Walton Casuals 1 Ashford Town 4
from Your Milton Keynes Correspondent
This was a genuine “six-pointer”. Ashford occupied 21st position at the start of play, with today’s hosts, Walton Casuals (three points ahead of us, having played four more games), representing our current target for safety. Today, the result was everything, and thank goodness that the lads finally managed to come out on the right side of one of these relegation scraps. Previous six-pointers hadn’t gone that well for Ashford. The first of these appeared to be away at Horsham YMCA, in October, but, in fairness to YM, their subsequent surge in form, which elevated them to the top half of the league table, has made a nonsense of referring to this game as a relegation scrap. Horsham won that game 2-1. Then there was the trip to Whitstable, when the home side out-played us, and won 3-0; we then had to rely on a late Mark Lovell goal to salvage a 2-2 draw and a point away at bottom club Eastbourne Town, and this was followed, just a fortnight ago, by that 1-0 defeat at Chipstead.
Today’s 1-4 victory therefore comes as a mighty relief, and is one which, due to Eastbourne Town’s 3-1 home victory over Whitstable, lifts us out of the relegation zone, on goal difference. Walton Casuals, Whitstable Town and Ashford Town are now all level on 26 points – a point ahead of Eastbourne Town – but The Casuals have played three games more than Whitstable, and (still) four games more than Ashford. What is more worrying for the Surrey club is that they find themselves in this predicament on the back of quite a long run of poor form – they came into this afternoon’s match having failed to win their previous twelve games, (drawn four, lost eight), and having scored just one goal in the previous eight games. The latter statistic is probably not unconnected with the recent departure of prolific scorer Martin Grant to neighbours Walton & Hersham.
Ashford, on the other hand, are now enjoying their best run of form of the season, having won four of their last six games, scoring 14 goals in the process – and it is this proven ability to pick up points that turns the four games that they have in hand of both Walton Casuals and Eastbourne Town into hard currency.
There’s little doubt that the 1-4 score-line considerably flattered Ashford this afternoon. The essential difference between the two sides was three goals scored from a combined distance of about four yards, thanks to players in a green & white shirt reacting first to “second ball” situations in The Casuals’ penalty area – but there is equally little doubt that the lads deserved to carry off all three valuable points, after a very solid all-round team performance. This included Scott Chalmers-Stevens looking safe between the sticks, captain Danny Lye having an immense match at the back, and Tom Murphy being a thorn in the side of the home defence all afternoon. Tom’s display showed both tireless energy, and several inspired touches of real class and ability.
With Paul Jones having left the Club in midweek, and Craig Cloke having returned to Dover after his loan spell, Steve Lovell’s squad largely picks itself, but the one slight surprise to the starting line-up was the omission of Chris Borchescu – he was replaced by Joe Fuller, although Joe’s omission from the starting line-up against Ramsgate in mid-week had itself been a bit of a surprise. Steve Lovell started Joe up front today, alongside Tom Murphy, with Mark Lovell “in the hole” behind them. Matt Newman, Ross Morley and Mitchell Sherwood were the three more orthodox midfielders, in front of a back four of Carl Harrold, Laurence Harvey, Lee Hockey and Danny Lye, although Sherwood frequently tucked in in the left-back position, particularly when Ashford didn’t have the ball. On the bench, we had a full set of substitutes, namely Darren Ibrahim, Toby Ashmore, Chris Borchescu, Ronnie Dolan and Nicholas Frederick Smith.
The weather was mercifully dry, but it felt decidedly chillier than the 8ºC that was showing on the car’s temperature gauge when we arrived. The pitch at the Waterside Stadium is fairly undulating in nature, but had a good covering of short grass, and the surface was smooth enough for there to be no excuses for not playing good, passing football. In fairness to Walton Casuals, it has to be said that they were the team that mostly strove to knock the ball around, and create openings by passing the ball on the ground. Before they could do this, however, they had to endure an assertive start from the visitors, who immediately revealed a game plan that focused on hitting balls long, into the corners, for Tom Murphy to chase, and then attempting to over-power the home side from set-pieces, using a combination of Lee Hockey’s long throws and a considerable aerial presence in the form of the likes of Laurence Harvey, Danny Lye and Mark Lovell. [ Quick disclaimer: I’ve no problem at all with these tactics, especially as they appear to have worked beautifully – so well done, Steve and Hugo. ]
Ashford had their first corner of the game, on the right, as early as the second minute, and this resulted in Danny Lye getting a headed effort on target – but this was, in turn, headed clear. The home defence also successfully repelled at least four Lee Hockey long throws during the opening ten minutes, as Ashford, playing in their green & white home strip, applied the pressure early on. Ross Morley also had an early pop at goal, robbing his man in the central midfield area, in the eighth minute, but his low shot from long range went well wide.
The first attack from Walton Casuals, (tangerine shirts, but with shorts and sockies that were the same shade of black as those of both goalies and all three officials (!!)), came in the ninth minute, and in the form of a free-kick, delivered into the Ashford penalty area by David Lawson. The visiting defence did look a little shaky here, as The Casuals managed to win two successive headers in the area, but Scott Chalmers-Stevens did well to save the shot at goal that eventually came in, diving low, to his right. In the twelfth minute, it was Ashford’s turn to deliver the ball into a dangerous area, and Danny Lye did so, from a free-kick that was just about on the half-way line, just a few feet from the team dug-outs. The ball was competed for by a crowd of players on the far side of the penalty area, and it was Lee Hockey who reacted first to the “second ball”, but his snap shot went straight at ‘keeper Chico Ramos.
Ashford opened the scoring on the quarter-hour mark, and it was again speed of reaction to a loose ball in the penalty area that was the key. Mitchell Sherwood, from what was roughly a left-back position, fed the ball down the left flank for Tom Murphy to chase – and The Casuals’ defence had no choice but to put the ball out for a throw-in. This was the signal for Lee Hockey to loop in one of his Rory Delaps – which Ramos came to claim, before dropping the ball and having to be saved by a defender hoofing the ball vertically into the air. As the ball fell, it broke to Lee Hockey, who won a corner, on the left. Several bodies challenged for the resulting cross, and the ball broke to young Laurence Harvey, at the far post, who hit it home from close range.
This was the perfect start for Ashford, in this crucial game, and, although they never really dominated possession for long periods, they followed this opening goal with a succession of half-chances, which strongly suggested that they were sent out with a shoot-on-sight policy. In the 17th minute, a long-range shot, with the outside of the boot, from Ross Morley was heading for the top corner of the net, before Chico Ramos made a good save. In the 20th minute, a Lee Hockey long throw from the left, aiming at the head of either Laurence Harvey or Danny Lye, broke to the skipper, who shot wide. Then, in the 23rd minute, Matt Newman dinked the ball through to Tom Murphy, who hit the bouncing ball first time, but his long-range effort went wide.
Gradually, whether it was because Ashford sat back a little, or due to the desperate ranting of their Coach on the touchline, the home side got its passing game together, and began to dominate, looking dangerous when coming forward. Casuals had a promising situation in the 27th minute, after being awarded a free-kick just outside the Ashford penalty area. Daniel Lawson was faced by a three-man Ashford wall, which he managed to beat with his curling cross, but Lee Hockey headed clear. A minute later, the home side had a rather better chance – and this came about from a free-kick that was awarded to Ashford, just to the right of the centre circle. Matt Newman’s attempted delivery into the Casuals’ box was charged down by a man who was clearly not ten yards from the ball – but the result was that centre-forward Peter Rapson was now bearing down on the Ashford goal, with only Mitchell Sherwood between him and Scott Chalmers-Stevens. Rapson managed to get in a good, low shot, which was on target, but Three Names did well to save, going down to his right.
The home side continued to dominate possession, worrying Ashford out of the ball in midfield, and passing the ball around purposefully when approaching the visitors’ penalty area – and it was no surprise when they equalised, in the 34th minute. This particular passing movement took Casuals into the area, before a square ball found Peter Rapson. The No.9, faced by Danny Lye, made space for himself, before thumping the ball into the corner of the net. This was an excellent finish, and undoubtedly the goal of the game; but, to quote Gimli, in “The Return of the King”: “That still only counts as one !”.
This was a worrying development for the travelling Ashford fans, as the team had failed to capitalise on the early lead, and the opportunity to boss the game from the front – and it was certainly the home side that was now in the ascendancy. Manager Steve Lovell almost immediately changed the formation, reverting to a more orthodox 4-4-2 set-up. Mark Lovell went up front with Tom Murphy; Joe Fuller came back into central midfield with Matt Newman; Mitchell Sherwood took up a more familiar position on the left side of midfield, with Ross Morley going wide-right; and Danny Lye went into central defence alongside Lee Hockey, with Carl Harrold moving across to left-back and Laurence Harvey becoming a right-back. Scott Chalmers-Stevens stayed more or less where he was, in goal. It was fascinating – like watching one of those “Transformers” films !
It has to be said, however, that it was probably not the change in formation that swung the game back in the visitors’ favour – what swung the game was Ashford’s second goal, which came on the stroke of half-time, so restoring the visitors’ lead, just when Casuals seemed to be getting a grip on the game. Danny Lye, shortly after being booked for dissent, launched an up & under, deep into the home side’s half. Mark Lovell, not for the only time in the afternoon, showed great physical strength, to not only get to the ball, but to turn and shoot – but his effort was deflected wide, for a corner on the left. The resulting cross was met with a downward header, which Chico Ramos saved, but could not hold, and Tom Murphy was there to poke home from close range This was Tom’s fourth goal in Ashford colours, and his third in successive games.
So 1-2 it was to Ashford, at half time, but it certainly seemed like the home side would come at us hard in the second half – the Walton Casuals players were late coming out for the second half, had an on-pitch huddle before the restart and generally looked and sounded like they were up for the challenge. However, I’ve never yet seen a team score a goal direct from a huddle, and, in spite of Casuals’ worthy intentions, it was Ashford who had the football at their feet in the opening minutes of the second half. In the 47th minute, time appeared to stand still as Mark Lovell, again showing good strength, held the ball in a stationary position for what seemed like several seconds, just outside Walton’s penalty area. He eventually slipped the ball through to Joe Fuller, who was inside the area; Joe laid the ball off to Mitch Sherwood, whose looping shot went high and wide of the target.
Two minutes later, Tom Murphy did some good work down the left wing, to win a corner. The initial cross was cleared, but only as far as Joe Fuller, who was stationed just outside the penalty area. The trigger reaction for most footballers would have been to chip the ball back into the penalty area, but Joe brings thought and intelligence to his midfield role, and he looked up and picked out a short pass to Tom Murphy, who was inside the area. Tom turned and jinked and made space for a low shot, which Ramos was again able to save, but not hold, and Laurence Harvey was there to once again stab home, from close range. That’s now four for the season for Laurence, putting him level with both Tom Murphy and Paul Jones – but, more importantly, it was a 1-3 lead for Ashford Town.
The home side continued to try to get back into the game by playing their football, but chances continued to be elusive against a solid-looking Ashford team that did put together flowing passing movements, but only in flashes – and it was the away side that had the next half-chance. This came about in the 53rd minute, and resulted from a lucky rebound that gave Tom Murphy possession, just inside the Walton half. Tom carried the ball a few yards towards goal, before hitting a long-range shot over the bar.
By the 55th minute, Walton Casuals Manager Spencer Collins decided that something had to be done if his team were not to sink further down the division, towards the relegation zone, and he replaced right-back Oliver Hunt with Anthony Gale. There was a moment of farce as Gale walked straight onto the pitch and prepared to take a free-kick, only to be stopped by Referee David Spain, and ordered to leave the field to remove what appeared to be white over-socks, or white tape or bandaging, that he had showing over his black socks. [ OK, so the fact that his black socks very closely match the black socks of both goalkeepers and the three officials ……… oh, never mind! ] Anyway, the free-kick, which had to be taken by somebody else, came to nothing, but there was a chance for Ashford, straight from Scott Three Names’ kick-out. Tom Murphy latched onto the bouncing ball, and sent in a powerful shot, on target – and Chico Ramos did well to stop the ball, which was aimed straight at him.
In the 58th minute, Mark Lovell was fouled by Nick Burton when challenging for a long, high kick-out from Scott Chalmers-Stevens, on the edge of the Walton Casuals penalty area. Joe Fuller floated in the resulting free-kick, and Chico Ramos had to make a good diving save, to foil a header at goal.
By now, Ashford were on top, and looked likely to score again, particularly on the break, and especially down the left flank, where a hole had been left by the substitution of Oliver Hunt. In the 59th minute, Mitch Sherwood attempted to exploit this gap, and attacked the Casuals’ area, through the inside-left position. Mitch sent in a cross, aimed at Tom Murphy, in the centre, and it would have reached him, but for a timely intervention by home skipper Mark Walters.
In the 63rd minute, Spencer Collins replaced Leon Yarnie with Jake Jenkins. In the 65th minute, the sun came out. I wouldn’t normally make a meal of recording such an event – but that’s probably a measure of the miserable winter that we continue to endure !
In the 66th minute, Joe Fuller again showed his quality as a midfielder, when he put Tom Murphy clean through on goal. Again, Tom hit his shot well, but straight at the ‘keeper, who made a good, head-high save. Two minutes later, however, it was the home side that had a chance to get back in the game. The Ashford defence failed to clear the ball from the penalty area, and it eventually fell to Michael Barima, near the corner of the six-yard box – Barima seemed certain to score, but he sliced his shot so horribly that he wasn’t even afforded the dignity of seeing it go out for a goal-kick. In spite of their continued persistence, this was the nearest the home side would come to scoring, as the Ashford defence stood firm.
Walton’s Nick Burton was booked for dissent, by an irritatingly officious ref, in the 70th minute, and Steve Lovell made his one and only substitution, in the 77th minute, when he replaced Matt Newman with Nick Smith. This caused Mitch Sherwood to switch to the right wing, and Ross Morley to take Newman’s place in the middle.
Ashford had another half-chance, in the 78th minute, when a lobbed through-ball into the path of Joe Fuller suddenly provided the visitors with a three on two situation – but Joe rather squandered the opportunity, shooting over the bar, from long range. The home side then made their final, vain substitution, in the 82nd minute, with Rui Martins replacing Daniel Lawson – before Ashford made it 1-4.
The fourth goal was scored in the 88th minute, but the prelude to this was some champagne passing football down the right flank, involving Mitch Sherwood, Tom Murphy and Joe Fuller. This ended with Tom showing some very fancy footwork, well inside the Walton Casuals penalty area, beating two defenders, before the ball broke to Ross Morley. As Ross crossed the ball, Jeffrey Jackson came flying across to block, and was almost on the ground when the ball hit an arm or a hand, or both. The Lino immediately flagged for a penalty, and the referee seemed to have little doubt – and I’m pretty sure that they were correct. Mitch Sherwood, as usual, had little trouble in converting the penalty.
There was a late booking for Lee Hockey, but this in no way detracted from the joy and relief brought by the three precious points. Whilst there is still plenty of work to do, with 13 league games remaining, Ashford fans will now feel more optimistic as to the Club’s survival in the Ryman League, given the team’s recent turnaround in form.
Tom Murphy fully deserved to be named as Man of the Match today – although his one serious rival was Danny Lye, who was a colossus in defence, first at left-back, and then in the centre, after Steve Lovell had changed the formation.
On the subject of Daniel, could that racy-looking black Renault with the registration ‘LYE 1P’, that we passed on leaving Waterside Stadium, have been our skipper’s car ? Seeing that car actually gave a certain symmetry to the day’s trip, as it had begun when we passed the Jaguar of Milton Keynes Dons Chairman Pete Winkelman on the M1, around about Luton – the number plate ‘MK07 DON’ was the initial giveaway !
Man of the Match
(to go towards the Milton Keynes Bowl)
Tom Murphy
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment