Battling EP make Arundel work for Senior Cup victory

EP played the better football in the first half with some intricate, one-touch football, but lacked the cutting edge to make the home side pay.

It was a long, hopeful ball on 16 minutes that sailed over the visitors’ defence and found Josh Biggs who calmly lobbed Guy Souch in the EP net to make it 1-0.

This didn’t seem to dent the away side’s confidence as they continued to play some good football. The game took a turn for the worse, though, as tempers began to flare, resulting in a mass brawl on the way into the changing room at half-time, a brawl totally missed by referee Neil Wallace, who was doing something near the halfway line.

Twenty-two players did make it back onto the field for the second 45 minutes and EP began the second half brightly, but against the run-of-play, Mullets winger Lewis Hamilton managed to ghost past three defenders and slot under the advancing Souch after 63 minutes.

The visitors nearly struck back, however, with Mark Burgess’ shot fumbled onto the roof of the net by Ben O’Connor.

After that it was one-way traffic, with Hamilton once again the instigator, hanging a cross up at the back post for Dave Burton on 73 minutes, and then to rub salt into EP’s wounds, Matt Axell smashed an unstoppable drive from 20 yards to make it four with just 12 minutes left on the clock.

Mullets’ boss Gary Wheatcroft said: “They made the game quite scrappy but we got the result so I’m pleased. Those who came in did what was asked of them.”

EP manager Paul Curtis was also happy with his side’s showing, and said: “It was a good run out for us. It was a shame we ran out of steam a bit in the second half but I’m happy with the way we played.”

ARUNDEL: O’Connor; A.Biggs, Hall, Sneller, Grove, J.Biggs, Hamilton, R.Biggs, Gardner, Norgate, Axell. Subs: Burton (Hall 30), Meeney (Norgate 78), Griffiths.

EP: Souch; Charman, Sutcliffe, Stideford, McLeod, Hand, Manning, Bainbridge, Burgess, Wilds, Banfield. Subs: Leach (Hand 67), Steele (Charman 77), Lawson (Manning 72), Wilson, Curtis.