With 2 cup final wins in the bag, Ruislip returned to league action knowing that 9 points from their final 5 games would give them not only the title but also a momentous treble. The 1st of these 5 games was against the bottom of the table side, a side who’d lost all of their previous 15 league games this season. It’s fair to say that not many fancied a home win. And when Remi Ogunbayo lashed a shot high into the net from the edge of the box with Ruislip’s 1st effort on 3 minutes, the general consensus on the sidelines was ‘and so it begins!’. But it didn’t, mainly because the team thought that it was going to be easy as well and didn’t show sufficient application or movement in the early stages. The notable exception to the general lethargy was Ryan Morgan who had made a terrific start and was providing excellent service into the box from the left. Although, Ruislip’s intensity levels and speed of play improved with the introduction, midway through the half, of Mark Webb and the admirable Eli Soque, it took them until 5 minutes before the break to double their money. Ben Higgins rampaged through the middle and when his effort was well saved, Soque was on hand to tap home a trademark goal. Soque missed 2 glorious chances to make the scoreline more emphatic at the break but all in all it was pretty unimpressive stuff from the league leaders. The 2nd half was better…it had to be. 7 minutes in, Morgan’s corner should’ve been converted by Soque but Webb was on hand to finish the job from virtually on the goal line. On 49 minutes, Luke Massingham made it 4 with a fine header again from a Morgan corner. The floodgates were now open as Omari Reynolds finished well following a fine move down the right involving Finn Edwards and Webb. 60 seconds later, top scorer Jack Neill got in the act assisted by Lennox Kedman and on 56 minutes Reynolds got a carbon copy 2nd as he neatly turned home Neill’s cut back to make it 7-0. These 5 strikes in 14 2nd half minutes provided a much fairer reflection of the gulf in class and power between the 2 teams. However, Marlow were always looking to play good football and they fully merited their well celebrated consolation 10 minutes from the end, Kedman fortuitously grabbed Ruislip’s 8th in the closing minutes as his deep cross from the left sailed straight in. In the final minute, Ruislip made it 9, as Edwards’ shot was pushed out only for the little poacher Soque to convert from close range. Soque had another fine game and will be well pleased with his 2 goals to make it 14 for the season but in truth he should’ve scored 5 or 6 today and there were times when he looked like he needed a compass to find his way to goal. There was still time for Morgan to nearly find the goal his performance deserved but his firm header smacked against the base of the post. Results elsewhere over the last couple of days mean that Ruislip now only require 5 points from their last 4 games to lift the title and with 2 games, albeit tough ones, to come next weekend, they will be looking to finish the job sooner rather than later. MoM Ryan Morgan – always a threat and had a hand in a number of goals. Unlucky not to score a deserved goal.
