Ashford Town's Under-18 team ended their pre-season campaign with a seventh successive victory, earning a 3-0 win over Staines Town in a feisty Spelthorne Derby.

Both sides tried to play good football in wet and blustery conditions on the Training Pitch at Short Lane and, in fact cancelled each other out to start with, with it taking over twenty minutes before a shot on goal was registered.  That shot came from the Tangerines, and shortly afterwards, good play from Oscar Jennings and Jimmy Stanford creating a golden opportunity for George Baldock, whose clinical strike separated the teams at the break.

Although the visitors dominated the early stages of the second half, their lack of firepower would prove costly, as Jimmy Stanford struck twice to ensure that Ashford would emerge winners.  Both goals were fine individual efforts - the first an audacious lob from wide on the left and thirty yards from goal, while the second was a fierce drive from a more central position, but a greater distance.  After Stanford's double against the club for whom he played Junior Football, the Swans seemed to lose their cool a tad, and a number of fierce challenges went in as both sides looked to end the game strongly.

All in all, though, this was a valuable workout for both sides, with Ashford taking the early bragging rights.  A full match report is here.