| Manager Mick Snowden again rotated his players for this League fixture, fielding a side made up mostly of first year boys, who responded to their opportunity by recording a comfortable victory over a hardworking Cove side. 
However, the game might have been quite different if Cove's Connor Burrows had opened the scoring in the fourth minute. The midfielder's shot first took a deflection and then bounced wickedly in front of Ashford 'keeper Dan Kennard, who did well to tipped the ball over the crossbar. Having survived that early scare, Ashford took the lead in the sixteenth minute when a free kick from Tom Betts shot across the goalkeeper from a wide angle. Eight minutes after that, Cove's Burrows had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar, which came to the home team's rescue when Nick Page cannoned his rebound header against the frame of the goal. Having survived these scares, the home side regained a grip on the game, with Lewis Wombwell drawing a save from visiting goalkeeper Moss. The energetic striker had a hand in his side's second goal in the forty-first minute when his shot was blocked, only to run into the path of George Jennings, whose shot was drilled high into the net. .Ashford dominated the second half, but didn't seriously test Moss, with the exception of a shot from Jennings which was well saved. Ashford finally added their third goal in the 68th minute when a Jennings run and cross forced a corner. Luke Roberts took it and, although the defender attempted to claim that his set-piece had gone directly into the net, it appeared that a light touch from Lewis Wombwell had diverted the ball into the net. After that, Ashford were in complete control and added a fourth goal in the 81st minute when Jimmy Stanford, brought on for Wombell just seven minutes previously, beat two defenders then cut inside and lashed his shot into the net to complete what will be a very satisfying win for a very inexperienced side. |
Wednesday, 08 February 2012
