This was the youngest team that Ashford had fielded for a competitive match since the beginning of last season. In total there were nine first year players (16yrs – 17 yrs) in the squad of sixteen. Three of these players were making their competitive debuts. All in all Manager Mick Snowden (pictured) was taking a bit of a gamble against what was unknown opposition. It looked like the gamble had backfired as within the first five minutes Sandhurst went 1 – 0 up. An attack down Ashford’s left flank wasn’t dealt with very well. Not enough urgency was shown and the Sandhurst player was allowed to but an in swinging cross to the near post. Keeper Dan Kennard playing his first game of the season, apart from half a game in the first friendly, appeared to have the danger covered but a Sandhurst player arrived in the six yard box at pace and got to the ball first touching the ball past him and into the bottom of the net.  Ashford recovered quite well and played some neat passing football but without any real cutting edge. One or two of the newer players were struggling to work to the system that the team play to and consequently Ashford looked more vulnerable than usual when not in possession. Sandhurst had two attacks of note in the first half. The first when a long cross to the far post caused Kennard problems. He seemed to have dealt with the cross only to drop the ball, which bounced towards the goal line. He recovered and managed to hook the ball away but only as far as a Sandhurst player who got a shot away. Tom Snowden blocked the shot on the line and between him and Kennard they managed to clear the danger. The second attack of note was a long shot that was hit with real pace and was heading for the top corner. Kennard moved his feet well and got right behind the ball and solidly palmed it over the bar.
Ashford’s attacks were more plentiful but probably not as incisive. In about the 38 minutes however Dwayne Lowe-Simms playing up front with George Jennings picked up the ball under pressure about five yards from the penalty area. He used his strength and pace to get away from two defenders and finished from just inside the box guiding the ball into the bottom corner of the goal. Ashford came out for the second half in a more positive frame of mind and dominated almost from the start. Stanford replaced Oscar Johnson who was making his debut and immediately gave the Sandhurst defenders problems down the left flank. Ashford eventually got the winner on about 75 minutes. Jennings received the ball just inside the Sandhurst half holding off the defender. He worked the ball into a position and struck an incisive pass to Lowe Simms who had made a good run. Lowe-Simms held off the defender and finished from about 12 yards. Sandhurst had a few intermittent attacks in the last 15 minutes one of which midfielder Danny Byron dealt with under severe pressure after tracking back into the six-yard box. Wombwell who has impressed Mick Snowden and Stewart Luwaw making his debut came on for Bitmead and Betts. The final score was a fair result on the overall play of the game but it was apparent that some of the younger players will need to learn quickly if Ashford are to carry on winning games with the consistency they have been doing so to date. The players that achieved on the night according to Mick Snowden were Jennings Lowe-Simms and Bona. Squad: Kennard, Snowden, Bona, Watkins, Loates, Bitmead, Betts, Byron, Johnson, Lowe-Simms, Jennings, Finch, Luwaw, Zammit, Wombwell, Stanford | 
Wednesday, 07 January 2009
