Suburban League Premier Division,
Short Lane Stadium
6th September 2008

There have been countless times when, as your Suburban League Secretary, I have written that Reserve Team Football is not about results.  Yet, on some level, it must be, otherwise what is the point?  This defeat should be a learning experience for the squad and how these players react to this traumatic defeat will determine their futures.  One player who would seem to have no future with the club is Reece Jackson, who was named as a substitute yet walked off the bench and into the changing room with twelve minutes to go, at the exact moment his pace and guile would have been useful as Symon James pulled up injured.  The young forward didn't deserve to start following his midweek sending off and his show of petulance was unprofessional and would seem to draw a close over his brief spell at Short Lane.

This was a strange afternoon from the start.  With manager Glynn Stephens unavailable, Youth Team boss Mick Snowden took the helm and experimented by pushing Adam Foulser up front.  Yet it was the midfield that provided the opening goal of the afternoon when Ashford skipper Martin Jackson flighted a free-kick over the wall and beyond a static Mark Rouse with just five minutes played.  The game ebbed and flowed after that, although the next notable chance fell to the home side's Danny Byron, who volleyed just over the bar from an excellent passing move.  Jon Palmer was denied just after that, before the Blues levelled in the 28th minute when Matt Cepai fired across goal with Steve Douglas lashing home the rebound.

Ashford stopper Dan Cox palmed away a cross under pressure from two forwards as the Police surged forward and was called into action again after the visitors were allowed to encroach at a free-kick and hit the Ash Trees on the counter-attack.  Cox dealt with that and then kicked long, putting Palmer clear with the forward's shot being well saved.

Just after that, stand-in referee Richard Hailstone played a superb advantage that freed Ashford's Nick Hardy to fire in a great cross which was half-cleared to Adam Foulser, who drilled his shot across Rouse and into the net.  Palmer went close and Gareth Teuten troubled the visiting defence as Ashford finished the first half strongly.

Just two minutes into the second period, Ashford were 3-1 ahead.  James won a right-sided corner, which was beautifully crossed by Martin Jackson and Foulser headed home.  That should have been the platform for Ashford to close out the match, and James fired at Rouse just before the hour.  Yet, with 64 minutes on the watch, Ashford gifted their visitors a route back into the match.  Goalkeeper Dan Cox called for a free kick he was always going to struggle to reach and he duly missed it, leaving Douglas with an empty net to head into for his and his team's second goal.

Ashford's Scott Weight sent a long-range drive over the crossbar immediately after the goal and Foulser also shot wide as the home side remained positive.  However, with seventeen minutes remaining, Cox was again at the centre of the drama, as he was adjudged to have brought down Douglas with his feet.  Given that the young stopper led with his feet and brought the Met striker down inside the six-yard box, he was lucky to escape with a caution.  Although the home 'keeper got a hand to the spot-kick, Police's Andy Ottley tucked it in off the post.

Five minutes after that, Reece Jackson spat his dummy at the exact moment Symon James went down with an injury.  James battled on for a further five minutes before being replaced by George Baldock.  Yet, with a minute of "normal" time remaining, the visitors conjured an unlikely smash-and-grab win.  Russell Canderton found himself in the referee's notebook for conceding a free kick.  The inept Cox got the positioning of the defensive wall completely wrong and presented Ottley with what was effectively a "target zone".  The Met midfielder duly drilled the ball into it and, while the hapless 'keeper got a hand to it, he was unable to stop it hitting the net.

A number of players need to examine their performances after this traumatic performance, with the future of many of them on the line after a stuttering start to the season.  It is perhaps a good thing that the second string now have a week to work on their frailties', but not many will have troubled Mark Butler's thinking in this game.