Ashford made further progress yesterday evening in the FA Youth Cup, beating the Under-18 side of Fisher Athletic by 3 goals to 1, to ease their way into the final qualifying round of this season’s competition, in which they will face an away trip to local rivals Hayes & Yeading, who earlier in the week had seen off Hampton by 2 goals to nil. That match will take place week commencing 20 October, although the exact date has still to be verified. The evening started badly for the visitors as they arrived late, with kick-off having to be delayed until 8.00 p.m. The journey though did not seem to phase them and it became apparent within the first few minutes that Ashford were facing another stiff challenge. Nevertheless it was the home side who struck an early blow when JIMMY STANFORD waltzed or rather flew down the left flank and unleashed a thunderbolt that flew into the top corner.  Fisher though, inspired by their no. 4, Gerry Gonnella, who was certainly one of the best players on the pitch, soon equalised and it was scored by Gonnella whose fierce effort took something of a deflection which gave Ashford keeper Dane Buss no chance of saving.
For a while Fisher were in the ascendancy but Ashford are nothing if not resolute and the game gradually became more even. There were no further goals before the break but despite another impressive opening five minutes or so from Fisher at the start of the second half, DANNY BYRON restored Ashford’s lead just eight minutes in when he glanced home a deadly free kick from Byron Watkins. A few minutes later came the game’s only controversial moment when referee Rea, after appearing to allow play to proceed, pulled it back for a free kick to Ashford only to see a superb dipping volley from Jimmy Stanford dropping sweetly into the net. It was an embarrassing moment for the official, who otherwise enjoyed an effective match, but a few minutes later it was almost forgotten as LUKE ROBERTS, a defensive rock for the Short Lane side, advanced to head home another superb cross to make the score 3-1. That was how it stayed and despite the fact that the visitors never stopped trying to play football the result never looked in doubt after that, as they had no answer to Ashford’s power play in the final period of the match. | 
Saturday, 04 February 2012
