| This latest outing saw a small squad of youngsters and on-trial players take on Westfield's strongest available side ahead of the Surrey side's first league match on Saturday and, despite losing the game, Ashford could take many positives from a useful workout on an excellent surface. The early exchanges were even, with both sides looking to play passing football, although the first real chance of a goal fell to Ashford's George Baldock, who was denied by a combination of the centre-half and goalkeeper eighteen minutes into the game.  After that, the hosts enjoyed a dominant spell, controlling possession for long periods. Ashford stopper Dan Cox (right), back from celebrating his 21st birthday in Prague, had to deal with a series of corners and shots, as Westfield pinned their visitors back. However, there was little the young 'keeper could do about the game's only goals, which came in a two minute spell just after the half hour.
The first was a superb individual effort by Bulgarian midfielder Todor Buzov, who ran twenty yards with the ball before launching a 30 yard strike into the top corner. The second was a fine team goal, which culminated in a good cross from the left flank being headed in by Junior Olatunde. So disjointed were Ashford by this point that the nearest they came to scoring in this spell was when a home defender nearly headed past his own 'keeper. However, Town rallied after this and both Ted Day and Sonny Russell had long shots well saved. However, Olatunde should have added to his side's lead when he found himself clean through, although his indecision allowed Town to clear the danger. Caretaker Manager Keith Bristow said afterwards that he had got "a little bit angry" during his half time team talk and Ashford emerged for the second period looking a much better side. With 55 minutes on the watch, youth team forward Jimmy Stanford went one-on-one with the home goalkeeper and was denied by a good save. Now, it was Ashford who were pinning Westfield inside their own half, although for all their possession, the Tangerines could not do enough with it, with too often the final ball or shot being off target. When Ashford did hit the target, they found Westfield's goalkeeper in inspired form and a fizzing drive from Russell was again well saved. Town may have seen a glimmer of hope when the home side changed their stopper with eighteen minutes remaining. Unfortunately, the replacement was in equally fine fettle and denied Stanford in another one-on-one, which was generated by a fine pass from Russell. From the subsequent corner, Mark Todd had a good strike saved. Ashford finished the match looking comfortable on the ball and had one last chance to pull a goal back, in the final minute. Inevitably, it fell to Stanford and equally inevitably, he was denied by a fine save. While the result was perhaps not what Ashford might have hoped for, it was a secondary consideration. The second half performance will have given Keith Bristow much information to report back to Mark Butler and his staff, while if he can maintain his present form, Jimmy Stanford will surely be terrorising Suburban League defences before too long. |
Monday, 08 September 2008
