| Your correspondent does not believe in the "pre-season friendly". Both sides go out on to the pitch to win - it builds momentum and confidence, and there is a level of match sharpness that can only be reached by giving 100% effort. By definition, there can be nothing "friendly" about that. This match was a perfect example of this: it was full-blooded, competitive and occasionally highly charged and was all the better for it. At the end of a tough ninety minutes, both sides could take plenty of positives from their evening's work. Exactly a year and a day had passed since the two clubs' last meeting at Short Lane, which Ashford won 6-1. However, much had changed in that time - the hosts had won promotion to the Southern League by winning the Combined Counties League, while Mark Butler was still infusing his squad with new blood, with defender Charlie Wassmer and striker Jake Lovell appearing on loan from Hayes & Yeading United. By and large, though, the men in Tangerine & White were largely familiar, in contrast to the previous evening's match at Fleet Spurs. The youngster Lovell got a sight of goal as early as the fifth minute, heading at the goalkeeper. However, after that, the home side enjoyed a twenty minute spell of dominance in which they made the Ash Trees defence work hard without ever truly testing Craig Ross. Ashford's next chance arose in the 24th minute, when Billy Jeffreys headed a Paul Johnson free kick against the crossbar. Shortly after that near miss, a Johnson corner was half-cleared as far as Warren Harris, whose effort went over the bar. Both sides were looking for a goal, but it was Ashford's Ricardo Joseph who next went close, rattling the post with a venomous 35th minute shot from the left after good work by Brett Cooper. Scott Harris also forced a good save with a header but there were no goals before the break. There was, however, a goal less than two minutes after the break and it went to Ashford. Warren Harris found Cooper, whose cross from the right flank was met spectacularly by a diving header from Scott Harris which left the goalkeeper with no chance. That seemed to unsettle the home side, who almost conceded an own goal in the 53rd minute. Shortly afterwards, Billy Jeffreys and Scott Harris were replaced by Hone Fowler and Byron Harrison respectively. The game then endured something of a lull until a 65th minute flashpoint when Lovell clashed with his marker, resulting in the Green defender raising his hands to the diminutive forward and causing a brief spat between the benches. The referee took no action save a quiet word with each manager once things had calmed down. By this point, the Ryman League side were beginning to dominate and Johnson saw a free kick well saved by the Bedfont stopper before the Ash Trees finally got their second goal in the 73rd minute. It was a fabulous effort, with Fowler feeding Jake Lovell, who beat the close attentions of two defenders before slotting the ball into the net. That was to be Lovell's last contribution, as he made way for youth team forward George Jennings, while Scott Weight made way for Adam Logie. Bedfont continued to put in plenty of effort and pulled a goal back with eight minutes to go when the visiting defence failed to clear a loose ball, which was duly bundled home. However, although Bedfont rallied as they went looking for an equaliser, it was the visitors who finished strongly, with Ricardo Joseph in particular enjoying the attacking freedom provided to him by the solidity of Hone Fowler's defending behind him. The final whistle brought Ashford's fourth win in pre-season and the hard-fought nature of the victory will have pleased Mark Butler, as he steps up preparations for the new season, which is now only a fortnight away. |
Wednesday, 08 February 2012
