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Epsom & Ewell 3 - 0 Alton

09 Apr 2026

Match report by Ian Hall

A disappointing second half saw Alton ship three goals to lose to an Epsom and Ewell side who are now safe following their 3 0 win.

Alton suffered a set-back before the kick off with Zac Nash, named in the starting lineup, was unable to take the pitch, Reece Beattie coming in.

Epsom have been homeless for 30 years and having started the season at Cobham, moved to Chessington’s ground just before Christmas. Following the dry spell the pitch was bobbly and both sides struggled to put any cohesive football together. Neither side created much although the home side’s pacy Kionte Gillfillian-Waul and Courtney Swaby looked threatening. Other than a couple of pokes from range Epsom’s best chance came from a superb through ball which sent a forward scampering clear in the box but under pressure from Jake Brown, he could only shoot wide.

Alton didn’t have a shot until 40 minutes but could have scored twice on the stoke of half time, running onto a long ball Reece Beattie got away from the defence and beat the keeper but the shot was cleared off the line. From the rebound Tommy Whitby’s goal bound effort was blocked by the keepers legs.

The second half started uneventfully although the home side, desperate for the win to ensure safety, were the more urgent but their opener, on 54 minutes, was very soft. A dangerous free kick from a central position on the edge of the box was miss hit, barely dribbling towards the wall. It appeared to have been cleared but then spooned back towards Alton’s goal with Casey Balfour either wrong-footed or completely unsighted.

Alton picked up in search of an equaliser and did mount some pressure without ever quite carving out a clear opening but pressing forward gave more room for Epsoms fast players and Balfour pulled off a worldy to prevent the hosts going 2 ahead. From a fast run down Epsom’s left, the ball was whipped across goal, met cleanly by a striker and the keeper made a brilliant reaction stop diving to his left.

In the last two minutes Epsom put a gloss on the scoreline - after another smart one-on-one Balfour save, Swaby was first to the rebound and then Swaby himself was sent clear to slot in a third.

Having more than held their own in the first half it was a disappointing result and now the team travel to Camberley, who are also fighting for survival in the final fixture on Saturday.

Balfour, Garlinge, Roberts, Holubec, Dryden (C), Brown, Darwysh, Wotton, Whitby, Mather, Beattie subs Benham, Hill, Paterson, Phillips.