Walton & Hersham 1 Ashford Town 2
from Your Milton Keynes Correspondent
Ashford began the day on 44 league points, with ten games remaining – that’s a very significant figure, as it’s the total number of points we amassed during the whole of last season’s relegation-haunted campaign. How nice to approach the first fixtures of Spring with the unusual luxury of not having to worry about the possibility of life in the Kent League !
In fact, most issues in the division are now more or less settled: it looks pretty certain that we will lose Molesey and Horsham YMCA through the trap-door, Dover are all but Champions (dammit), and Cray Wanderers, Tooting & Mitcham and the Met Police are nailed on to be three of the four clubs fighting out the play-offs. Just the fourth play-off place to be decided, then, with Walton & Hersham just about on the edge of a cluster of half a dozen clubs in contention, being six points adrift of fifth-placed Worthing. (Mind you, a draw and a defeat against the division’s bottom two teams – Horsham YMCA and Molesey, respectively - in their last two games haven’t helped Walton’s cause).
And, if The Swans are to be described as still having a realistic shout for promotion, then something similar should be said about Ashford, who trailed today’s hosts by seven points, with two games in hand, this morning. So not a dead rubber by any means, and there was always the probability that defeat for either team today would effectively smother any lingering hopes they might have – with a draw also being of about as much use as a cat flap on a submarine to both teams, it was not surprising that we witnessed an entertaining match, with both sides showing plenty of desire to take all three points.
An additional incentive for Ashford Town was the opportunity to avenge the 1-3 defeat we suffered against The Swans just a few weeks ago. This was a surprising reverse, at the time, halting a good run of performances and results that Steve Lovell and his men had put together since Boxing Day. The main characteristic of that defeat was a fairly shambolic defensive display, in the absence of goalkeeper Jamie Riley and rock-like centre-half and captain Sean Ray. In that game, Nicky Humphrey was switched from right-back to central defence, with Tony Browne filling in at right-back – which is what Steve Lovell did as a reaction to Lee Hockey’s unavailability for the match at Eastbourne Town, and that resulted in Ashford’s second hapless defensive performance of 2008, (and a 4-1 shellacking). It was no surprise, therefore, that Steve opted to leave Nicky Humphrey at No.2 this afternoon, with the versatile Danny Lye playing alongside Sean Ray at the back – as he had done in the 1-0 victory at home to the Metropolitan Police, on Saturday. Lee Hockey was at Stompond Lane this afternoon, wearing a white plaster on his hooter, after his recent enforced nose job. He looked like something from “Extreme Makeover” – whatever that is !
The remainder of the Ashford line-up was as we have come to expect: Jamie Riley in goal; a back four of (from right to left) Nicky Humphrey, Sean Ray, Danny Lye and Daniel Brathwaite; a midfield quartet of Mitch Sherwood, Ryan Briggs, Anthony Hogg and Jimmy Bottle, with Paul Jones and Mark Lovell in attack. The substitutes bench also had a reassuringly familiar look about it, (with Lee Hockey currently being the only member of the first-team squad unavailable for selection): Tony Browne, Aron Freeman, Nick Barnes, Walid Matata and sub goalie Sam Moore.
This was only my second visit to Walton & Hersham FC – and it is no coincidence that it was also Ashford Town’s second visit here, and only the fifth match between the two teams EVER. I found this quite a staggering fact, given that these are two long-established non-league clubs in the South East of England, Walton & Hersham being able to trace their history back to 1896. The teams didn’t meet until 1969, when The Swans, who were reigning Champions of the Athenian league, came to Essella Park for an FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie. Ashford, then led by legendary Player-Manager Peter Sillett, went down 0-1, in front of a crowd of around 2,500 – which wasn’t a particularly unusual gate in those days. The only previous time that the two clubs have been in the same division was the 2004-5 season, when Walton beat us home and away, on the way to being promoted to the Premier Division, along with AFC Wimbledon – when Ashford came unacceptably close to slipping down to the Kent League. The Swans’ victory at The Homelands earlier in the year therefore made it a perfect record against us of four wins out of four, with an aggregate score of seven goals to two.
With Walton & Hersham being one of the bigger clubs in the division – on a par with the likes of Tooting & Mitcham and Dulwich Hamlet – it was no surprise that they have a decent-sized ground. The main stand is one of the larger ones on the circuit, with spectators having an elevated view of proceedings. Much of the seating is this stand is in the form of a pair of wooden slats, worn smooth by many bums, which are surprisingly comfortable – but it is the fact that some of this wooden “seating” still has rather aged plastic seats attached to it that suggests that this wasn’t necessarily the original plan. On the far side, there is terracing, several steps deep, which is covered by a stand which, impressively, extends for the whole length of the pitch. But the slightly unusual feature of the Sports Ground at Stompond Lane is that it is surrounded by a six-lane athletics track – the football club shares this Council-owned facility with Walton Athletics Club. This explains the athletics paraphernalia on view – shot putt netting, high jump mattress etc. At one end of the ground, there is more terracing, which curves around Lane 6, and beyond this there is what looks like a large, inflated tent, which I assume is an indoor training or sports facility of some sort.
All in all, the ground gives the impression of being able to comfortably accommodate a large crowd, and that it is inhabited by a big club at this level. For all that, I still found it to be a cozy, friendly place, with the bar and boardroom housed in two converted bungalows. Sadly, though, interest in the old club locally has dwindled to the extent that its average gate so far this season is a paltry 136 – only Chipstead, Molesey, Croydon Athletic and Walton Casuals currently have a lower average league gate than this. Today’s attendance was 125 – and that was boosted by a fair sprinkling of Ashford fans, the noisiest being a small “kop” of eight, occupying the terracing on the far side, level with the penalty area being defended by the home side.
For the first time this year, the temperature was mercifully mild, at 13ºC, but it was cloudy, with “occasional showers” forecast – the High Street was still wet and puddled from a recent downpour when we drove through Weybridge.
Playing in the all-yellow strip, and a disciplined 4-4-2 formation, Ashford started brightly enough. Paul Jones set Jimmy Bottle off down the left flank, in the opening seconds, but Jimmy put his cross, disappointingly, straight into the hands of Richard Stroud, making only his ninth appearance for Walton & Hersham, this afternoon. A Ryan Briggs corner, in the eighth minute, came to nothing, as did a Briggs free-kick from the right touchline, in the tenth minute – but the home side was able to counter-attack straight away. The kick from Stroud, with the breeze behind him, went deep into the Ashford half of the field, all the way to No.9 Jon Neal; he set the ball up for Matt Martin, whose low shot went wide of Jamie Riley’s left-hand post.
The home side, which I expect is the only football team to both be nicknamed “The Swans”, and play in all red – the colours are, I understand, an historical deference to Liverpool FC – now began to exert a great deal of pressure on the Ashford goal. In the twelfth minute, good, sharp passing between Julien Thompson and Rob George, in the Ashford penalty area, left Sean Ray looking hopefully for the Lino’s flag – which remained at his side – and set up a clear chance for Jon Neal. Whilst Neal’s shot was well struck, Daniel Brathwaite was there to save on the goal line. Shortly after this, a late tackle by Sean Ray on Julien Thompson, right on the edge of the penalty area, gave Adam Moriarty a free-kick opportunity – but Ray it was who then headed clear.
The Ashford skipper was very much involved with the Walton & Hersham goal, in the 14th minute. First, as Moriarty floated a free-kick into the Ashford penalty area, Ray headed the ball behind to safety, at the expense of a corner, on the left. Moriarty again took the kick, curling the ball into the heart of the Ashford area. Razor was first to the ball, but, facing his own goal, from about six yards out, probably tried to steer the ball wide, for another corner – but succeeded instead in side-footing the ball into the corner of the net. 1-0 to The Reds.
Ashford’s first clear-cut chance came in the 18th minute. A good cross from Jimmy Bottle, on the left wing, was well controlled by Mitch Sherwood, in the middle of the Walton penalty area, on his chest. Mitch took another deft touch, with his left foot, and then let fly with a firm shot, which looked like it was heading for the roof of the net before it struck Paul Jones on the back and popped over the bar.
The equaliser wasn’t long in coming, though. A long kick by Jamie Riley, in the 20th minute, aimed at the far left corner flag, was missed by Swans’ defender Robbie Watkins, but was well controlled by Paul Jones. Jonah’s chipped cross found Jimmy Bottle, in the centre; Jimmy set the ball up for Anthony Hogg, who was waiting just outside the penalty area; Hoggy took one touch, and then planted a low shot into the corner of the net. This was Anthony’s first goal for the Club, in the 612th minute of his Ashford career – and so he became our 14th individual scorer this season.
Strangely, or maybe because he was suddenly inspired by the scoring of the goal, Hogg almost doubled his season’s total, just four minutes later. He got up well, above his marker, to meet a Ryan Briggs cross, which came in from the left, and his looping header appeared to be dropping over Stroud’s head, and into the net, but the ‘keeper managed to finger-tip the ball onto his crossbar. The rebound fell to Mark Lovell, but he was swamped by the Walton & Hersham defence before he could knock the ball into the net.
Both sides looked dangerous when going forward, and there were chances at both ends before the end of the first half. In the 31st minute, it was that man Hogg, again in a forward position, who turned and shot, from just outside the area, but his left-footed effort grubbed along the ground, and went wide of the post. Four minutes later, it was The Swans on the attack, and a cross from the right flank found Jon Neal, in a central position, about eight yards out. Neal was unable to direct his header on target, but the worrying thing was that he was conspicuously unmarked.
In the 39th minute, Nicky Humphrey and Mark Lovell linked up well, with a neat one-two, which enabled Nicky to get to the by-line, but his cross was punched clear by the goalkeeper. In the 42nd minute, Jamie Riley got himself into a bit of trouble, under a high, hanging cross. He seemed to catch up with the ball just before it went behind for a goal-kick, but succeeded only in palming the ball down to the feet of a Walton & Hersham forward; the ball was played back to Jon Neal, who duly stuck the ball into the net, but the referee signalled for a corner, as the ball had already gone out of play. Still the danger wasn’t over for Ashford, as the resulting cross, from the left, found the head of a red-shirted player, unmarked in the middle of the penalty area, but Ryan Briggs was there to clear off the line, at the far post.
So 1-1 it was at half time, and this was just about a fair result, in spite of the home side having had a goal disallowed, and two shots cleared off the line.
The early minutes of the second half saw some rather disjointed play, with the flow of the game being interrupted by several off-sides – and soon the first of the forecast light rain began to fall.
The first noteworthy incident came in the 52nd minute, when a good one-two between Mitchell Sherwood and Mark Lovell enabled Mitch to have a run on goal, and he showed good strength to hold off a defender and make it to the by-line. Unfortunately, Mitch side-footed an attempted cross straight at the goalie. This was not the only example of good, slick passing by Ashford this afternoon, but they were quite often helped by some sloppy play from the Walton & Hersham back line. It was, however, left-winger Tom Carter who presented Sherwood with the ball, in the 53rd minute; he woefully fluffed his attempted backpass, putting the ball straight into his opponent’s path. Mitch cut inside, onto his left foot, and unleashed a firm shot, pretty much straight at the ‘keeper. Stroud seemed to have this effort well covered, and attempted a straightforward catch, but the ball slipped through his hands, and landed just the wrong (from Ashford’s point of view) side of the post.
Walton & Hersham’s reprieve didn’t last long, though, as Ashford took the lead in the 55th minute – and this was a candidate for Goal of the Season. Anthony Hogg helped the ball on, from midfield, into the path of Paul Jones, who was about 30 yards from goal, in the inside-right channel. In this position, Jonah is so good at holding the ball up, waiting for support – but on this occasion the ball sat up nicely, and he hit a diagonal shot which whistled past Richard Stroud, and into the net. It was a moment that had the small Ashford Town contingent in the main stand on their feet. It was only Paul’s fourth goal of the season, but it was worth waiting for – one worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as his screamer against D£££r on Boxing Day. Maybe it had something to do with the 700ml of Go Go Juice he drank before the match !
A minute later, Tom Carter – I can’t bring myself to refer to him as “Tommo”, which is how he’s described in the match day programme, as it reminds me too much of that embarrassing idiot on Channel Four Racing – tried a shot, from just outside the penalty area, which went straight to Jamie Riley. Then, five minutes later, Mitch Sherwood set the ball up for Mark Lovell, just outside The Swans’ area, but Mark’s shot careered high and wide of the target.
In truth, Ashford had looked the better side since going a goal down, early in the first half, so Walton & Hersham Manager Les Cleevely really had to change something, and did so, in the 64th minute, replacing Matt Martin with Liam Alleyne.
In the 67th minute, Paul Jones again showed that priceless ability he has to bully his marker, and presented himself with a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, simply by having the strength to turn and burst clear. Whilst that was impressive, the rest Jonah would probably like to forget – whilst he had plenty of time in which to decide how he was going to score, he dwelt for far too long, and Rob George was able to get back and put the ball behind for a corner.
Walton & Hersham strove hard for an equaliser, but, as the rain intensified, the pitch became increasingly difficult to play on, and this probably suited the visitors, who found it easier, in the conditions, to sit on a lead than the home side found it to chase the game. In the 69th minute, a Walton attack broke down, and a good move involving Jimmy Bottle, Mark Lovell and Paul Jones swept the ball to the other end of the pitch – but towering Swans’ skipper Aaron Nowacki put and end to the attack, at the expense of a corner.
After 72 minutes, Walton & Hersham took off striker Jon Neal, and replaced him with Will Jenkins. Shortly after, Steve Lovell made Ashford’s only substitution of the game, replacing his son, Mark, with Walid Matata. Mark did OK today. His hold-up and link-up play was good, and both he and Anthony Hogg probably played their best game for Ashford, of those that I’ve seen. The introduction of Walid always gets a cheer – and his appearance was marked with the first song from the travelling Ashford Choir: a rendition of “Walid Matata”, to the tune of that great Mario Lanza standard “La Donna e Mobile”. (We don’t have a tenor of Mario’s class, but we do have one member of the choir who looks like Mario the Plumber). The song I preferred was “What’s that coming over the hill ? Is it a monster ? No, it’s Matata”.
Walid was involved in the action within five minutes or so of coming on. It was in the 79th minute that Mitchell Sherwood won a corner, when his attempted cross was cut out by Robbie Watkins. Anthony Hogg took the corner, on the right, and found Walid beyond the far post – he nodded the ball back into the centre, but Aaron Nowacki was there to head clear.
A minute later, Walton & Hersham had a real chance to equalise. A good passing movement put Rob George through on goal, well inside the Ashford penalty area. Jamie Riley came out and saved well with his legs – the only meaningful save he was really called upon to make today. The ball broke to Julien Thompson, who tried, in vain, to turn and shoot, with the ball squeezing out to substitute Liam Alleyne, on the corner of the six-yard box. Sean Ray leaped across with a desperate saving tackle. It was a fair tackle, as he played the ball first, but, unfortunately, it left Alleyne in a crumpled heap on the ground, and in a fair bit of pain. There was a delay of a few minutes, as a stretcher was brought on and Alleyne was carried off with an ice pack strapped to his knee. The lad was later taken off to hospital, but our own Physio, Mo Alvi, reckons that it’s probably knee ligament damage, with nothing broken.
It was probably out of annoyance at the injury to his team-mate – and possibly a slight feeling of injustice at the appeals for a penalty being turned down – that Rob George steamed into Walid Matata with a late tackle, on the half-way line, in the 84th minute, and collected a quite unnecessary yellow card. As the referee was completing the paperwork for the booking, Walton & Hersham replaced the unfortunate Alleyne with Cedric Kabongo (the Slightly Silly candidate). This was the home side’s final substitution, which meant that David Banjo remained on the bench. This is a pity, as I was hoping for an excuse to tell the anecdote about a music-loving friend of mine (he was a drummer in a jazz band for years and years), who once asked me if I knew the difference between a ukulele and a banjo. “A banjo burns quicker !”, he said.
Back to some football, and the ball broke to Paul Jones, in the 86th minute, and, again seemingly from nothing, he was clean through, behind The Swans’ defence. He rounded the ‘keeper, and got to the by-line, and managed to put over a cross which virtually went along the goal line. Jimmy Bottle was arriving at the far post, but a defender somehow got his body between Jimmy and the ball, and kept the ball out.
As full-time approached, the home side’s defence got sloppier with possession, and, with 90 minutes on the clock, Robbie Watkins presented the ball to Paul Jones, when he should have made a routine clearance – but James Campbell nipped in and cleared the ball, to save his mate’s blushes. Ashford succeeded in frittering away much of the injury time that was played, by keeping the ball within a few inches of the corner flag, and the home side was not granted another opportunity to equalise. It was surprising that Referee Groves added only two minutes of injury time – and the irony was not lost on those of us who remember the previous occasion we played at Stompond Lane, when we were robbed of a priceless point in that season’s relegation battle, when our hosts equalised in the 97th minute ! On that day, I think the extra time played was merely an aberration by the referee.
Paul Jones thoroughly deserved his Man of the Match award, although Anthony Hogg was certainly a live candidate. I’d also like to mention Mitch Sherwood in dispatches, as he did a lot of good work up and down the right flank, particularly in his defensive role. Jonah is now clear, with three away-day MoM medals, in the contest for the Milton Keynes Bowl – his nearest pursuers are Jimmy Bottle, Nick Barnes, Danny Lye and Ryan Briggs, all with two. There are just three away matches remaining this season, assuming, of course, that we don’t have any play-offs at the end of the season. The situation now is that Ashford, in 12th position, are ten points adrift of fifth-placed Worthing (who we still have to play), and we have two games in hand of them. It’s a tall order, but it’s just enough within reach to keep us all interested.
Man of the Match
(to go towards the Milton Keynes Bowl)
Paul Jones
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment