| Having had difficulties in raising a team to travel to Kew Association last weekend, stand-in manager Keith Bristow had the opposite problem for the visit of Bracknell Town - an unexpectedly large crop of triallists looking to earn themselves a place in the squad left Mark Butler's Chief Scout with twenty players in search of a game. All eleven players who took on Kew were involved as were eight completely new faces, plus Adam Foulser. This match was played on the outside pitch at Short Lane and thanks must go to all those people who helped to keep the game flowing by retrieving errant clearances, particularly young supporter Jamie Tilt (on left of picture below) who chased footballs and fetched corner flags with characteristic energy all afternoon. Both sides were looking to get the ball down and pass it from the first whistle and although Gareth Teuten and Ted Day combined well to create the first chance of the game, it was Bracknell who took a seventh minute lead when an Andy Brint shot deflected off Chris Read and beyond the helpless Paul May.  Ashford did not lose heart after this setback - instead, they played some excellent football and secured a deserved equaliser in the 26th minute when Gareth Teuten, playing his first match in Ashford colours, drove at the visiting defence, beat three defenders and then shot across the goalkeeper to score at the far post.
Teuten was a constant threat to the Robins rearguard after that and almost inspired a second goal four minutes later, when his low cross from the right flank was hit just wide by on-trial striker Anthony Reid. Teuten and Martin Jackson's interplay at a corner then helped create a chance for Mark Todd, whose shot hit the visiting keeper. However, Bracknell had the odd chance of their own and Paul May did well to win a one-on-one with Brint to ensure the scores were level at the break. Ashford had made two changes before halt time and made another seven at the interval, meaning that, of the starting eleven, only Ross Bennett and Paul May returned for the second half, with May the only player to get a full ninety minutes. Unusually, the mass substitution did not seem to affect the Tangerines too much as, apart from an early corner, they pegged the Berkshire back almost from the start. The lead was eventually grasped on fifty-seven minutes, when a fine move saw George Baldock feed Reece Jackson, who fired clinically into the net. Just three minutes later it was 3-1, when Sonny Russell picked out an excellent run by the young striker, whose excellent turn and finish gave him his second goal. On sixty-seven minutes, Bennett aggravated an old ankle injury and was replaced by the returning Martin Jackson, whose normal position is central midfield. This was the change that would finally upset the home side's rhythm, as four minutes later, Bracknell were back in the match. With the defence not fully organised, Robins winger Luke Walsh was left unmarked and a good pass found him in acres of space, the youngster coolly slotting past the blameless May. After that, the heat seemed to take a toll on the players and the next notable incident was six minutes from time, when Walsh drove at May from an acute angle, only to see the young stopper produce a fine, acrobatic save. Ultimately that was enough to get Ashford the win they just about deserved at the end of an excellent contest between two decent footballing sides. | 
Friday, 21 November 2008
