ARCHIVE: Walton Casuals v Ashford Town. Ryman League Division 1 South. 2005-6.

Walton Casuals          1                 Ashford Town   0

from Your Milton Keynes Correspondent

Now that the imminent and gruesome threat of relegation to the Kent League had largely been allayed, it was time to concentrate on having a day out, without fretting about whether we could scramble enough points to avoid a catastrophic drop. Sure enough, this was a pleasant afternoon by the river, in Walton-on-Thames, witnessing a fairly tame match played out in mild, still conditions. It seemed that the passing of the recent crisis had communicated itself to Ashford’s players, as this was a pretty tepid performance, fairly typical of an end-of-season fixture. A fortnight ago, of course, when we travelled to the Corinthian Casuals match, we could only dream of such luxury, but a victory there, and a more convincing performance last Saturday, which gave us a 2-0 win over Bashley, appeared to have put us comfortably ahead of Newport IoW.

Being seven points clear at the start of today’s game, with four matches remaining, made safety from relegation far from a mathematical certainty, but, with Ashford having a better goal difference than Newport, it seemed very unlikely that the islanders would manage to collect eight points from the remaining twelve possible. Furthermore, the latest rumour on the non-league pyramid restructuring front is that there is a very real chance that no teams currently at Step 4 will be relegated at the end of the season. This is because the Northern League is objecting to the fact that, having decided, at the start of the season, that there would be six leagues at Step 4 for the 2006-2007 season, as opposed to the current four, the Football Association changed its mind in mid-stream in favour of a five-league option. (This is further proof that the FA couldn’t organise a fire in a match factory, and is nothing new).

What the Northern League wants to do is to compel the FA to stick to its original plan of six leagues at our level. If this challenge succeeds, then, with an insufficient number of Step 5 clubs having the required ground grading and league position to enable them to progress, the numbers required for six leagues at Step 4 will be achieved by scrapping enforced relegation. (In any case, with only 29 Step 5 clubs currently being eligible for promotion, when 30 were required, it seems that only six teams will be relegated from Step 4 with the current five-league option, but one of those six will certainly be the club finishing second-bottom of Ryman Division One !). Another implication of reverting to the six-league idea would be that we would be playing in a 20-team division next season. Sir Anthony Kempster’s current educated guess is that we would still retain the fixture with Corinthian Casuals, but, due to the geographical reorganisation, would no longer be in the same division as Leatherhead, Bashley, Lymington & New Milton and Newport IoW – which would be a relief for those at the Club who don’t relish the voyage on the high seas !

Back to the day out. The first important task, having located the Franklyn Road Sports Ground, was to find a pub that served some decent scran. We achieved this in downtown Walton, after parking up in Sainsbury’s car park. For the record, Mrs Milton Keynes Correspondent had scampi and chips, whilst I had a Tarka curry – it was a little ‘otter ! 

Without wishing to be derogatory to our hosts, Franklyn Road is very characteristic of Step 5 land, with probably the minimum ground upgrade having been made to make life at Step 4 viable. There is just the one small stand, on the opposite side of the pitch to the dressing-rooms and dug-outs, providing seated accommodation, and standard, corrugated roof shelters behind each goal. This is not entirely surprising, though, given that this is the Casuals’ first season at this level, having been promoted as Champions of the Combined Counties League. Last season they won that league by an enormous, 26-point margin, with a goal difference of +99 (which equates to an average margin of more than two goals per game !). They have certainly held their own comfortably enough in their first season, starting today’s game in a very respectable 15^th place. (In fact, all of the promoted teams have easily made the grade this season – it’s been largely the ex-Southern League clubs with the big ground that have struggled). Attendances have been unimpressive, though, with an average home gate of 118 being the fifth-lowest in the division, and today’s crowd of 56 brought the average down still further.

As at Corinthians, Ashford Town were not unsupported, with two handfuls of supporters behind the goal, instead of one, but this was not enough to inspire the players to turn in any more than a largely competent, but flat, performance. There was no discernable lack of effort here, but the performance was certainly lacking that extra snap and zip that can only really be induced by panic. In short, this game had all the aura of an end-of-season 0-0 draw – and would have been, if we hadn’t conceded a soft goal towards the end of the first half.

Ashford Town started the game unchanged for the fourth successive game – could this be the shape of next year’s team ? – which is fair enough, considering that these players had gained six points from their previous three matches together. Simon Overland continued in goal, having kept two clean sheets in his previous three games and been beaten only from the penalty spot in the other – Big Dave Wietecha was at a physio appointment, having treatment on his injured shoulder (so was probably having more fun than the rest of us). The remainder of the team was, again: Smith, Tanner, Playford (capt.), Crawford, Simmonds, Clarke, Cumberbatch, Jarrett-Elliott, Joby Thorogood and Sinden.

There were some changes among the substitutes, though, with several players now recovering from injury. On the bench were the two blokes who have been stalwarts of our defence for most of this season – Tommy Adlington and Ian Ross, Ashford Town’s very own Ant & Dec (although I don’t know which is which). Shaun Loft, a recent signing from Hastings, provided an attacking option, whilst Joffy Thorogood and James Colman, the Ressies’ goalkeeper, made up a full complement of substitutes.

What was striking about Walton’s facility was the quality of the turf – it was lush and green, with not a blade of mud, which is quite surprising at this stage of the season. This obviously suited the home side’s passing game, as they showed a great capacity for keeping possession in the early stages – a novel idea at this level ! – and Ashford hardly had a kick during the first 15 minutes. However, our defence looked comfortable, and Walton, playing in tangerine shirts, black shorts and black socks, had only a couple of corners to show for their efforts during this time.

The deadlock should have been broken in the 17^th minute, when Simon Overland misjudged Casuals’ third corner, which was crossed in by Scott Harris – instead of making a comfortable catch, he only just managed to get his finger-tips to the ball. Greg Ball really should have nodded his namesake into the back of the net, but he somehow managed to pop the ball over the bar, from about two yards out.

Ashford finally got into the game in the 19^th minute, when Joby Thorogood won a free-kick near the corner flag. Whilst the resulting cross from Danny Simmonds was headed clear by the Walton defence, Gary Clarke picked the ball up outside the penalty area, and aimed a long cross towards the far post. Left-back Dan Tanner, who had gone up for the free-kick, hoiked the ball into the mouth of the goal, but Steve Sutherland cleared off the line. Seconds later, Kenny Three Names took charge of taking a free-kick, just outside the Casuals’ area. This was headed behind for a corner, on the right, so Kenny went across to put in an in-swinging, left-footed cross. Again, it was Tanner, the full-back, who was on the end of it, but his header went just over the bar. Another free-kick to Ashford, just outside the area, awarded for a foul on Joby Thorogood in the 23^rd minute, also came to nothing.

Neither ‘keeper had to make what might be described as a proper save throughout the match, but both had some gentle employment either side of the half-hour mark. First, in the 29^th minute, Walton had a free-kick near the touchline, but big David Ocquaye could do no more than head the ball down to Simon Overland, and Chris Nelson, playing in only his third game of the season, in the absence of regular ‘keeper Danny Andrews, picked the ball up from a similar effort from Marc Cumberbatch, two minutes later.

In the 36^th minute, Marc lobbed a ball forward from midfield for Richard Sinden to chase, and Sinders won a free-kick, on the edge of the penalty area, after having John Ambridge’s hand in the back of his neck. Kenny Jarrett-Elliott again took the kick, and his fast, whipped cross curled just beyond the far post, with Richard Sinden just failing to get his eyebrows to the ball. Sinders is yet to get off the mark for Ashford, and has now played in four games – given his record of 24 goals in 28 games for his previous club, we can be hopeful that it’s not too long before he breaks his duck.

After Casuals’ early domination, this had been a very even contest – though all a bit polite and low-key – but the home side took the lead in the 40^th minute. This came about as a result of Barry Crawford allowing himself to be closed down, on the half-way line, by Greg Ball. In fairness to the lad, this looked like a hand-ball, but this didn’t register with Stevie Wonder with the whistle, and the Walton striker was off on a break. This was effectively a two-against-two situation, but, having carried the ball to the edge of the penalty area, Ball (the one in the tangerine shirt) placed a firm shot into the corner of the net, past the diving Overland, for his 19^th goal of the season.

By far the most likely player to create the chance of an equaliser was the fast-improving Kenny Jarrett-Elliott. As his confidence has grown, Kenny has recently looked a completely different player from the one that was previously freely touted as being the worst player ever to wear an Ashford shirt. This afternoon he certainly showed that he has the ability to take on, and get past, his full-back. He still makes the odd embarrassing error, but if he’s encouraged to keep trying things, I’m sure that he’ll continue to make chances. After some good work on the left, in the 42^nd minute, he squared the ball to Marc Cumberbatch, but Cumber’s first-time effort, with his “wrong” foot (his left), went spiralling over the bar. Two minutes later, Kenny brought the ball out of defence, on the break, after a Walton corner had come to nothing. He carried the ball to the edge of the Casuals’ area, and laid the ball off to Danny Simmonds. Simmo found Richard Sinden, just inside the penalty area, but the ex-Hythe striker’s short cross just eluded the outstretched boot of Joby Thorogood.

That was just about the story of the first half, with things not quite happening for an Ashford side that otherwise didn’t do a great deal wrong. There was a noticeable, disinterested silence as Referee David Belbin blew his whistle for half time – there wasn’t the usual murmur, or ripple of applause – and most of the tiny crowd trooped off to the bar.

There was a feeling among the Ashford contingent that going a goal down might sting the lads into life, but the second half passed by in much the same way as the first had done. Little of note occurred in the first 15 minutes of the second period, and the only real entertainment to be had came from watching Gary Clarke’s rolling spat with Craig Carley. This confrontation was mostly verbal, but Carley couldn’t resist ploughing into Clarkey late, when the ball had already gone out for a throw-in, and it was a pretty stupid way to get a yellow card.

If this was a stupid booking, then the next incident was altogether more sinister. Danny Simmonds went down in a heap after a nasty challenge from John Ambridge – the tackle was actually bad enough for the ref to produce a straight red card, and Walton Casuals were reduced to ten men for the final 30 minutes of the match. This was by no means an unpopular dismissal among the Ashford faithful, as Ambridge hadn’t actually endeared himself, with some sarcastic clapping and mocking smiles at officials’ decisions.

The home side’s reaction was to sacrifice a striker – David Ocquaye – and put Carlo Castronovo into the defence, but, disappointingly, Ashford never looked like making the extra man count. Almost immediately, we had a corner on the right – this was slightly fortunate, as this was awarded by the referee, after the lino had signalled a goal-kick. Kenny Three Names, alas, wasted the opportunity, scuffing the corner behind in a manner reminiscent of “the old Kenny”.

There was potentially a much better chance in the 63^rd minute, when Marc Cumberbatch attempted to nod the ball through for Richard Sinden to run on to, but this was foiled when Castronovo deliberately intercepted the ball with his hand – a free-kick was awarded, and the substitute was lucky not to receive a card of some sort. Kenny Jarrett-Elliott went for goal with the free-kick attempt, but the ball sailed miles over the bar and out of the ground. (This was one of those occasional embarrassing errors that I mentioned).

Kenny did a lot better with a corner, in the 66^th minute. This was curled long, beyond the far post, to Marc Cumberbatch - this is becoming quite a common set-piece move for Ashford Town. On this occasion, Marc headed the ball back into the centre, and Dan Tanner’s header towards goal was deflected behind for a corner. Danny Simmonds’ resulting corner was headed clear.

The Management made a tactical change in the 70^th minute, with Shaun Loft replacing Barry Crawford, and the team switching to a 3-4-3 formation. It’s quite rare for a person to truly live up to their surname – Dennis Wise is an example of someone who certainly doesn’t - but Lofty certainly does that, towering above his fellow strikers. If we’ve suffered from a lack of height up front all season, then this lad seems to be the perfect antidote. Today, however, he failed to really get into the game, and we know that he’s still short of match fitness. (It remains to be seen whether he’ll get a start on Easter Monday, against his former team-mates at Hastings). As for Barry, he again looked solid at the back before coming off.

There was no doubt as to the Ashford player who was most in the wars this afternoon – this was Danny Simmonds. After his earlier clattering at the hands of Mr Ambridge, he was tackled very late by Scott Harris, and the Casuals’ striker was shown a yellow card for his trouble. Three minutes from the end of the match, Kenny Jarrett-Elliott picked up an unnecessary yellow card for a late tackle, but also did enough good things to be named as our Man of the Match. There were several other candidates. Jamie Smith again looked to be a very accomplished defender, Gary Clarke battled away as usual in the centre of defence (in spite of being a little under the weather, with a virus), Dan Tanner did a lot of good work on the left and Barry Crawford caught the eye in defence, but Kenny was the player who looked most dangerous for us.

The news that Newport had lost 2-4 at home to Dulwich Hamlet brought us another step closer to safety, in spite of today’s rather limp defeat. Newport now need to win all of their last three games, even if we lose all of ours, if they’re going to avoid filling one of the two relegation places (as things stand at the moment). Whilst nothing is impossible in football, I can’t see that happening – in fact, if it does I’ll show my bare bum in Woolworths !

It’ll be interesting to see if The Management makes any changes for our second game in three days, on Monday. There were some aching limbs among the team after the game, and the boys will need to show a bit more life and energy against a very good Hastings team.

Man of the Match

(to go towards the Milton Keynes Bowl)

Kenny Jarrett-Elliott