Pre-Season Match,
Calthorpe Park, Fleet
22nd July 2008

Mark Butler was still without Scott Todd and Paul Burgess, while the Bamford brothers and Gavin Smith all took part in the pre-match activities, but not the game itself.  Triallists Francis Luke and Romayne Thomas started, as did former Ashford defender Adam Foulser.  The opening stages were cagey, although the hosts probably had more of the ball.  The first real chance of the match fell to Fleet in the eighteenth minute and was a gift to the home side from Referee Taylor.  Having been officious in the pre-match pleasantries, he further irritated the visiting contingent by ordering Matt Baxter to remain off the field for a full five minutes after receiving a cut to the knee.  While Town were down to ten men, Mr Taylor excelled himself by deeming a clean, ball-winning tackle by Foulser to be worthy of a penalty kick from a safe viewing distance of thirty yards.   Fleet full-back Adam Wallace converted the spot-kick in some style.

Fleet took control of the match after that, with Ben Wright and Nathan Smart both going close to adding to the score, although Ashford had good spells of their own, although too often there was no end product at the conclusion of the passing moves.  However, the hosts second goal did arrive in the 28th minute.  Prolific striker Mark Anderson looked to have scored for Fleet, only for Ricardo Josephs to head off the line.  Although Ashford fended off the resultant corner, they were unable to prevent the Hampshire side from recycling possession and after some good football, Steve Hemmings had doubled Fleet's lead.

Shortly afterwards, Ricardo Josephs was withdrawn as a precaution to be replaced by Adam Logie and shortly afterwards, the visitors pulled a goal back when a Romayne Thomas cross was headed home clinically by Matt Baxter.

Sadly, that was as good as it got for Ashford, as a thunderous 35 yard strike from James Field flew past Craig Ross and didn't so much hit the back of the net, as nearly put the net in the car park.  Fleet continued to dominate and ended the half 3-1 ahead.

In a slight revision to his plan, Mark Butler made a further six changes at half time, while counterpart Andy Sinton made five substitutions of his own.  Ashford started the second period brightly although Symon James was scythed down by Damien Smith, who escaped censure from Mr Taylor. To be fair to the referee, he did play a good advantage, from which Jon Palmer should have scored, only to miscue horribly.

Just after the hour mark, Fleet increased their lead again.  Substitute Darrne Campbell surged down the slope and fed the ball across the face of goal towards Field, who finished his second goal as emphatically as he had his first.

Ashford responded immediately, with a 30 yard piledriver from Ricky Wellard, which was well saved by Dave Smalley, although the subsequent corner was wasted, which allowed the hosts to counter-attack again, Craig Ross denying Wright with an instinctive save.  Smalley was again forced to make a save on 66 minutes - this time by Byron Harrison.

Ashford stopper Craig Ross made way for Dan Cox with sixteen minutes remaining and Ashford again had a good spell of possession without using it to generate a shot on goal.

With twelve minutes remaining, this pre-season workout boiled over.  Ashford skipper Paul Johnson was guilty of a poor challenge on Smith and a mêlée ensued, with Fleet's Phil Cousins running twenty yards to confront and shove Johnson, despite having been spoken to himself moments beforehand for repeatedly fouling the visiting midfield.  Johnson was booked, quite correctly according to the Laws of the Game and so, after a couple of minutes of deliberation by Mr Taylor, was Cousins.

Harrison, Goggin and Johnson all had half-chances to pull a goal back for Ashford, but the night's final goal fell to Fleet with six minutes remaining.  The hosts again moved the ball around the penalty area well, until a gap opened up for Field to drive beyond Cox and complete his hat-trick.

A couple of minutes later, Ashford's evening was summed up quite nicely, when a clever free-kick was lashed against the post by Harrison, only for the striker to blaze the rebound over.  The score might have been added to in stoppage time but for a fine save by Dan Cox as Fleet emerged worthy winners.