The visitors fielded two sets of brothers in this annual fixture between the two Ashfords. The Middlesex side travelled to Homelands seeking to avenge last years four goal drubbing suffered at Short Lane and came away having gone one better. It was unfortunate that the home team lost their goalkeeper in the second half and were forced to replace him with an outfield player. The visitors started the stronger with Gavin Smith firing a speculative shot from range over Dan Thurston’s bar inside the first minute then a fine ball by Gavin Bamford found Warren Harris out on the right and he wasted no time in tormenting his marker before rolling the ball across goal to Paul Johnson whose usually trusty left foot let him down and he blasted the ball wide. The visitors started with new boys Billy Jefferies and Ricardo Josephs at central defence and left back respectively and it was the latter that got forward to receive a decent ball from Stuart Bamford before cutting in and pushing a good ball across the face of the goal where it just needed a touch for the opening goal but all contrived to miss the ball. Johnson played the ball forward on to the head of Scott Harris for the young striker to nod into the path of Gavin Bamford but the visitors skipper shot wide then Brett Cooper (pictured, right, with Russell Cangerton) made an excellent challenge on Paul Jones as the home team threatened. Gavin Smith must have thought that he had opened the scoring for the Premier Division side in the 17th minute when he turned and fired a powerful strike goalwards but a spectacular save by Thurston kept Smith out before a cross by Mitchell Sherwood, from the home teams right flank, was headed into the path of Jones by his strike partner Andy Doerr but Jones shot over Craig Ross’ bar. The visitors took the lead on the half hour when Warren Harris advanced onto a good ball by Gavin Bamford then produced a shot that deflected into the path of his elder brother Scott who fired home. Six minutes later Harris very nearly doubled his tally with a superb turn in the penalty box and shot which struck the bar, the home side though fought back. Sean Ray, the Kent side’s skipper was allowed to run the length of the pitch before shooting, Ross dealing with a wicked bounce at the second attempt. The visitors defence seemed to be dealing with their opponents attacks quite comfortably and so it came as a minor surprise when, in the 44th minute, their hosts equalised. A long throw by Tony Brown on the right was headed backwards by Stuart Bamford, nearly catching his keeper out in the process who scrambled the ball away for a corner. Ray rose unchallenged at the far post to head home the corner kick. Warren Harris crossed deep, early in the second half, but Smith could only plant his firm header too close to Thurston who saved at the cost of a corner. Another corner, in the 52nd minute gave the visitors the chance to restore their lead which they took through Jeffries’ half-volley at the far post. A Sherwood chip went close before the hosts suffered bad luck that effectively ended their challenge when injured keeper Thurston was replaced by Lee Hockey, normally a central defender. Hockey’s first act was to pick the ball out of the back of the net, put their by Johnson, in the 63rd minute, after good work from Brett Cooper and Scott Harris. Mass substitutions followed, including the visitors strike force, Scott Harris and Gavin Smith both of whom had enjoyed excellent games against uncompromising and experienced defenders, they were replaced by Byron Harrison and Jon Palmer. It was some sublime Harrison skill that very nearly increased the visitors lead when he lobbed the advancing Hockey, but Danny Lye sped back to cover and clear the ball off the goal line.  But, two minutes later, an error by the stand-in keeper Hockey presented Palmer with the visitor’s fourth goal when he fumbled a long ball out of defence by Jeffries, playing the ball into the path of Palmer (pictured, left) who calmly tapped into the empty net.
The industrious Johnson, his work completed, was replaced by Francis Luke who was immediately into the game, chasing back and harrying Sherwood, forcing the Kent winger to put the ball out for a throw to the visitors. Credit must be given to the home team for the fight they showed, never giving up, illustrated late in the game when two shots in two minutes fizzed narrowly wide, but it was the visitors who scored again. Clever work from Harrison, in the 79th minute, gave Cooper the chance to cross and he rolled the ball into Palmer who managed the slightest of touches to deflect the ball past Hockey for his second and his teams fifth. There was still time for the home team to threaten Ross’ goal though and it took two excellent saves, one from point blank range, to deny consolation Kent goals. This was a very useful run-out against a hard working Kent side, the score-line perhaps a little flattering due to Ashford (Kent) goal keeping problems but, the Middlesex side had control for most of the match and the score reflected the general superiority of the Isthmian Premier League team. As usual the visitors enjoyed the hospitality shown toward them and we wish Ashford Town (Kent) well in the coming season. | 
Friday, 21 November 2008
