By Steve Dyke

Epsom & Ewell showed their goalscoring potential in a 6-1 win against Raynes Park Vale in the Combined Counties Premier Division last Saturday.

Manager Lyndon Buckwell played all his goal threats in the same side and it payed dividends as the Salts recovered from conceding a fourth minute goal.

The response was swift and effective when Robbie Burns rode a challlenge in midfield and send Mark Jarman away for a confident finish.

Epsom began to make chance after chance and they took the lead when Burns's header back across goal was touched home by Jarman from close range for his second.

The key goal came on 33 minutes - Burns showed all his skill as a finisher, when apparently closely marked on the edge of the box, to swivel and ping a shot in off the right hand post for 3-1.

This subdued Raynes Park's resistance and the Salts created many more chances in the game adding three more goals - Burns headed home a Sam Currie cross, Dale Marvell ran onto a Jarman cut back to rifle home a fierce shot, and substitute Matt Robinson ran onto a Carl Downs pass to put the icing on the cake in the final minute.

This result lifted Epsom to a season high fourth in the league and has raised hopes of them being competitive at the top end if the run of league form can be kept going through the second half of the season.

Their league hopes will be unhindered by a run in the Surrey Senior Cup following Tuesday nights 1-4 defeat to Leatherhead in the second round.

This time a fourth-minute goal from the visiting team was not cancelled out quickly, and the Tanners led 2-0 at the break.

A come-back was briefly threatened when Billy Ramsey notched his first goal for the club to make it 2-1, but a defensive calamity a minute later undid this good work and Leatherhead added a gloss to the score with a penalty later in the second half.

Epsom will hope to extend their run of league wins to five at home to Wembley on Saturday, and then away to Molesey on Boxing Day.