| Reserve Team boss Glynn Stephens was back on the touchline for this final fixture before the League campaign starts, but must have spent at least part of the wintry afternoon wishing his was still in Tenerife. A cold, strong wind combined with driving rain made this match - switched to the Training Pitch precisely because of the weather - a miserable experience for all concerned. The pitch itself wasn't in great condition, having held a huge amount of games in recent weeks and this coupled with the conditions made for a scrappy game. Chipstead were busy and industrious, while Ashford lacked a little bit of discipline, particularly in midfield where Francis Luke was content to meander out to the left flank and stroll around either side of the halfway line. This forced Mark Todd, who had been effective on the left, to switch wings, although it did also bring Gareth Teuten into the centre of the park, where his drive and energy were valuable. Both sides created half chances during the opening period, although the nearest either side came to a goal was a 25-yard drive from Ashford's Anthony Reid, which hit the top of the crossbar. Stephens read his players the Riot Act at half time, then replaced Todd with Danny Byron early in the second half. The young midfielder's first contribution was a telling one, as his header sent Reid racing away towards the visitors goal. He managed to beat both the goalkeeper and last defender to the loose ball, scoring an instinctive, first-touch goal. This perked the game up a little, although both sides made numerous changes which disrupted the flow of the match. By now, the Tangerines looked the better side and had a couple of decent chances to extend their lead. However, Stephens desire to examine all of his squad prompted him to switch to a 3-5-2 formation, which allowed Chipstead to stretch the home rearguard with about ten minutes to go. The ball ricocheted around the penalty box and was eventually bundled into Dan Cox's net. Cox was then immediately substituted and replaced by Paul May. With the match drawing to a close, the visiting goalkeeper handled outside his area in order to deny Ashford what looked to be a goalscoring opportunity. Sensibly, given the nature of the match, referee Guy Marley merely reminded the stopper that next Saturday he would be sent off for a similar offence. This summed up the performance of the Men In Black, who were collectively excellent. Mark Todd, reintroduced up front after Reid sustained a neck injury, hit the free kick at the goalkeeper. |
Friday, 21 November 2008
