ARCHIVE: Newport (IoW) v Ashford Town. Ryman League Division 1 South. 2005-6 season.

Newport (IoW)   1       Ashford Town   1

from Your Milton Keynes Correspondent

This was our first chance to follow our boys into Europe – and probably the last, as I don’t think we’ll be in the same division as the Isle of Wight’s only senior club next season. Even if both teams avoid relegation this year, the chances are that the non-league pyramid reorganisation for the 2006-7 season will put us in different leagues. So this was a chance not to be missed, in spite of the early start.

The Management went about preparing for this game in absolutely the right way, with the whole squad staying overnight in Portsmouth, before travelling over together on the ferry on Saturday morning. This provided the opportunity for a bonding session and get-together for the lads, and, by all accounts, the whole thing seemed to go very well. This was a timely little event, as it gave former skipper Marc Cumberbatch, returning to the Club after a very brief spell at Dover, the chance to get settled in and feel at home again. According to the web-site’s Forum, his return has sparked mixed feelings among the Ashford fans, but, in our current predicament, the addition of a class player to the squad has to be good news.

Unfortunately, another class player has gone in the opposite direction, with Adrianho returning to Bromley after only four games. That’s a blow, as Adrian had made a tremendous difference to the team during his short stay. He also managed to clock up his 100^th appearance for the Club, scoring a respectable 38 goals in that time. Interestingly, Joby Thorogood has a very similar record, having scored 34 goals in his 97 games. (In terms of career goals for Ashford, Joby is now by far the top scorer at the club; who is the second-top scorer ? – answer at the end of the report).

With Adrianho gone, and Joby suspended for another two matches, the first team squad is now down to one striker – Shaun Bradshaw, whose strike-rate is currently one goal in every five games. Add to that the fact that clean sheets for Ashford have been just about as rare as away wins – we’ve only managed one away win since April 2004 – and the situation is becoming pretty ominous.

Nevertheless, today was very much about an excuse for a day-trip, and we left a frosty Milton Keynes behind us at 8.15am, determined to be in Portsmouth in time for the 12.30pm Isle of Wight ferry. As it turned out, we were by the quayside by 10 o’clock, and Wightlink, the sponsors of Newport (IoW) FC, very sportingly let us on the 10.30am sailing. This gave us plenty of time to find a nice pub, and I’m glad that we found The Barley Mow, just around the corner from Newport’s St George’s Park ground. In front of an open log fire, I had a lunch which I hadn’t had for a very long time – rabbit stew and dumplings. (And this was definitely none of your squirrel – proper, local rabbits, caught using ferrets).

Once we’d torn ourselves away from the fire-side, the immediate impression given by St George’s is that Newport is quite a big club at this level. We passed through large, metal gates on arrival, into a spacious, tarmac car park. The stand and function room & bar constitute one of the few facilities at this level that rivals our own set-up at The Homelands, confirming that this was no village team that we were playing against. In fact, in spite of having struggled in recent years, it’s only a few seasons ago that Newport (IoW) was in the Doc Martens Premier Division.

The first team news of the day was that the home side’s first-choice goalie was still missing, with a dislocated shoulder (he’d actually missed the previous five games). I found this out whilst we were talking to his granddad, in the pub. He’s also a fireman on the island, so he’s not just being missed by the football team.

The answer to the conundrum of who would partner Shaun Bradshaw up front was solved when Marc Cumberbatch came out wearing the No.9 shirt. (Having stated on the Forum, on Friday night, that this is what I would have done, it’s hard for me to be critical of this decision !). This enabled The Management to stick with the same back four that lined up against Tonbridge Angels in the previous game: Adlington, Mortley, Banks and Ross. There was also a return to what appears to be Ashford’s first-choice central midfield partnership (fitness permitting) of Denver Birmingham and Gary Clarke, with Sol Henry in his usual place, on the left side of midfield, and Joffy Thorogood starting, slightly out of position, on the right. Big Dave Wietecha was, once again, in goal. There were three substitutes on parade today. Needless to say, Anthony Pace was one of them; the others were Kenny Jarrett-Elliott and Manny Sackey. There was no sub goalie today – Sean Glover was away having a game for Thamesmead, in the Kent League, and keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory. RJ Boorman was absent.

It’s difficult to say whether the Cumberbatch experiment was a success or not. As a centre-half, he’s bound to be good in the air – although Newport’s giant No.5 Paul Jones looked like Peter Crouch up against him – but he definitely looked like a defender playing up front. It’s something to do with his body shape and the way he runs with the ball, and the fact that he never quite seemed to be in the right place to support Shaun Bradshaw. Nevertheless, his class made sure that he was strong in possession, and he didn’t give the ball away very often.

Marc’s first involvement was to be the victim of a little trip, whilst setting off on a run towards the Newport penalty area. The free-kick was taken by Two Cities Birmingham, floated towards the far post, aiming for Mark Banks, but Banksy failed to get above the home defence.

The first corner of the match was won, in the eighth minute, by Newport – looking like Mansfield Town (or Sweden, if you prefer), in their yellow shirts, blue shorts and yellow socks. This appeared to be a fairly regulation corner, requiring a fairly regulation clearance, but, after the Ashford defence failed to clear the ball at the near post, the ball fell nicely for The Port’s centre-half and Player-Manager Stephen Leigh. He struck his shot well, from about eight yards out, and the man on the line could do no more than deflect the ball into the roof of the net. So a goal down early on, and, with Ashford having scored only 26 goals in 27 games, the alarm bells were already ringing.

The goal obviously encouraged the home side – who had impressed Tim Thorogood in their 1-2 victory away to Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday – and the Ashford defence had to endure a period of pressure. In the 12^th minute, a free-kick from deep was floated up to the edge of the Ashford penalty area. A flicked header set up a chance for Michael McEnery, but his header for goal was intercepted by the head of Tommy Adlington, on the six-yard line, and the ball looped behind for a corner. The corner was readily dealt with. Three minutes later, Newport had another corner, on the left; the cross was aimed short, to the shaven head of Steve Leigh, at the near post, but his header for goal was always going over the bar.

In a match where set pieces were always going to provide the best chance for either side to score, Ashford had their own chance to bombard the penalty area, in the 17^th minute – this came about as a result of a foul on Tommy Adlington, out on the right touch-line. Ian Ross curled in a quality cross with his trusty left foot, towards the near post; this was attacked by three Ashford players, in what was clearly a rehearsed move, but the Newport defence managed to get there first, to clear the danger.

In the 22^nd minute, there was a corner for the home side, after Mark Banks had headed a Michael McEnery cross behind. Dave Wietecha met the corner at the near post, punching the ball down into the ground, with Ian Ross effecting the clearance.

So the half-way mark in the first half passed, with Ashford having failed to carve out a goal-scoring opportunity. Strangely, Marc Cumberbatch had been largely ineffective in the air, mostly mistiming his leaps.

We had to wait until the 28^th minute for Ashford’s first recognisable chance in open play, and this was created as a result of a good move. A great diagonal pass from the centre of the field by Gary Clarke set Joffy Thorogood off down the right wing. Joffy managed to get in a good cross, getting the ball into the Newport goalmouth, but the home defence scrambled the ball behind for a corner. In fact, this was the first of four successive corners, taken by Ian Ross, with each of the first three being headed behind for another corner – but Rossi’s fourth attempt was headed clear.

In the 38^th minute, Tom Adlington, who was 31 on Sunday, cut in from the right touchline and sent in a cross with his left foot. This time, Marc Cumberbatch got in a good forward’s header, flicking the ball on to Sol Henry, 18 yards out. Solly controlled the ball on his chest, but his first-time shot on the turn was sliced well over.

These chances notwithstanding, most of the sustained, attacking play came from The Port, but the Ashford defence stood firm – I’d pick out Mark Banks, among the defenders, for a special mention. Gary Clarke got stuck in with his usual battling performance in midfield. Similarly, we saw a big-hearted performance from Shaun Bradshaw, tussling away as the man furthest forward, but, not for the first time, he failed to manage a clear-cut scoring chance in the match.

It was a foul on Bradders, in the 41^st minute, that gave Ashford a free-kick, just outside the penalty area. Rossi’s cross into the goalmouth was half-cleared by the Newport defence, and the ball sat up nicely for Peter Mortley for a shooting chance that defenders dream about. The ex-skipper struck the ball well, and hit the target, but also managed to hit the ‘keeper, on the line. This chance was almost the mirror image of the one that led to Newport’s goal, at the other end, but their bald centre-half forced the ball home, whilst ours was unable to. In the end, that was the difference between the two sides in the first half, so the home team went in at the interval 1-0 up.

It’s good to see Peter Mortley back with us – gradually, The Management is blending some experience into the squad, and currently we should be much better equipped for Ryman League football than the largely untried and inexperienced bunch of lads that started the season. My one reservation about Portly Mortley is that he’s nowhere near to being match fit at the moment – he was carrying quite a lot of weight around the middle, without the excuse of having had a large pot of rabbit stew and dumplings !  For the most part, he compensated for his lack of pace and lack of fitness by using all his strength and experience, and I’m sure that he’ll improve with more matches.

The half-time news was that Joffy Thorogood’s injured knee could take no more, so he was replaced by Emmanual Sackey for the second half. There was also glad tidings that the Reserves were 4-0 up at half-time against Sittingbourne, eventually running out 7-1 winners, so we’ve no shortage of strikers at that level.

What the first team really needed was a fast start to the second half, and they got it. After just 50 seconds of the restart, we won a corner, on the left. Denver Birmingham curled an in-swinging cross towards the far post, and Marc Cumberbatch rose above the ‘keeper, to head home powerfully from close range. The second-choice goalie, Alex Hards, didn’t exactly cover himself in glory here, but Marc did the job well. Was this vindication for his selection in the forward line ?  Probably - although it was very much a centre-half’s goal at a set piece. It was certainly a valuable goal, in his return game, having previously this season scored on his debut for Dover.

There followed a period in which Newport strove hard to regain the lead, but Dave Wietecha wasn’t actually called upon to make a save. In the 48^th minute, a push by Peter Mortley conceded a free-kick, which resulted in a deep cross into the Ashford area. Tom Adlington acrobatically headed the ball behind for a corner, which was cleared. Two minutes later, another Newport free-kick, near the right touchline, was whipped into the area. Portly Mortley was there to attempt the clearance, but sliced the ball horribly; Dave Wietecha could only stand and watch as the ball curled just around the angle of post and bar. The unpronounceable Olamide Dedegbe headed the resulting corner wide. Ashford had to defend once again, in the 53^rd minute, when the home side had a corner. Dedegbe, making a good run into the heart of the penalty area, again met the ball with his head, but his effort went well wide.

As the game wore on, Marc Cumberbatch began to win a few more balls in the air, as his timing improved, and he linked up well with Shaun Bradshaw in the 55^th minute. After a neat one-two with Bradders, Cumberbatch bore down on the Newport defence, and things seemed to open up when one of the defenders facing him went down on the slippery surface – he slipped the ball wide to Sol Henry, but Solly seems to have no confidence in front of goal, and goalkeeper Alex Hards was able to come out and save comfortably. Ashford had the second prize of a corner, though, and Hards looked distinctly uncomfortable under Denver Birmingham’s high, looping cross, but Newport’s defence managed to get the ball away.

There was a minor scare in the 57^th minute, when the ball was launched into the Ashford area, from a free-kick from deep. Tom Adlington, facing his own goal, attempted to hoike the ball clear, but the ball was charged down by Olamide Dedegbe. It could have gone anywhere, including in the Ashford net, but in the event it span wide. It took a long time for Dedegbe to get up, so he must have fallen awkwardly; he eventually hobbled off for treatment, and had to be replaced by David Greening, four minutes later.

The litany of set-pieces continued, in the 63^rd minute, with an Ashford corner, on the left. Denver again swung the ball into the Newport area, and Hards once again looked shaky; he managed to get a weak punch on the ball, under pressure, but the referee blew up for a foul.

A rare error from Peter Mortley provided the home side with a scoring opportunity in open play. Instead of making a clearance, Mortley gave the ball straight to a Newport player – the ball was fed through to Greening, in the area, and with only the goalkeeper to beat, but the Lino’s flag went up for offside. There were plenty of other offsides against The Port in the second half, and, although they certainly had most possession, they showed little quality. In fact, listening to the home fans’ groans at the miss-kicks and the misplaced passes actually made quite a pleasant change.

In the 72^nd minute, our boys actually put together quite a decent move, but this ended with a weak shot from Solly, straight at the ‘keeper. Five minutes later, Newport had a free-kick in a dangerous position, just outside the penalty area. Player-Manager Leigh whipped in a fast cross, after which there was a brief scramble in the area, before the Lino’s flag went up once again.

In the 81^st minute, Shaun Bradshaw finally had a chance to run through on goal, latching onto a through-ball from Gary Clarke. Shaun’s attempted cross was charged down for a corner, which was cleared. Two minutes later, a Sol Henry shot was similarly charged down, but again Ashford could produce nothing from the corner.

And so it continued. All free-kicks and crosses, at both ends of the pitch, with the defences clearing the danger each time. The home side also continued with the miss-kicks, the misplaced passes and the well-rehearsed groans from the supporters – in fact, Newport began to look reassuringly poor. They deservedly carved out a chance as late as the 91^st minute, though, ending with David Greening being found on the left edge of the Ashford six-yard box. He cut inside, transferring the ball to his right foot, but his attempt to curl the ball inside the far post was always going wide.

A minute later, Ashford might have snatched a dramatic winner when Shaun Bradshaw chased down a speculative “up & under”, but, although he managed to get to the ball, he was too slow in attempting to get his shot in, and the Newport defence snuffed out the chance.

A draw was probably not an unexpected result – Newport haven’t won a league or cup game at home this year, and Ashford haven’t won away since Crippen was a teenager. It was a game in which neither side looked likely to score from open play, so 1-1, with both goals coming from a corner, was a just outcome.

It was a rough old crossing on the 6pm ferry back to Portsmouth, but most of the Ashford Town contingent managed to hold on to their breakfast. (There was certainly no danger of that rabbit hopping out). Returning to Milton Keynes shortly after 8.30pm, Sir Anthony Kempster’s web-site revealed that Corinthian Casuals had lost today, so both Newport and Ashford could consider that they had gained a point from the day’s efforts. Burgess Hill Town, on the other hand, won again, so they are now five points clear of the bottom three, with a game in hand. I reckon that puts them clear of the relegation struggle for the time being.

That means that there are just three housemates left in the Big Drop Household.

(Answer to the question: Ian Ross, with 15 goals).