EP ease into third round of FA Vase

Two goals in each half, including a brace from captain Joe Shelley, gave the County League leaders victory away to Combined Counties League Division 1 side Knaphill.

Di Paola was delighted with his side’s display which saw them pocket £1,200 prize money and they have now been drawn at home against league rivals Rye in the last 64 on December 7.

He said: “We played really well and I was pleased with the boys as they all did as they were asked and everyone played well.

“They stuck to the game plan for once, so I was pleased with that. It was one of our better performances this season and it stopped them (Knaphill) playing.

“They had one or two good players, which we expected, but it was more about what we did right to stop them playing, than what they did.

“I have been critical some times this year when they have not done what we have asked them to do, but they did, so I was very happy.”

Liam Baitup and Shaheen Sadough both spurned decent chances by shooting straight at the goalkeeper, before Shelley fired EP ahead on 36 minutes.

A Darren Boswell ball from the left put in the EP midfielder and he rounded the keeper and slotted home. A minute later and Boswell again provided from the left and Shelley this time feinted a cross before beating the home stopper at his near post.

It was more one-way traffic in the second half and Jordan Clark’s cross was tapped in by Baitup in the 54th minute.

Sadough capped the scoring with just eight minutes remaining in a fine team goal that started with goalkeeper Joel Harding. He played the ball out to Boswell and it was worked forward to Sadough, who cut in and blazed past the goalkeeper.