Jim Richardson Memorial Trophy,
The Lucan Pavillion, Laleham
18th July 2009

Mark Butler felt that this match would give him and new assistant Keith Bristow the opportunity to see what some of the new faces could do as they prepare the team for the rigors of another season in the Ryman Premier League. Staines Lammas, managed by former Ashford favourite and manager Nathan Wharf, provided the opposition and they enthusiastically played their part in an open, free scoring match.

Mark played three new players in the opening 45 minutes with a fourth coming on as substitute then, with the exception of keeper Paul Burgess, completely changed the side for the second period.

Last season’s top scorer Byron Harrison had two early chances to put Ashford ahead but he headed a Vinnie O’Sullivan cross just over Danny Cox’s bar then pushed a shot narrowly past the post. Cox, along with Laurence Munns, Jamie-Lee Smithers and Jamie Redrup, are all former Ashford players now plying their trade with Lammas.

The visitors took the lead in the 24^th minute when Harrison saw his shot palmed into the path of Brett Cooper who, still breathing hard from doing his boots up, accepted the chance, skilfully steering the ball into the back of the empty net from 6 yards.

Nathan Turner replaced Danny Byron on the half hour and wasted no time getting involved as within five minutes of coming on he had doubled Ashford’s advantage, twisting and turning in the Lammas penalty area before finally finding the space to fire an unstoppable right footer past the helpless Cox.

Harrison, linking well with the impressive Malachi Bulley, sent his side in to the break with a three goal lead on the stroke of half time when he fired a low shot past the diving Cox’s right hand and just inside the post.

Gavin Smith and Scott Harris joined Paul Burgess as the only regular members of the senior team on the pitch for the second half but things did not quite go to plan for the Isthmian side. Smithers should have pulled a goal back early on but failed to get enough of the ball from a cross from the right and headed wide when unmarked but made up for it 10 minutes later when he picked up a loose ball to tap home with Burgess grounded.

The Combined Counties side pulled a second goal back in the 69^th minute with a speculative cross from the right that cleared Burgess before bouncing off the far post into the net.

Three minutes later Scott Harris opened up a two goal lead again when he pushed the ball between Cox and a defender, neither of whom took responsibility to clear, allowing Harris to follow up and slide the ball into the empty net.

The action and scoring continued unabated as Nathan’s spirited side reduced the deficit once again when a superbly struck cross-field pass from the right was expertly controlled by the Lammas left winger who drew Burgess off his line before deftly flicking the ball past him into the net.

But it was Ashford who had the last word with two late goals. Harris charged after a through ball in his usual muscular fashion, winning the race for the ball with Cox who could only look on as the Ashford striker scored his second of the game. Harris turned provider for the final goal cutting along the goal line before finding Chris Wright with a pin-point cross and the midfielder made no mistake. 

Of the new boys, Malachi Bulley, Nathan Turner, Chris Wright and the skilful Ivo Ginev caught the eye while Ike Chukwudum looked comfortable on the ball at the back but tended to dwell on it a little, a trait that could be punished in the Isthmian League.