Last night’s match at Merstham in the Surrey Senior Cup saw Ashford making no less than eight changes from the starting eleven against Tonbridge at the weekend.  Only Scott Weight, Adam Logie and Ricardo Joseph retained their place from Saturday and of these, only Ricardo has been a permanent fixture in the 1^st Team recently.

It was, therefore, very much an experimental Ashford team who took the field, and an opportunity for squad and reserve players to impress, with no less than four players making their first appearance of the season, including three making their 1^st team debut, one being the gaffer himself, who thus becomes the first full international ever to wear Ashford colours.  The other debutants were Ike Chukwudum, partnering Adam Logie at the back, and Mark Bitmead, promoted from the Under-18’s.  Nick Hardy, who has appeared in every reserve match this season also made his first senior team appearance of the season.

Alas, the opportunity to impress was not really taken with the team often looking disjointed, particularly in the opening period, which saw Merstham score twice and generally dominate possession.  Ashford were handed a lifeline on the stroke of half-time though when Scott Harris was fouled in the area with the resulting penalty kick being despatched with aplomb by Jon Palmer.

The introduction of regular 1^st teamers Paul Johnson and Byron Harrison early in the second half, and later, Warren Harris, had a marked effect upon Ashford’s play but a third goal was conceded in the sloppiest of fashions.  A goalmouth scramble some ten minutes from time gave Ashford fresh hope when Scott Harris (we think) bundled the ball over to make it 2-3 but poor defending yet again then presented Merstham with a fourth goal.