The Salts finally completed their Combined Counties League schedule with the much-delayed trip to Cobham FC to do battle with Colliers Wood United, leaving them 14th in the league table.

It was some seventeen days since we had last played, while the opposition had been kept busy with important matters like a League Cup Final, but the old conundrum about "busy but tired" versus "fresh but rusty" usually means little at this stage with just one more match for both teams to play, and so it proved as a very even match ensued.

In goal for our boys was Charlie Phillips who had joined from AFC Wimbledon, while Anthony Panayi and Jamie Summers returned to the starting eleven ahead of Alex McKay and Matt Smith respectively, both dropping to the bench.

Ramzi Bedj Bedj, Paul Gough and Mark Jarman also returned to the line up at the expense of Antony Myers, Ben Hayward and James Cottee although the late arriving Cottee was on the bench.

The opening minutes contained little to excite the crowd of 61, fifty-eight years to the day since we played in front of over a hundred times more (6,159) at Selhurst Park in the Surrey Senior Cup Final loss to Corinthian Casuals. As the game progressed, Ali Dewar started to make inroads down the left, but on his weaker flank he struggled to get the ball over into the danger area at first.

Dewar nearly got on the end of a good cross from Jarman who was also fouled a few minutes later on the edge of the box, but Bedj Bedj hooked the free kick wide.

The "home" side were not without their moments and a long range effort dipped just over the bar after 25 minutes, but we were well on top at this point. Summers shot a loose ball over the bar after a good spell of pressure orchestrated by Dewar and Bedj Bedj.

However, it was almost in the Epsom script that we should conceded at this stage in the match as the advancing Pink cut inside Summers and gave Phillips no chance with a low drive after 28 minutes.

Fortunately, this didn't affect our momentum and we were level within two minutes. Jarman was put through by a good ball from Gough or Ayling, and he just got his toe to the ball before being clumsily bundled over in the box by the covering defender. Bedj Bedj took the spot kick, and chipped it in past the committed keeper. Older watchers would call it a "Panenka" but younger ones would probably call it a "Van Persie" penalty.

The hard working and recently crowned Managers Player of the Year, Jarman was just over with another shot but in the 38th minute he was close to getting onto a pass but had his heels clipped by a defender, this time just outside the box. Whether he would have reached the pass is debateable but the referee clearly thought he would get there and sent the Wood 7 off for the professional foul. It looked a bit harsh to me, but obviously the referee wasn't stood behind the goal and his view may not have been so clear.

Jamie Hatfield's free kick was just wide of the upright and the closing minutes of the half produced a substitution and a booking. The injured Dewar was replaced by Cottee and Charlie West was penalised for a foul that didn't look too bad from where we were, although there was little complaint from our players.

Gough was inches wide with the last kick of the half and we came out looking to seal the win with our man advantage. Cottee produced one of his typical runs but his shot was beyond the far post, while Jarman's shot was well blocked by the keeper.

It was therefore no surprise when we took the lead after 58 minutes. Substitute Matt Smith set Jarman free on the right and he bullied his way past two men and sent a low cross in which was tapped in by Gough, just ahead of his man.

From this point, we slackened off. Lyndon clearly spotted this and was vociferous in his reminders to our players, but the warning wasn't heeded. Colliers Wood started to find more space and occasional chances began to get more frequent.

Jarman nearly put the issue beyond doubt with a great run where he got around the keeper but was denied by a fine defensive saving challenge in front of goal but the lat ten minutes of the game belonged to our hosts. A shot across goal was just the warning, but in the 83rd minute their player burst through, although a bobble contributed to his shot flying up and away off the crossbar. It didn't matter though as another gap in the defence was found in the 86th minute and the finish gave our keeper no chance.

Phillips had to be alert once again in the final seconds with a flying save to deny them a winner, and the 2-2 result was a fair one on the night.

Team: Charlie Phillips, Jamie Summers, Jamie Hatfield (capt), Anthony Panayi, Charlie West, Carl Downs, Paul Gough, Nathan Ayling, Mark Jarman, Ramzi Bedj Bedj, Ali Dewar.

Subs: James Cottee for Dewar (42), Matt Smith for Bedj Bedj (56), Danny Amos for Summers (82)

Booked: Charlie West (foul, 45)

Attendance: 61

Supporters Player of the Match: Mark Jarman

Pictures: Top: Paul Gough stretches to get the finishing touch to Mark Jarman's cross to put us 2-1 up.
Bottom: Ramzi Bedj Bedj embarrases the keeper with his chipped penalty.