After winning a tough match at Greenford, Crestwood returned home to take on Marston Vale. On paper it looked simple enough. Vale sat near the bottom of the table and hadn't won a match all season. Coach Warren's words put the thought of it being an easy day out of the players' head. "Don't think for a second that this will be simple. Vale are desperate. If we let them hang around for too long they can steal a result from this game. Start sharp and don't give them any hope.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Crestwood looked like the better team from the opening whistle. They passed the ball around with ease and the home crowd roared every time the ball found Ethan in midfield. In the 11th minute, Ethan slipped Callum through with a clever pass. Callum shot low but the Vale keeper got a strong hand to it and pushed it away.
The breakthrough came in the 17th minute. Mason intercepted a loose pass in the midfield and quickly passed it to Ethan. Ethan looked up and played a perfect pass to the left winger. The winger put in a cross first time to Callum who smashed it into the net. 1-0 Crestwood.
Vale tried to respond and started to push some more players forward. However in the 29th minute Crestwood scored again. Ethan drifted into space just outside the box and played a through ball into Callum's stride. Callum coolly placed the ball into the bottom corner to double Crestwood's advantage.
The first half ended with Crestwood still dominating the game and Vale barely able to string multiple passes together.
Crestwood didn't let off the gas in the second half. In the 51st minute, Mason made a solo run with the ball dribbling past two defenders and unleashing a strike from 25 yards out. The ball skipped off the turf and into the goal to give Crestwood a 3 nil lead. The Crestwood crowd erupted as Mason pumped his fist after his wonder goal.
With a three goal lead in the second half, Crestwood slowed down the tempo. Vale pushed forward, but Crestwood's backline held strong. In the 72nd minute Ethan nearly scored a fourth for Crestwood. Picking up the ball from outside the box, he cut inside and curled a shot that rattled the crossbar. Callum pounced on the rebound but fired over the crossbar just missing out on his hattrick.
When the final whistle blew it ended a professional performance by the home side. Crestwood 3 Marston Vale 0.
It wasn't the kind of match that people would remember years from now. But in a title race every point mattered. And today Crestwood did what they needed to do to keep challenging for the title.