| With the hurt and disappointment of last week's shock loss still in their systems, Ashford took their anger out against a battling Bedfont Green side who went from being totally out of the game, then back in it, only to be slayed by some no nonsense finishing from the clubs two most prolific goalscorers. The Ash Trees gave a full debut to 17 year old central Defender Rob Curtis and started the game with a diamond shape formation with Ben Jones given the license to showcase his skills just behind forwards Munir Dar John Palmer and boy, did he do that. Ashford settled into their new formation well, and dominated possession from kick off. Chances seemed to come at will with Bedfont Green seeming not to have the answer to Ashford’s extra man midfield. With the Tangerines being dominant against Tonbridge in the previous week only for Tonbridge to score first, it was imperative that the Ash Trees made these chances count and after some neat interchange and then a cross from captain Danny Byron, Jones smashed a left foot shoot from just outside the box straight into the top right hand corner of a bulging net. The goal certainly settled some nerves and gave a decisive edge to the performance that has been lacking in recent weeks and 10 minutes after the initial breakthrough Jones was slipped through by Thomas Nyarko and with his confidence sky high he smashed a right foot effort into the bottom right hand corner leaving the keeper with no chance. With everything going their way, Ashford suffered a setback when the midfields dominant figure Byron had to be replaced by Joel Binali due to a calf strain. The ash trees reverting back to a familiar 4-4-2 formation however, there was little effect on their 1st half dominance, and minutes later Munir Dar rounded the keeper and sent a shot goalbound that was somehow cleared off the line by a retreating defender. Then after the best move of the game , Binali’s pace broke him free from everyone to lift the ball over the keeper and into the net., 3-0. The second half started pretty much in the same vein but suddenly Bedfont Green changed their shape and thus their fortunes. After they broke free on the right hand side, a cross into the box was slotted in by their oncoming wide player to make it 3-1. This goal sparked Bedfont Green into life seemed to make the ash trees very nervous in possession and restless in their tackling and after another meaningless free kick was even away, Bedfont Green swung in a cross into the heart of the tangerine penalty area that no one dealt with so after a free header, the score was now 3-2. In the meantime, Nathan Turner replaced John Palmer and virtually straight away, Turner had the best chance of the match when after some fine work from William Joseph, Binali delivered a pintpoint cross that Turner could only steer straight at the keeper. Luckily this was kick up the rear that Ashford needed and after a great run and pass by Nick Hardy, deadly Dar rounded the keeper again but his shot this time evaded the defender and gave Ashford some breathing space. With jut over 10 minutes left, youth team hotshot Mark Bidmead came on for his debut and immediately got straight into the action and with Ashford starting to retain possession again, some more good work from Binali let to Bitmead hitting a left foot effort into the bottom bag and gave Ashford their biggest win of the season. A well deserved victory with a squad of five youth team players, three of whom started the game, against a team of twentysomethings who eventually found chasing a bunch of teenagers around, apart from Palms, a bit too much hard work. Roll on Uxbridge on Saturaday! Team. 1. Lee Elliot, 2. Nick Hardy, 3. William Joseph, 4. Thomas Nyarko, 5. Rob Curtis, 6. Ike Chuckwudum, 7. Ben Jones (Mark Bitmead 77mins) 8. Danny Byron, (capt) (Joel Binali 30mins), 9. John Palmer (Nathan Turner 65mins) , 10. Munir Dar,11. Enoch Aojepone-Akosay. Sub not used, Jacob Joseph. |
Saturday, 31 July 2010
