EPSOM & EWELL 4, BADSHOT LEA 1 (Combined Counties Premier)

THREE games in five days caught up with Badshot Lea as they ran out of steam at high-riding Epsom & Ewell.

The Salts took full advantage of a stiff breeze at their backs, and took the lead after only five minutes. The in-form Sawas Panayiotou had his first effort blocked, but the ball came back to him and he blasted the ball past Pat Kinsella from 18 yards.

Kinsella then saved well from Kyle Hough and defied Panayiotou, all this inside the first ten minutes, and he later foiled Hough in a one-on-one.

But the Baggies keeper could do nothing in the 38th minute when Rob Hendry played in a low ball from the right and Hough this time rounded Kinsella to double Epsom’s lead.

Badshot Lea came out fighting for the second half and pulled one back after six minutes.

A long crossfield ball picked out Gavin Muir who had time to take a touch and slot calmly past Michael Eacott and between two covering defenders on the line.

Eacott had been on the field for only two minutes after Alistair Turpie limped off injured.

This stung Epsom back into life and they restored their two-goal cushion after a flowing move. Panayiotou’s shot was well blocked by the valiant Kinsella, but again fortune favoured the Salts as the rebound fell to Matt Farrell who drilled the ball into the net from an angle.

The Baggies were spent as an attacking force and the only other threat to Eacott’s goal came from a weak back header.

Going into the 90th minute, Epsom wrapped it up with their fourth goal. Panayiotou showed more wizardry on the ball and cut it back for Farrell to score with an easy tap-in.

Just three days before, Badshot Lea had lost 4-2 to third-placed Camberley. It was far from being an easy ride for the Krooners who trailed 2-1 at half-time, but they showed their quality with three goals in the second half.

An early goal by Marcus Cousins was speedily cancelled out by Paul Coventry and, three minutes later, Darren Blake put Badshot Lea in front.

Perry Coles converted a penalty on the hour mark to square things up and then Matt Bunyan put Camberley ahead. The Baggies’ resistance was finally broken when Cousins scored his second goal.