FA Youth Cup 3rd Qualifying Round,
Church Road, Hayes
22nd October 2008

The Tangerines began brightly, but once their hosts had got into their stride they took control of the match and poor defending allowed Brice Boyer to head his side in front after thirteen minutes.  United had more of the ball, but Jimmy Stanford volleyed over from distance in the 24th minute.

In the 31st minute, the first major flashpoint occurred when Hayes forward Jake Lovell slid in dangerously late on Ryan Bona.  Bona reacted to the challenge by kicking out at his assailant and was quite rightly dismissed, to the delight of the Main Stand, whose celebrations were cut short when Lovell was also offered first use of the shower gel.

The game became scrappy after this, although United continued to dominate position.  Ashford were resilient in defence, although the hosts might have doubled their lead in the final minute of the first half when Daniel Wishart shot across Dane Buss' goal.

The next major flashpoint was beginning to unfold.  Referee Pusey had played only nine seconds of stoppage time at the end of the first period and the reason became clear when an appeal went out for a qualified match official over the tannoy.  However, Mr Pusey emerged for the second half, despite being completely unable to run.  Ashford, conversely, were full of running and both George Baldock and Stanford went close to equalising.  Andrew went one-on-one with Buss, who saved well, at which point Mr Pusey finally bowed to the inevitable and left the field.

His replacement, however, was a member of the home coaching staff, which was unacceptable to the Ashford officials not because there was any question over the gentleman's integrity, but simply because in such an important game, it was key to both clubs that it be controlled by three neutral officials in case of controversy.  The home bench were unhappy with the protest made by your correspondent and stated they had asked for Manager Mick Snowden's approval for the change (this was true, but it transpired later that Mick had not been given the full story).  There was a heated discussion, which Mr Pusey ended by recalling his replacement and attempting to run the line himself.

Meanwhile, out on the green stuff, a football match was threatening to break out.  Baldock fired straight at home stopper Simon Grant, while at the other end, Wishart hit the post.  Replacement referee, Mr Potsdamy, then contrived to book Standford for handball after he controlled the ball with the top of his torso.  As time ebbed away, Josh Andrew forced a good save from Buss but despite the dominance of the hosts, Ashford were still in the match.

In the seventh minute of stoppage time, they proved it when a fierce Stanford free kick was spilled by Grant and George Baldock was on hand to tuck away the rebound.  As they had in both periods of normal time, Ashford were out of the blocks quickest, with substitute Tom Betts forcing a save with a header and a vicious Stanford shot being saved.

The second period of extra time saw United again regain control of the game and with 107 minutes on the watch they regained the lead when Tom Betts sliced an attempted clearance into his own net.  As ever, Ashford continued to battle away but their best chance of forcing a penalty shoot-out came in the 116th minute, when Baldock went one-on-one with Grant, but flicked the ball wide of goal as he beat the keeper.

This was Ashford's first defeat since March and the measure of these boys will be how they react to it.