting at Horley Town on Tuesday. We are not the only team looking over our shoulders though, as Chipstead, Sandhurst Town and Camberley Town are not safe either and all have played more matches than us. However, we can only focus at our own situation.

Epsom & Ewell: Sami Nabbad, Niall Stillwell, Ethan Brazier, Adam Green (c), Stefan Aiwone, Anthony Nazareth, Luke Miller, Craig Dundas, Carl Oblitey, Brendon McVey, Jason Bloor

Subs: Sean-Michael Anderson for Bloor (59), Ali Fofahan for McVey (68), Conrad Essilfie-Conduah for Dundas (70), Kionte Gillfillian-Waul for Brazier (75),

Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk

Guildford City 1-0 Epsom and Ewell FC. Combined Counties League – Premier Division South. Wednesday 12th March.

We made the short journey to the Spectrum Football Ground on Wednesday to play out a 1-0 loss against Guildford who, despite having a player sent off just before half time, proved to be the better team over the 90 minutes.

The game started slowly with neither side really taking control in the opening 20 minutes, although Guildford registered their first shots which both went wide. The first shot on target for either team came in the 33rd minute when we lost the ball on the right flank in our own half, and after a poor clearance the ball came back in and was headed weakly to Sami Nabbad in goal for a simple catch.

This brought a small patch of intensity to the game for the next five minutes as Guildford had a shot from the edge of the box which ricocheted off the outside of our near post. It was now our turn to attack, which we did with good passing on the left wing between Luke Miller and Kionte Gillfillian-Waul who crossed for Jason Bloor to miss narrowly to the Guildford keeper Jacob Terry’s right.

Almost on the stroke of half-time, a ball forward was claimed outside of the box by Terry under pressure from Bloor. This was deemed to be worthy of a red card by the ref after a brief discussion with his assistant which meant that Guildford would have to play the second half with ten men and that Alex Stingelin would replace Terry in goal as well.

Although Guildford had shaded the first half, having more possession and shots, I felt that we had the better chance in the second half with the man advantage. Our first impact in the second half was through a free kick that we were awarded after Bloor was fouled about 25 yards out. Miller took the free kick and it was saved low to Stingelin’s right.

Their goal came in the 62nd minute when Darrell Jon-Peter spotted Nabbad off his line and lobbed the ball over him from 40 yards. This was one of their first decent chances of the half and also one of their last as we created more chances with the extra player. We made our first substitution at that time with Sean-Michael Anderson coming on for Niall Stillwell who had been given 60 minutes as a right winger.

We had another good chance on the 70-minute mark when Adam Green played a deep ball into the box which led to a shot that was deflected onto the bar and over. In the next 10 minutes we had good chances that weren’t taken as we had two shots and two corners that didn’t test Stingelin in goal

We made two more subs with Anthony Nazareth and Conrad Essilfie-Conduah replacing Stefan Aiwone and Craig Dundas respectively. We then needed to make a fourth substitution as a result of a high tackle on Nicholas Bostan who made way for Toby Young to make his first appearance in months after injury. The challenge earnt itself a yellow card for Jon-Peter although a fan who was much closer than me said that he should have seen red for it.

From this point on  we recorded several chances throughout the resultant ten additional minutes, with some shots on target and a couple that missed by a fair distance. We finished the stronger side but it wasn’t enough to score against a defensively strong Guildford side who definitely earnt their clean sheet from this game.

So where does this leave us? We are still in 18th place after our loss, four points clear of Balham with four games in hand. As we have played the joint lowest number of games in the league this season, we could still mathematically finish anywhere between 6th and 20th but with our last six games all being lost we are in bad form which must change.

Epsom & Ewell: Sami Nabbad, Ethan Brazier, Kionte Gillfillian-Waul, Adam Green (c), Stefan Aiwone, Nicolas Bostan, Niall Stillwell, Craig Dundas, Carl Oblitey, Jason Bloor, Luke Miller

Subs: Sean-Michael Anderson for Stillwell (63), Anthony Nazareth for Aiwone (78), Conrad Essilfie-Conduah for Dundas (81), Toby Young for Bostan (89)

Report Source: www.eefconline.co.uk
Reporter: Nathan Lambert

Sutton & Epsom RFC 33 Gravesend 28. Saturday 8th March.

Gravesend were the final visitors to Rugby Lane for this campaign, though there are a couple of road trips for the Black & Whites before the season concludes. In November, the Rectory Field crowd bore witness to yet another last-gasp defeat as the Kent team lost 23-22. On that occasion, it was a late Freddy Bunting penalty and heroic defence on the Sutton & Epsom line that thwarted a spirited comeback. This time, with the spectre of relegation looming, Gravesend had a degree of consolation with two bonus points in a 33-28 loss.

Angus Nelson made his Sutton & Epsom debut from the bench and became the 41st player to play in 1st XV league matches this season. The squad had eleven personnel or positional alterations from the one that triumphed at Thurrock the previous Saturday.

On a gloriously sunny afternoon, the visitors set the game in motion. The opening exchanges included the usual industrious forward play, ferocious tackling, and a pleasing desire to release the backs. For all the endeavour, the opening quarter remained pointless as well-drilled defences closed down the space and frustrating errors thwarted the telling moments.

Gravesend, having shown exemplary resilience against the Sutton catch and drive, escaped to the S&E half. Pouncing on an interception, the Kent team made a minimal gain, but from the next phase, scrum-half Nirees Kanaharajah kicked ahead. The ball rolled towards the line, and the cover was left prostrate and flailing haplessly as the Number 9 strolled past to score. Jack King split the uprights for a 7-0 lead for Gravesend.

No doubt, nothing focuses the collective mind of a team more than conceding the opening score, and Sutton’s riposte was instantaneous. Swift handling and a break on halfway were exploited with a wonderful run by lock Josh Glanville, whose perfectly timed pass gave the glory to Adam Bibby, who touched down near the uprights. Freddy Bunting chipped over the conversion to level the scores.

S&E made early changes on the half-hour as props Johnson and Hilton were replaced by Boaden and Gibson. The hosts started to monopolise territory and possession as Adam Bibby’s influence on proceedings increased with every passing minute.

As the first half was reaching its conclusion, Sutton & Epsom pressed hard for the lead. A simple penalty in front of the posts was declined and was kicked to the corner. The catch and drive routine ran into heavy traffic, and the Rugby Lane pack were held up over the line. Moments later, a delightful handling move looked certain to see winger Matt Symonds score in the corner, but he was obliterated by a thunderous covering tackle.

Gravesend were demonstrating heroic defence, roared on by the many Rectory Field travelling supporters who had made the journey. As is so often the case in the modern game, play was brought back for an earlier infringement.

Take 2: Penalty kicked to the corner, and on this occasion, a rather more favourable action for Sutton. The catch and drive was exploited to the full as hooker Sam Lennie scored. The familiar sight of a Bunting touchline conversion made it 14-7.

Shortly after, Mr Scoular ended the first period. At the break, the game was in the balance. The tenacious Gravesend defence meant that Sutton would need to work hard and play with quality to win. Equally, with memories of the reverse fixture, if the hosts’ performance dropped, the visitors would no doubt take advantage of any lapses. As is always the case, the opening exchanges of the second half would probably determine the final outcome.

Sutton & Epsom made the perfect start to the second period. A delightful restart descended just outside the Gravesend 22 and was expertly taken, but formidable counter-rucking resulted in a penalty to Sutton. The familiar kick to the corner ensued.

From a scrappy lineout, S&E eventually secured the ball. First, Hegarty advanced, and then McTaggart got to within inches. The Rugby Lane XV was awarded a scrum near the posts. The ball was spun wide, and a long pass was propelled to Matt Symonds, and the winger juggled the ball before touching down in the corner. On this occasion, the Bunting conversion narrowly drifted wide as Sutton extended their advantage to 19-7.

The Black & Whites started to take control of the game but were being hampered by errors that thwarted their best moments. Gravesend were most unfortunate when they were awarded a penalty in their half. A prodigious clearance was picked up by the breeze and remarkably rolled the length of the pitch, and play returned to where it started.

This was to prove costly as, soon after, the ball was in the hands of Sam Lennie. The hooker is a genuine force of nature in open play, and he had plenty to do, but bouncing off tackles and brushing defenders aside, he raced in for the try. Normal service resumed for the Bunting boot, and Sutton led 26-7 entering the final quarter.

Gravesend could have been thoroughly deflated by this turn of events, but they responded with renewed vigour. It was their turn to pressure the line with 5-metre lineouts. Sutton were stubborn in defence as they resisted the opposition pack.

Success was temporary as the visitors were awarded a penalty. The Black & White line stood firm and turned over the ball to clear. In the blink of an eye, the reinvigorated Kent team were laying siege once more to the S&E line. Despite a defensive effort to make Horatio proud, flanker Nathan Fouche crossed the whitewash. Jack King did the necessary, and the visitors trailed 14-26.

Hopes of a famous revival for the Rectory Field faithful appeared to be scuppered five minutes later. Another sublime break by Adam Bibby into the 22 put flanker Dan Jones in under the posts for his tenth try of the campaign. Freddy Bunting added the extras, bringing his season’s tally to 207 points.

33-14 up and three minutes to go, it looked destined to be a case of plucky Gravesend returning home empty-handed. To the eternal credit of the visitors, they responded in the manner any coach would want from a team threatened with relegation.

They proceeded down the pitch, aided by a penalty. Their excellent lineout secured the ball and won another penalty. This time, the catch and drive was executed to perfection, and flanker Brad Money cashed in with the try. The conversion by Jack King meant that if they could score another try, they would gain not only one bonus point but two as the scoreboard read 33-21 with the match already in injury time.

The above scenario looked impossible as Sutton took the restart and attacked in the 22. Ten metres out, they dropped the ball, knocking it on, and it was fly-hacked towards touch.

The fairy tale writers reached for their quills. The ending was happily Hans Christian Andersen for Gravesend followers but felt more like the Brothers Grimm for Sutton. Incredibly, the ball stayed infield several times, and by the time play was halted for a Gravesend penalty, it was deep in the Sutton 22.

Once again, it was kicked in the corner, and the visitors took the ‘double your Money’ option as the flanker scored his second try, and his side’s second, in time added on. Jack King made it four from four, and the referee concluded proceedings with Sutton the victors by 33-28.

For Sutton, Adam Bibby was exceptional in defence and attack as his personal performances continue unabatedly on an upward trajectory. In addition, the second-row firm of Glanville & McTaggart demonstrated not only remarkable fitness, popping up all over the paddock, but also great handling skills with telling passes.

After so many agonising defeats this campaign, only the coldest heart of Ebenezer Scrooge would begrudge Gravesend such a joyous finale. If the Kent club survive the drop, they may reflect on that eleventh-hour score as their moment of divine deliverance, and we wish them well in their final two fixtures.

The league goes into abeyance next weekend, and rugby supporters will be able to gorge themselves on the trio of Six Nations contests.

Regional 2 South East returns on 22nd March, with the Black & Whites travelling to Whiteley Village to face Reeds Weybridge, whom they defeated in December 17-11.

Sutton & Epsom:
Findlay, Scott, Bibby, Bunting (c), Symonds, Lennard, Munford, Johnson, Lennie, Hilton, McTaggart, Glanville, Tame, Jones & Hegarty.
Replacements: Boaden, Gibson & Nelson.

Gravesend:
White, King, Cooke, Sims, Huckle, Kite, Kanaharajah, Brooker, Dadson, Shorter, Bird, Hampshire, Money, Fouche & Chahal.

Photo credit Robin Kennedy