In this unprecedented season in Surbiton Lions history, yet another record has fallen as Nelson Samuel-Onyugo's hat-trick takes him to 26 goals (according to Teamstats!) and past the previous best of 24 for a season by Scott in the 2012/2013 campaign. With a much needed clean sheet after the mauling last time out, the Lions are now on the precipice of their very first title: one point is needed from our last two games to guarantee it (and we may not even need that as Ed has so enthusiastically told us all, in detail, several times).
After another break since our last game due to Reigate Hill's forfeit, we were back to full strength at both ends of the pitch. The opportunity to take a massive step towards the title banished all memories of the debacle against Epsom Albion and we went about the game in a manner much more in keeping with our form over the past few months. The energy and purpose in our play on and off the ball made us unrecognisable from that team of two weeks ago but our early breakthrough was slightly fortunate.
The Cheam keeper had made a couple of earlu decent stops, but a shot from Harry on the right bounced off his chest as he tried to gather it and Nelson was there to poke the rebound in. The initial shot came after Mussa had done well to win the ball on the wing and get it to Harry, especially as he'd been injured a few seconds before that. Having contributed to the opener though, he had to be replaced by Kieran in the right wing-back role after only ten minutes.
We pressed for another goal, but both previous games against Cheam had been tight for long periods and that's just how this one turned out. Their central defence and midfield was fairly solid and we played into their hands by scrapping for the ball in the centre and not getting it out wide where they weren't quite as strong or quick. We had a couple of decent sighters on goal but a fierce effort from Rob outside the box was well parried by the keeper and he tipped a goalbound effort from Harry over the bar.
For the most part, Cheam's attacks were being broken up in the last third by the energetic defensive trio of Si, Ahmed and Boan ably supported by Nick S and Kieran (where was all that two weeks ago??). Their midfield was pretty slick with their passing but when they did get the ball through to their strikers, the front men couldn't get their shots on target apart from one effort that Paul was at full stretch to tip past the post.
We got to half time with our slender lead intact and despite concerns about the amount of time their midfield was getting on the ball, we were feeling pretty good about the first 45 minutes.
At the start of the second half, going uphill and against the wind, that lead looked increasingly fragile as Cheam started to dominate possession and make more incisive inroads into our territory. Little errors started creeping into our game and then started to mount up as we invited Cheam to camp in our half with wayward passes and poor control that just didn't happen in the first half.
As always, Max tried to make things happen, but found it hard going to get past their defence and one enthusiastic tackle too many got him into the ref's notebook. Incidentally, some of the ref's decisions and non-decisions left both sides scratching their heads as seemingly blatant fouls went unpunished only for him to blow up at other times for the slightest of contacts. Didn't seem too keen on using his linesmen either even when they flagged against their team.
Both Nelson and Max were hassling the Cheam defence and doing a good job of winning the ball back up the field. Nelson did get the ball in the back of the net midway through the half, but was thwarted by the offside flag. Ben got a sight of goal on the half volley but couldn't keep the shot under the bar. Cheam hit the bottom of the Paul's left hand upright as they went close to an equaliser in their best spell but two goals in the last ten minutes finally put the Lions' collective mind at ease.
Max was in the thick of the action somewhere in the penalty area, going in for a trademark challenge that had the Cheam players complaining loudly and perhaps distracting them from their respective jobs. The ball broke to Ben and Nick H who found Nelson totally unmarked in the area, with the freedom of Nescot to control the ball and send it home to double our lead.
A few minutes later, Harry put in a cross from the left that Nelson met at full stretch with a diving header to seal his hat-trick and the three points that puts the Lions on the verge of making this excellent season an historic one. With Chessington Galaxy being held to a 4-4 draw against Reigate Hill Reserves, (the same team that had to forfeit their game against us so late in the day due to player dropouts - a fantastic result for them against a side with 10 wins on the spin) only Epsom Albion are left in the title race. They play Lokomotiv Londres next Sunday, needing nothing less than a win to keep themselves in it.
The Lions though, can now turn their attention to the minor matter of a first cup final - the Intermediate Oak Cup - this Friday 20th April at Banstead Athletic Ground, Merland Rise, Epsom. Kick off is at 7.30 pm, £5 entry on the door. Anyone reading this who happens to be in the vicinity with a few hours free around that time, please join us there for what should be an entertaining game between two free-scoring sides. It is quite literally the biggest game of Surbiton Lions' existence so far and we would love to share it. COME ON YOU LIONS!!!!!
