Ashford’s Under 18 team carried on the good work of the 1^st Team this week, winning their Middlesex County Youth Cup match against Harrow Borough by two goals to one on Wednesday evening, to win a 2^nd Round home tie against Northwood U18.

Ashford’s team had something of an unfamiliar look to it, with both George Rooke and Conor Moody sidelined through injury.  Manager Ben Murray also took the opportunity to give one or two of the squad players an outing.

The first half can only really be described as scrappy with neither team seemingly able to get the ball down and play, even though Ashford made enough chances to have built up a decent lead.  The second half was better and within three minutes of it starting, Charles Gerson gave the home side the lead from the spot.

With regular Mitchell Fountain now on the field from the bench, Ashford continued to threaten but were finding it difficult to make another break through and Harrow, who never stopped trying, sometimes looked dangerous on the break.  So it proved on seventy-eight minutes when Harrow’s Collins stole the ball and saw his low effort evade the excellent Jordan Dawson in Ashford’s goal and snuggle in at the far post.

Extra time beckoned but Ashford raised their game and it was skipper Jamie Pearce, who showed the way, rasping home a crisp eighty-fourth winner, to send Ashford through to the next round.