Epsom Goals by Murrell, Tebay (2), Joubert

Epsom opened their pre season fixtures with a win at Purley Walcountians. Both sides were fielding more or less scratch line ups, but the traditions of both clubs run strong and the fixture was still hotly contested.

Epsom handed debuts to Alex Simmonds at centre back, and James Marjoram at left midfield, and started the game well, moving the ball well across the back and looking for gaps in the midfield and up front. Purley however, showed their quality by soaking up the pressure and then striking twice on the break for an early 2-0 lead. Encouragingly for the season ahead, Epsom refused to let heads drop and simply carried on playing a patient passing game which paid off as Ali Murrell stole forward from the back, found space, and lashed in a superb strike from the top of the area.

Epsom were buoyed and soon equalised, with Wade Joubert and the lively Russell Tebay orchestrating a quick counter attack that took out the Purley goalkeeper and saw Tebay roll the ball in for 2-2. Purley seemed stunned by this comeback and never properly recovered.

Tebay was at the heart of the action, next chasing down a Rob Tong aerial and drawing a foul which was adjudged as a penalty flick by the umpire. Wade Joubert was quick to take responsibility and fired the ball home to give Epsom the lead for the first time. They extended this toward the end of the game when Tebay grabbed his second of the game with a poachers deflection giving the away side a 4-2 lead which they held until the close. A decent first performance from Epsom but still much to work on.

Match report by Jimmy Midmer