Metropolitan Police 1 Ashford Town 2
from Your Milton Keynes Correspondent
The Fixtures Fairy was really kind to Ashford Town for this season. It’s not just the big game at home to Folkestone Invicta on the day after Boxing Day that he or she has given us – it’s a fixtures list that couldn’t have been more ideal if we’d picked it ourselves. Six pretty easy fixtures to start off with, to ease ourselves into the season, then, before the real tests against the division’s top teams, three rather more challenging games against teams who are likely to be around the outskirts of the play-offs come the end of the season: Dulwich Hamlet, Burgess Hill Town and today’s opponents, the Metropolitan Police.
I’ve long felt that results against these three would provide us with a benchmark of roughly where we are with this season’s team, and the fact that Ashford “only” managed a draw against the first two had given rise to the nagging doubt that the current squad is well short of being able to compete with the Kingstonians and the Cray Wandererses of our little pond - so a victory at Imber Court this afternoon was crucially important for morale. That certainly seemed to be the case as the Ashford players celebrated the win, with the dozen or so fans behind the Police goal, at the final whistle. They looked like players that realise that they haven’t quite made everything click yet, and that today’s win was an important step forward. It was certainly noticeable that the lads looked more impressive all round in the sixteen minutes during which they were in front today, and this 1-2 victory will have given them a lot of reassurance.
The performance itself ? Probably no better than “solid”, or “OK” – but this was certainly an excellent result, against a team that was previously unbeaten in the league, and at a venue where we rarely come away with much. In fact, this is my sixth match report against this opposition, and the first time that I’ve been able to report on a victory !
Imber Court is a unique venue among the Ryman Division One South grounds, being part of the Metropolitan Police’s Sports Club complex, in East Molesey, which also includes a swimming pool, a cricket pitch, a gymnasium and fitness centre, and various bars and function facilities. The footy ground within this campus is always immaculate, with a small number of blue, plastic seats in a main stand that is probably about medium-sized for this level. There is shallow, covered terracing for the whole width of the pitch at one end, with the other two sides of the rectangle open to the elements – and, with warm, sunny conditions prevailing for the duration of our visit, these were the places to be this afternoon.
As well as the weather being perfect, the pitch looked superb, with its broad, green stripes – and it was no surprise to see the Imber Court groundsman presented with an award for top groundsman in Ryman Division One South, before the start of the match.
So conditions were ideal, and the players of both teams did it justice, by playing quick, passing football, right from the off - but chances were very thin on the ground for the first quarter of an hour. Tony Browne tried a snap shot from outside the penalty area, in the eleventh minute, that was so high and wide of the target that it looked like he was aiming for the ‘plane that was taking off from Heathrow, in the background – and Scott Forrester was off target with a quick turn and shot, a minute later.
With opening honours fairly even, the first incident of note came in the 14th minute. Craig Carley – The Met’s ace goal-scorer last season, who was surprisingly quiet this afternoon – was unnecessarily late on Sean Ray, after Razor had cleared the ball upfield. What particularly incensed the Ashford skipper was that Referee Dave Bushell, a Uriah Rennie look-alike, was “ball watching”, and so completely missed the incident. Seconds later, as Ray and Carley both chased a ball that went out for a throw-in, Sean couldn’t resist levelling things up with a kick at the home side’s 2007-8 Player of the Season. There was no chance of the referee missing this one, so a card was inevitable – and it might well have been red, instead of yellow.
In the 16th minute, Ashford had their second corner of the game, after Gary Drewett headed a long cross behind, to safety. The corner was swung in, from the left, and diminutive goalkeeper Mo Maan (that’s not a typo) flapped and missed. The ball fell nicely for Daniel Brathwaite, in space, in the area, but his side-footed effort was blocked by one of several boys in blue on the goal-line.
After a pale glimmer of a chance for both teams – Scott Forrester’s first-time, hooked shot went straight into the hands of Jamie Riley, in the 18th minute, and Bradley Spice couldn’t quite get his head to a long, searching cross from Robbie Ryan, in the 22nd minute – Ashford had their best chance of the half, in the 23rd minute. Daniel Brathwaite took a free-kick on the left side of the pitch, just in front of the shaded main stand. Sean Ray managed to get completely free of his marker, but nodded the ball wide from about six yards out. Razor should probably have done better – and it’s a little surprising that he hasn’t got himself on the score-sheet yet, having scored three times last season, and a few more in pre-season friendlies.
Ray and Brathwaite were once again paired up in central defence, flanked by Dubliner Robbie Ryan on the left, and Jimmy Elford on the right. Jamie Riley retained his place in goal, after his Man of the Match performance on his return to the side at Burgess Hill on Tuesday. The midfield quartet, from right to left, was Tony Browne, Ryan Briggs, Danny Lye and Mitchell Sherwood, with Paul Jones and Bradley Spice spearheading a 4-4-2 formation. In fact, this was basically the same settled side that has been turning out since the 5-0 league victory at home to Leatherhead, four games ago – so, if the boys are under-performing a little at the moment, it’s not down to a lack of continuity.
On the substitutes’ bench were two players who had a run out in the Reserves’ 5-3 victory at home to Deal Reserves in mid-week: Lee Hockey and Andy Doerr. Charlie Glyde also played in that game, but was absent today – the others on the bench being Jimmy Bottle, Anthony Hogg and goalkeeper Josh Willis.
Young Josh was undoubtedly unfortunate to lose his place in the starting line-up, having kept two clean sheets in the three games in which he has played, but Steve Lovell probably had little choice but to stick with Riley, after his performance on Tuesday. After looking decidedly over-weight and lethargic during the defeat at Corinthian-Casuals, Jamie looked closer to being back to his best this afternoon – but there was just the one howler, in the 28th minute. He invariably appears to be unflustered when dealing with back-passes, but, on this occasion, he might have been a little too relaxed, when he side-footed the ball straight to Scott Forrester, who was closing him down. Time appeared to hold its breath as the two men stood alone, about three yards apart, in the middle of the Ashford penalty area. Forrester had little to aim at, and attempted to force the ball under Riley’s body, as the ‘keeper came to narrow the angle even further. This time the goalie won the duel, parrying the ball with his legs, before it lodged safely under his backside. (Somebody then unkindly suggested that it might take several minutes to find the ball – but this does no justice to Jamie’s efforts to regain full fitness).
In the 33rd minute, Bradley Spice, who mostly looked the part up front today, but without reward, won a free-kick, on the edge of the penalty area. Faced with a four-man wall – five, including Danny Lye – Bradley took the kick himself, but hit the ball straight into the thin blue line. Two minutes later, Sean Ray effected one of many defensive headers in the first half, and found Daniel Brathwaite, who began to bring the ball out of defence. Daniel had plenty of space ahead of him, and a number of options, but he inexplicably gave the ball straight to Rob George. Suddenly, a counter-attack was on, and the ball was spread out to the right. As a cross was whipped into the centre, Scott Forrester leapt high, meeting the ball on the run, and did everything possible to head the ball into the top corner of the net – but Jamie Riley made a brilliant, one-handed save.
Two minutes later, however, Riley was beaten, and had to be helped out by Jimmy Elford’s goal-line clearance. A corner on the right, which followed a Robbie Ryan block, was hit low, picking out Craig Carley, in the penalty area. Carley’s angled shot would have opened the scoring if Elford had not been stationed next to the far post.
Any space on the flanks that Ashford found in the first half tended to involve Tony Browne, on the right, but Mitchell Sherwood finally had a chance to run at The Met’s right-back, in the 40th minute. He fed the ball infield, to Bradley Spice, who immediately returned the pass, putting Mitch through on goal, just inside the penalty area, but the covering tackle was made, at the expense of a corner. This was taken by Ryan Briggs, with a high, looping delivery. Bradley Spice and Sean Ray converged on the ball at the far post, but the Lino, a John Cumberbatch look-alike with his designer dreadlocks, flagged for a foul. Sherwood had another chance to attack from the left, in the 43rd minute, and found Paul Jones, in a central position; Jonah tried a shot, aiming for the far corner of the net, but Maan made a good, diving save.
As news filtered through that Asa Hall, one of Ashford’s loan stars of the 2006-7 season, had scored for Luton Town, the Match Day Announcer announced that there would be a minimum of three minutes of added time at the end of the half. Referee Bushell blew for half-time after only two added minutes – the second time that such a nonsense has occurred this season – so the players trooped off with the score at 0-0. That was probably a true reflection of the first 45 minutes; it had been an even half between what looked to be two evenly-matched teams. Both goalkeepers had made one outstanding save, and both sides had squandered at least one clear-cut chance to score.
There was no going off to the bar at half time. Today was a day for sunbathing on the terrace, enjoying what’s left of a brief, and unexpected, Indian Summer – but it wasn’t long before the home side re-emerged to its traditional fanfare of “I fought the Law, and the Law won”.
Well, some doubt was cast on whether the Law was going to win on this particular occasion, when Ashford took the lead, in the 49th minute. As the ball was played into the Police Box, there was a short session of head tennis, before the ball found Ryan Briggs, just inside the penalty area. The ball was still at an awkward height, but Briggs still managed to direct a hooked shot on target. It looked as if Mo Maan had saved well once again, but he could do no more than palm the ball into the corner of the net.
Ashford’s lead, alas, lasted for no more than nine minutes, for, in the 58th minute, The Police equalised. Shortly after Paul Jones had become the second yellow-shirted player to be shown a yellow card – this time for persistent infringements, apparently – Craig Carley showed good strength to latch onto a clearance. His long-range shot was blocked by the legs of an Ashford defender, but the ball ran loose to Scott Forrester, who was free in the penalty area, to the left of goal. Forrester, whose five league goals at the start of the match were bettered only by Kingstonian’s Bobby Traynor, Godalming’s Kenny Ojukwa and our own Mitchell Sherwood, slotted the ball past Jamie Riley, for his sixth. The Ashford defence turned and looked towards John Cumberbatch, hoping for an off-side decision, but his flag stayed down and the goal was given.
On the hour mark, Bradley Spice spread the ball wide to Mitchell Sherwood, on the left. Mitch cut inside right-back Tommy Moorhouse, and sent in a low, right-footed shot, but this was straight at the ‘keeper, who made a comfortable save. In the 65th minute, shortly after The Met’s perennial Manager, Jim Cooper, had made the game’s first substitution, replacing James Greenaway with Stephen Goddard, Sherwood was off on a run again, this time crossing the field, from left to right. He eventually fed the ball through to Paul Jones, who, typically, showed great body strength, to maintain possession of the ball, in the home side’s penalty area. Battling his way to the by-line, he pulled the ball back to Bradley Spice, but a defender’s boot got there first. The action soon switched to the other end of the pitch, with Gary Drewett, this time, running into space, down the right wing. He was tracked all the way by the superb Robbie Ryan, who ended the sortie with an excellent tackle.
The game was now really beginning to open up, with Mitchell Sherwood, in particular, finding space down the left. A good Ashford move, in the 71st minute, ended with Tony Browne doing well to win a corner, on the left. There was a delay before Ryan Briggs could take the kick, whilst Police Captain Steve Sutherland received treatment, and Mo Maan did well to catch Briggo’s cross as it was swung in towards the near post, but managed to carry the ball over the line. Another corner, then, but the Ref blew for a foul on the ‘keeper, just as another Briggs cross was entering the six-yard box.
Steve Lovell made his only substitution of the match in the 78th minute – Andy Doerr replacing Bradley Spice, who had worked hard, and showed one or two good touches, but has only scored in one game so far this season, having appeared in all eleven to date. This substitution proved to be an inspired decision by the Ashford Manager, as Doerr was soon to score the winning goal, but first there was some defending to do. Danny Lye was penalised for a late tackle on Gary Drewett, in the 79th minute, and Steve Sargent – a great name for a Metropolitan Police regular – sent in a deep cross, from the right, but the dreadlocked head of Daniel Brathwaite put the ball out for a corner. Jamie Riley cleared the resulting cross, from the left, with a firm punch.
Ashford’s winner came in the 83rd minute, and stemmed from a free-kick awarded for Gary Drewett’s late tackle on Mitch Sherwood. This was taken by Robbie Ryan, from a position close to the left touchline, just inside the Police half. Robbie sent the ball low and hard to Andy Doerr, who was deep inside the penalty area, with his back to goal. In spite of being tightly marked, Andy managed to roll his marker, turn and hit the ball into the corner of the net with his left foot. This must have meant a lot to the lad, who, still only 23, is continiuing his recovery from a reportedly very nasty broken leg, which kept him on the sidelines for about a year. So far, he has been restricted to substitute appearances, but it’s good to see him emulate Ryan Briggs in this game, by getting himself off the mark for the season.
Looking a little further ahead, Doerr’s goal was good news for Steve Lovell in the context of him knowing that he’ll need to do without the services of Paul Jones up front, when the man who is very much the leader of the attack gets married in two weeks’ time. On that subject, soon after Ashford had taken the lead, Paul went down like a sack of spuds when he was hit in the second-worst place for a man who’s soon to be wed – he took the ball full in the face, but was OK after treatment.
Ashford managed to keep possession for the majority of the five minutes, plus two minutes of injury time, that remained, but there was still some defending to do. Danny Lye became the third Ashford player to receive a yellow card, when his “defending” was a little late, on Sam Robinson in central midfield, in the 87th minute. Then, a minute later, the Met Police almost scored. The in-form Scott Forrester got up well, on the far side of the penalty area, to head a long cross down and into the goalmouth. From my vantage point at half-way, it looked as if the ball had actually bounced along the goal line, but it was hoofed away to safety. Well into the second minute of injury time, Robbie Ryan rose to head away a long throw into the penalty area; the ball actually hit the top of the corner flag, so it was a toss-up as to whether it should be a throw-in or a corner, but John Cumberbatch flagged for a corner. Met ‘keeper Mo Maan went up for this, in spite of the fact that most players in the penalty area towered over him, but it was to no avail, and Ashford collected the three points.
With several of the other teams in our division playing in the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup (dammit), this victory lifted Ashford up to sixth – but the exuberant celebration of the win by the boys in yellow and green said a lot more about how much they, as a squad, needed this boost to their confidence and belief.
There were more reasons to be cheerful when news came through from The Homelands that the Reserves had beaten Dover Reserves 3-0. Any victory against a Dover side is, of course, like nectar, but possibly more significant was the word that new signing Claude Senna, a striker, had played another blinder, on his second start for the Ressies. Having scored one, made two and had one disallowed against Deal Town Reserves in mid-week, Senna scored one and made two this afternoon, and is said to have looked extremely impressive. The expectation is that he’ll now go straight into the First Team squad for the home game against Chipstead, next Tuesday.
Senna’s arrival provides healthy competition for places up front, and, in truth, the addition of a class player is just what the team needs at the moment, to freshen things up, and to add a little bit of added momentum. Candidates for Man of the Match were the usual suspects, and I hardly need to mention them by name: Robbie Ryan, Ryan Briggs, Paul Jones, Sean Ray and Daniel Brathwaite all played well. I disagree with several observers who say that Daniel looks out of place in central defence, as he seemed to look the part today, and also has the pace to perform occasional full-back duties, and the skill to bring the ball out of defence and distribute the ball. There wasn’t much in it between the five, but Robbie Ryan just edged it on this occasion.
Man of the Match
(to go towards the Milton Keynes Bowl)
Robbie Ryan
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