Lightning get the bit between their teeth - but can't get their nose in front.

Epsom. A town that is steeped in its own long sporting history. But today the home of the Sport of Kings would be the battleground of The Beautiful Game. Today, quadrupeds would be replaced by bipeds in an equally thrilling and epic race to the finish line. Yes, the going might have been heavy at times, and there would certainly be some steward’s enquiries along the way, but as the Lightning Lads assembled to do battle with Alexandra United there was hope that the boys could make all the running and be first past the post to claim a famous victory.

Lightning lined up in their now familiar formation. Samuel in between the sticks, George at centre back with Daniel to his right and James on the left. Louis and Sam were the midfield maestros with Joseph on the right wing, Stanley on the left and Luke up front.

The spring sun shone brightly across the pitch and the match kicked off bang on time. Louis didn’t waste any time in getting himself into the game, flying up the pitch and getting a shot away early doors, but it went wide. Teddington kept the pressure on and Luke took a speculative shot from distance, but the Alexandra keeper was equal to it. Samuel stayed calm, gathering the ball with confidence at the other end of the pitch and Lightning continued to display an admirable hunger for goals.

Tom, running the line, displayed some impressive panache with his flag work, keeping everything in check and calling the Alexandra attack offside when they overstepped the final man. Luke had another chance that was cleared off the line, and Teddington certainly looked like the stronger team in the early exchanges. Ray, who had come on for Daniel battled away in his usual dogged manner making some important challenges and George tracked back well. Louis continued to penetrate the Alexandra defence strongly, but just couldn’t find the final touch and despite a lovely turn from Joseph the goals were still proving elusive.

Alexandra then fought back, and Lightning found themselves under the pump as they conceded a free kick in a dangerous area, but Samuel stood strong and made the save. Another Alexandra shot then went wide of the goal and Daniel came back on for George with Ray moving into the centre back position. Matthew also came on for Stanley on the wing as Kevin tried to find the combination needed to put the ball in the back of the net. Joseph tracked back excellently and prevented an Alexandra goal. Luke managed to get through on three further occasions but again his usual clinical finish agonisingly eluded him.

How Lightning didn’t score at this point, we will never know. Louis had another shot blocked. But then, the breakthrough they were searching for finally emerged from the fray. A reckless Alexandra challenge saw Louis brought down and a penalty was awarded in Lightning’s favour. Luke stepped up to take it and, with his usual laid back composure, saw it confidently home on the stroke of half time to put Teddington one nil up. It was certainly a deserved goal. Lightning could and should have been many more ahead at this stage of the match, and there was a definite feeling that we would see more goals in the second half.

Half Time – Alexandra United Rockets 0-1 Teddington Athletic Lightning

The charge of the Lightning brigade continued as the second half began. Louis was brought down, winning a useful free kick, but the shot was blocked by the Alexandra keeper and the follow up was blazed over the bar. But then, disaster. An over enthusiastic Lightning challenge meant that Alexandra were awarded a penalty at the other end. There was nothing that Samuel could do to keep it out of the net, and the score line returned to honours even.

Stefanos came on for Luke at centre forward and the Teddington onslaught continued. Joseph went on one of his trademark jinking runs, but sadly lost his footing before he could get the shot away. Louis continued to fire in some strong corner kicks and Joseph put another one wide. It was turning into a tight encounter and it simply wasn’t going Lightning’s way. But then a laser-guided pass from Daniel was chased down excellently by Stephanos who did just enough to unsettle the Alexandra keeper and the ball rolled over the line and into the goal to make it 2-1 to Teddington. In the absence of VAR it was sadly impossible to determine whether or not Stefanos had got a touch on it, and despite thinking that he might have, he was magnanimous enough to agree that it was, indeed, Daniel’s goal.

The Alexandra keeper then made an error by picking up the ball in his own area, but Lightning were unable to capitalise on the resulting indirect free kick. The action continued in a breathless end to end manner with shots from both sides failing to find the back of the net. Matthew put in some excellent work on the right wing, as did Sam in midfield, but then Alexandra struck again to find the equaliser.

At 2-2 it was time once again for Lightning to dig deep. And dig deep they did, continuing to ask questions of the Alexandra defence. James came back on for Luke and Samuel made an excellent save to keep the score line even. George also returned to the battlefield and put in some important challenges at the back. Then, though, against the run of play, Alexandra broke again and scored to make it 3-2.

As always, Lightning’s never-say-die attitude did not desert them, with moments of the match to go, they won a corner and as the ball was delivered goal-wards, Luke, who had come back on for James, flew forwards like a vengeful Harry Kane, delivering an exocet of a bullet header towards the Alexandra goal, which nearly tore through the back of the net to make it 3-3! The crowd went wild!

Sadly though, Old Father Time’s hourglass had run out of sand and there was to be no famous last minute victory today. But as the final whistle blew, as always, the Lightning lads could be truly proud of another battling performance in an end to end thriller that had certainly delighted the spectators on both sides. TAFC Lightning is a team that continues to go from strength to strength and as we approach the end of another epic season, there’s certainly more to look forward to as the Lightning lads go marching on.

Full Time – Alexandra United Rockets 3-3 Teddington Athletic Lightning

Goals – Luke (pen 30’, 58'), Daniel (41’)

Player of the match – Daniel – Great defensive performance and a lovely goal to boot!