The Men’s First Team romped to their largest League win in 18 years on Saturday, scoring seven times against Ascot United without reply.
Ashford got off to the perfect start, going a goal up in less than 90 seconds. Jack Arnold was in the perfect position to meet an excellent cross from Zidan Akers and tapped the ball into the net.
Akers scored the second goal himself, firing a long-range shot past Yellas ‘keeper Vadym Patkevych in the sixth minute. United’s response was limited; they passed the ball nicely when in possession but never looked like threatening the home goal. Instead, it was the Tangerines who scored twice in three minutes late in the first half.
Former Ascot captain George Lock – now wearing the armband for Ashford – created both goals via outstanding crosses. In the 34th minute, Lock’s pinpoint delivery found an unmarked Jack Arnold, who volleyed the ball into the net. Alex Paine was the beneficiary of Lock’s largesse in the 37th minute, beating Patkevych with a well placed header.
Playing towards the Tank End in the second half, Ashford continued to pile on the misery for Ascot. Arnold completed his hat-trick in the 51st minute, bursting through on goal before shooting across Patkevych to score in the far corner. This prompted a double substitution from the visitors and one of the players brought on was Oliver Rowan, who was Ashford’s Young Player of the Season last term but who left the club last week.
In the 55th minute, Ashford went 6-0 up. A corner was half-cleared by the visiting defence and broke to Ben Mulley, who smashed his shot past Patkevych. Ascot made another double change, while Ashford also brought on three substitutes, perhaps with one eye on the crowded fixture schedule; this match was the start of a sequence of 11 matches in 42 days.
There was one final goal for the home support to celebrate, Elliott Poley hooking another set piece into the net.
After the match, manager Luke Morgan-Tuffs reacted to the game in relatively circumspect fashion:
Saturday’s win was the largest by Ashford Town (Middlesex) in (men’s) League football since 23 August 2008, when Tooting & Mitcham United were beaten 7-0 in an Isthmian League Premier Division match. Curiously, one of the goalscorers that day was Gavin Smith, who is the current Ascot United manager.
There is little time to bask in the weekend’s emphatic victory, as the Men’s First Team returns to action on Tuesday night, facing Barnet in the Middlesex FA John Taylor Senior Cup.
