Walton Casuals 1 Ashford Town 1
from Your Milton Keynes
Correspondent
Another
week, another signing for Ashford
Town
Last
week’s signing of Matt Carruthers, a proven striker, for his second spell at
Ashford, continued the trend of The Management strengthening the squad with
quality players. With the loan signings (who might, in any case, decide to stay
on on a more permanent basis), recent arrivals having had previous experience
at Ryman Premier and Conference levels now include Anthony Allman, Simon
Glover, Simon Overland, Luke Coleman, Adam O’Neill, Drew Watkins and now Matt
C. Adding these to the best of last year’s squad, it will soon almost be more
difficult for us to lose with these players than to win with them.
Unfortunately,
losing is something that our boys have been doing without any trouble at all.
Our four wins so far this season have all come in a golden four-game period in
early September. Since then, four of our five matches have been against
opponents that, on paper, have looked distinctly poor – Godalming
Town , Waltham Forest
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* *
ANORAK’S CORNER.
I haven’t done an Anorak’s Corner so far this
season, as I’ve been waiting for a few games to be played.
Strikers: Any early analysis of goal-scoring
statistics might have been skewed by the (probably unrepresentative) 7-0
shellacking of Bedfont Green in the FA Cup, especially George Fenwick’s
hat-trick, but it must be said that George has kept up his goal scoring record,
in what is his first spell at anything like this level. He’s now scored a goal
every 125 minutes (i.e. 7 in the equivalent of just under 10 matches), and he’s
been well supported by the recently departed Richard Sinden (a goal every 216
minutes). These figures compare very favourably with those of last season, when
we were very reliant on top-scorer Joby Thorogood for goals. Joby’s strike-rate
for his 12 goals last season was a goal every 295 minutes; the scoring rate of
his main partner up front, Shaun Bradshaw, of a goal every 487 minutes, is put
into perspective by Stuart Playford’s record of a goal every 476 minutes during
his recent spell as a centre-half !
Goalkeepers: Simon Overland is the only man
to have played in every minute of every game so far this season, and his record
so far stands at a goal conceded every 59 minutes; whilst he hasn’t kept a
clean sheet since we beat Bromley in the League Cup, this is still a better
record than that of any of our three main ‘keepers used last season (i.e. Jani
Seitsonen’s one goal every 54 minutes, Sean Glover’s one every 50 and Dave
Wietecha’s one every 41). For the record, Simon’s stats at the end of last
season was even better, with a goal conceded once every 90 minutes.
Attendances: So we’re letting in fewer goals
than we were for most of last season, and we have a main striker who can pop
‘em in with greater regularity. Unfortunately, the attendances issue represents
unmitigated misery. In spite of average league attendances declining to a
paltry 208 last season, which was 35 down on the previous season, it looks
likely that there will be a similar fall this time around. The average gate
from five league matches so far has been 158, with a median figure of 143. It’s
true that we are yet to play any of the local derbies this season (Dartford,
Maidstone, Dover
*
* *
In
spite of the lack of encouragement from recent performances, today’s
opposition, Walton Casuals, appeared to offer something of an opportunity,
(although The Casuals beat Whyteleafe 5-0 in an FA Trophy replay on Tuesday, so
that seemed a bit ominous !). There were seven teams spread over just three points
at the foot of Ryman Division 1 South at the start of play; Walton Casuals and Ashford Town
Franklyn
Road Sports Ground is situated right on the South bank of the Thames, and is
fairly remote, in as much as there is a paucity of decent places to eat –
therefore, we had to resort to the fall-back of fish & chips in the car.
The ground is actually less isolated than it was, as a leisure centre, with a
swimming pool and all sorts of stuff, has appeared behind one of the goals
since we were last here, (which was towards the end of last season). Although
this isn’t one of the bigger grounds we visit, with the only seated accommodation
being located in a single, red-seated stand, it’s quite a nice little place to
watch football, and so the turn-out of spectators was depressingly small. It
was one of those occasions when it was possible to count the crowd with a quick
glance around the ground; the official attendance was 47, but any number below
50 would have been believable. One feature of the venue is the pitch, which was
lovely and flat and lush, which gave just the occasional bobble – no excuse for
either side for not playing football, then.
One
statistic not included in Anorak’s Corner was that George Fenwick hasn’t played
90 minutes of a game since the match against Tonbridge Angels, in The Cup, and
it may or may not be a coincidence that Ashford’s decline this season began
after that game. Well, George was rewarded, for having scored when coming off
the bench in the previous two games, with a starting place today. He
accompanied 18 year-old Luke Coleman up front, in a 4-4-2 formation, with The
Management solving the problem of how to fit in all the strikers we now have at
the Club by playing Matt Carruthers on the left-side of midfield, with Joby
Thorogood in his now-familiar position on the right. Skipper Simon Glover
partnered Anthony Allman in the centre of defence, and, with Tommy Adlington
serving a one-match suspension for his sending-off in the FA Trophy replay
against Waltham Forest
Nick
Fenwick, who is, I’m told, yet another central defender, was named as one of
the substitutes. Nick is almost as big as his brother, and his hair is almost
the same colour as Walton Casuals’ tangerine shirts. (It’s Sod’s Law,
incidentally, that every team we’ve played against on our travels so far this
season, apart from Hastings, has had a home kit that clashes with our new away
strip, so our boys were once again clad in the green & navy blue). Alongside
Nick on the bench was another central defender, Barry Crawford, as well as
Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott, on-loan striker Adam O’Neill and Joe Hitchings (who
lived up to his new nickname of Joe 90 by spending yet another 90 minutes on
the bench).
Ashford
started with plenty of purpose, and were obviously not afraid of having a shot
on goal. However, the first ten minutes of the game produced nothing more than
a weak shot from distance by Simon Glover, a fruitless corner from Ian Ross on
the right and an optimistic shot on the turn from outside the area from Joby
Thorogood which went high and wide. Nevertheless, it was good the hear
encouragement from The Management for these players at least having a go.
Casuals’ one effort on goal during this opening period fell to full-back James
Crowe. A long throw, well inside the Ashford half, was headed clear by Ian
Ross, and fell to Crowe just outside the penalty area, but his attempted shot
was sliced well wide of the goal.
The
game then became a little scrappy and head-tennissy for a while, before George
Fenwick picked the ball up in the centre circle, in the 16th minute.
George spotted Joby Thorogood making a run through the centre of the home defence,
and put him through on goal with a well-weighted pass. On this occasion, the
defender recovered well, and was able to hustle Joby off the ball. In the 19th
minute, Walton Casuals came close to opening the scoring, when they had a
free-kick on the left side of the field. This was crossed high, into the
Ashford penalty area; Greg Ball (good name for a footballer) got up well, with
a glancing header, but the ball went just wide of the post, with Simon Overland
diving at full stretch.
After
Anthony Allman had shot high and wide, from well outside the area, in the 20th
minute, there followed a period of Walton Casuals pressure, but the green
defence stood firm. There was actually a chance on the break, from a Casuals
corner, in the 23rd minute. Anthony Allman, who was again Ashford’s
main play-maker in midfield, put Luke Coleman through in the inside-right
channel, and we suddenly had a two v. two situation, but Luke failed to capitalise
on this opportunity, losing control and possession. This actually wasn’t
typical of Luke’s contribution in the first half, as he generally showed that
he has a good touch, in his role of target man, holding the ball up well, but
rarely getting a clear sight of goal. The one chance he did have came in the 28th
minute; this came straight from a goal-kick, which was flicked on by the head
of George Fenwick, into Luke’s path. He attempted to find the roof of the net
with a first-time shot, but his effort failed to dip, and the ball was always
going too high.
Coleman
became the provider, in the 31st minute, heading Drew Watkins’ cross
from the right touchline into the path of Joby Thorogood, on his outside. It
was unfortunate that this chance, and so many other chances in the game, should
fall to Joby, as he still hasn’t found the shooting boots that he mislaid
before the Maidstone game. Like several other of
his attempts at goal this afternoon, his first-time shot on this occasion was
well off-target. The Hobbit did, however, do well two minutes later, when he
chased a lobbed through-ball along the touchline from Anthony Allman. Although
this resembled a lost cause, nobody can question the effort and commitment of
any of the Thorogoods, and Joby got close enough to the ball to induce a foul
from a Casuals defender. This gave Ian Ross the opportunity to launch a
free-kick into the penalty area. This time he pumped it long, to Marc
Cumberbatch, who was unmarked as the last man, on the left, but Marc could do
no more than pat a weak header down to Matt Reed in the Casuals’ goal.
The
home side, the second side we’ve played this season to be nicknamed “The
Stags”, had plenty of possession in the first half, but were unable to create a
clear-cut chance from various free-kicks and long throws into the penalty area,
and Simon Overland’s handling was pretty safe throughout the game. On the one
occasion that he failed to collect a long throw or a cross, in the 43rd
minute, he was clearly fouled. Casuals’ best chance in this period came in the 42nd
minute, and this was from open play. In-form striker David Ocquaye, who Dan Tanner
did well to keep under control for most of the match, laid a forward ball off
to Craig Carley, with a short pass which showed the benefits of two strikers
staying close together. This neat little interchange put Carley clean through
on goal, but he pulled his shot wide of the far post.
Whilst
Matt Carruthers was fairly anonymous on the left side of midfield, he did
combine well with Luke Coleman, in a neat move down the left-hand side, with 45
minutes up on the watch. The move ended with the ball being squared to Joby Thorogood,
in space, but his shot was once again sliced wide of the target.
So
it was all-square at the break, which was probably a fair reflection of the
half, as neither ‘keeper was actually called upon to make a save. It was actually
a good game to watch, with both sides trying to play their football, but both
were equally found wanting in the final third of the pitch.
Ashford
had a great chance to go ahead in the third minute of the second half. A long
kick-out by Simon Overland was flicked on, and was picked up by George Fenwick,
deep in the Casuals’ penalty area; George pulled the ball back to Anthony
Allman, following up, who had the goal at his mercy, but his shot was wild and
went wide. It was one of those hands-on-head moments that are so familiar to
teams that are struggling to score goals.
Ashford’s
anguish might have increased, three minutes later, when the home side also went
close. Referee Luis Pinto Nunes awarded a free-kick to The Stags, just inside
the Ashford half, with one of his many mystifying decisions – well, what would
a Portuguese know about the rules of football ?
Whilst the Ashford players were arguing the toss about the decision, the
free-kick was quickly-taken, and floated into the Ashford area; James Crowe
glided in, in front of Simon Overland, as the Ashford defence slept, but his
touch took the ball just wide of the post.
Drew
Watkins had been feeling his thigh since very early on in the half, and he
eventually went down after giving the ball away, in the 52nd minute.
He was replaced, some four minutes later, by Barry Crawford – this was a
pleasant surprise, as my understanding was that his ankle injury was some way
off being healed, (but I was told later that it’s more a case of him playing
with the injury than having shaken it off). Anyway, there was no visible sign
of any physical problem, and he immediately added a physical and vocal presence
to the side. I was slightly surprised that Marc Cumberbatch didn’t move across
to right-back, with Barry taking his place in the centre, but the former
Rangers player is probably talented enough to be comfortable anywhere on the
pitch, and it was probably a good shout to not disrupt the central partnership
of Tanner & Cumberbatch, as they’ve been doing well together of late.
Whether
or not it was to test Barry out, much of the home side’s attacking effort was
now concentrated down the Ashford right, and they showed that they also had a
long-throw specialist on this side of the field, with Michael Cayford chucking
a couple of testing balls into the Ashford area, but these were headed clear on
each occasion. Walton had a clear-cut chance in the 62nd minute,
though, when Craig Carley threaded a ball through the Ashford defence to put
David Ocquaye in on goal, but the man who scored twice in the 5-0 mid-week
demolition of Whyteleafe shot wide of goal.
The
Casuals’ goal came in the 64th minute, and it came from the penalty
spot, after a farcical decision by the referee. There was no doubt that Ian Ross
fouled his man, being slightly late with an attempted tackle, but it was
equally clear that the offence was outside the area – even from our
ground-level position in the stands. Rossi’s reaction was one of utter
disbelief when Mr Nunes awarded a penalty, but there was no way that the ref
was going to change his decision. That was 1-0, then, as Simon Overland, for
all his qualities, doesn’t do penalty saves, and Craig Carley side-footed the
ball in for an easy goal.
This
reverse appeared to be rather ominous at the time, as, apart from Anthony
Allman’s early miss, we’d shown few signs of scoring in the second half. It
must be said, though, that the boys responded well to going behind, and, whilst
we were eventually left feeling rather robbed of two points as a result of the
gift of the penalty, there’s also an argument to say that we might not have
equalised if we hadn’t first gone behind (if that isn’t Irish logic). Anyway,
The Management’s initial reaction to the goal was to replace Luke Coleman with
a man with an Irish name, Adam O’Neill, in the 66th minute. Four
minutes later, the home side made a double-substitution, with Jack Watkins and
Kristian Webb replacing James Crowe and David Ocquaye – (job done, Dan Tanner).
Whilst
Ashford pressed hard for the equaliser, with Anthony Allman and Simon Glover
both driving the team on from central midfield, we didn’t create a clear-cut
chance until the 73rd minute, when Rossi floated a free-kick into
the area, after he himself had been fouled. The ball went all the way into the six-yard
box; George Fenwick managed to get a touch to the ball, but could only steer it
wide of the post. The lino’s flag was up for offside, in any case. Another
promising move, in the 75th minute, involving Simon Glover and Matt
Carruthers, on the left, was also ended with the linesman’s flag for offside –
this turned out to be Matt’s final act in the game, as he was replaced by Kenny
Jarrett-Elliott, seconds later. (I understand that Kenny’s Mum wants him to be
referred to as “Ken”, but I don’t think I could get used to that).
In
the 76th minute, Simon Glover fed the ball forward to Adam O’Neill,
who was fouled on the edge of the area, to provide us with a free-kick in a
dangerous position. With Anthony Allman and Ian Ross in the side, it was surprising
that the out-of-form Joby Thorogood was entrusted with the kick, but it was no
surprised that he lofted the ball well over the bar. Four minutes later,
Ashford had another free-kick, in a similar position, but a little further out,
and this one was taken by Anthony Allman; this time it was a cross into the
area that was called for, and this glanced off the head of George Fenwick, but
also off a Walton Casuals defender, for a corner, on the left. Anthony went
across to take this, and his cross was a good one, going all the way through to
the far post – George managed to get on the end of this, but his downward
header, from about a yard out, went wide of the post.
In
the 82nd minute, Ashford got a deserved equaliser, shortly after
Casuals had made their third and final substitutuion, with Michael Cobden
replacing skipper Scott Harris. The move started with a throw-in taken by Barry
Crawford, on the right. The ball was passed along the line, to give Kenny Three
Names his first touch, on the left. The man from Freetown
And
that was how the score remained: 1-1. O’Neill did have a chance to put in a
dangerous cross, in the 88th minute, but sliced his attempt behind
for a corner, after a move involving Simon Glover and Kenny, and Casuals’ Anthony
Gale powered a free-kick straight into a two-man Ashford wall, in the 89th
minute, but there was no further addition to the score.
In
a game where neither goalie really made a save in anger, a draw was not an
unfair result, but it was probably quite significant that it was the Ashford
players who were cursing the final whistle, as they felt they should have got
more than just the point from the game. The point was enough to enable us to
rise two places in the league table, to 19th, going above both
Godalming and Hastings, who didn’t play. I’d be inclined to agree that we
should be going one better and starting to win games now, given the players we
have available now, but today’s performance was definitely a small step
forward. There was a good feeling about the team today. There was plenty of
talking, plenty of determination and they showed good spirit by coming back
from a goal down, but the lack of quality in the final third of the pitch is
still a worry.
Dan
Tanner just shaded the Man of the Match today, just ahead of Marc Cumberbatch,
who also played well in central defence; Anthony Allman and Simon Glover were
also considered, for their performance in the centre of midfield.
The
next match is the re-arranged League Cup tie at home to Cray Wanderers, on
Tuesday. If we can win that, then we’re back at Franklyn Road
Man of the Match
(to go towards
the Milton Keynes Bowl)
Dan Tanner
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