Erith & Belvedere v Ashford United. Southern Counties East Football League. 14th of November 2015.

Erith & Belvedere       2       Ashford United 2

 

From Ashford United’s Milton Keynes Correspondent

This Saturday’s entertainment was provided by a trip to Park View Road, home of Conference National League side Welling United. Erith & Belvedere’s long-term ground sharing arrangement with The Wings provides us with the rare opportunity to see our heroes play on a nice, flat pitch, at a big, posh stadium – and my preferred vantage point is in Row 11, at the back of the larger of the ground’s two stands. That provides a great view of the pitch, which is tightly hemmed in between the A207, at one end, and a bank of trees, at the other.

This is also a fixtures that entails a 20-minute walk from Welling Station, along the length of Welling’s gun barrel-straight High Street, which offers as many opportunities to have a takeaway, have a coffee, have a bet or have your nails done as a man could wish for. And the temptation was far too much – so I entered William Hill’s very welcoming establishment, for an each-way accumulator and a pee, (with one being far more successful than the other). I was only there for a short time, but, in that time, not one, but two nice, young ladies asked me whether I would like a cup of tea or coffee. Betting shops these days are a far cry from the smoke-filled dens that I frequented in my distant youth.

Glancing through my match reports archive, it appears that this was my third visit to Park View Road – and I am (still) yet to see my boys win. The first game I saw here was, according to what I wrote, the subject of my 90^th match report, and the first report on an FA Cup game. The match took place during the 2007-8 season, when visitors Ashford Town were the established Ryman League club and Erith & Belvedere were the team from the Kent League, which, at the time, was the league to which we were always desperate to avoid relegation. The Deres were convincing 2-0 winners over Clive Walker’s side, on that occasion. My other visit to this stadium was last season’s league game, when striker Alfie May, in the middle of a purple patch, scored two goals in a 4-0 victory for the home side. Both clubs have since been very much changed in terms of both their playing staff and management team.

Ashford appeared to be pretty much at full strength, today, with Ryan Palmer returning after a three-week lay-off with a knee injury. After Nick Luen’s appearance in goal for Tuesday’s 3-4 extra-time victory in the SCEFL League Cup, George Kamurasi was back in goal, behind a defence that had captain Pat Kingwell and Luke Cuthbert in central defence and Adam Cuthbert and Chris Elliott on either side. With the return of Palmer, Manager Danny Lye was able to deploy his preferred midfield strategy, with two attacking wide men, in Palms on the left and Ellis Green on the right; Mickey Dalton and Jack Healey formed the central midfield partnership. With Shaun Welford and Sebastian Schoburgh up front, and Nick Luen, Danny Lye, Josh Woolley, Paul Booth and Tom Fagg on the bench, the only notable absentee was usual skipper Mickey Phillips. New signings Nicky Humphrey and Dan Stubbs, who both played all 120 minutes of Tuesday’s cup tie at Lordswood, were also absent. (I notice that both Nicky Humphrey and Danny Lye were in the Ashford Town team that lost, here, in the FA Cup in 2007).

The two names in the Erith & Belvedere line-up that jumped off the team-sheet that was, very helpfully, pinned up on the door of the turnstiles were those of the much-travelled striker Jamie Wood (brother of Lewis) and John-Paul Collier, who I believe is now The Deres’ Assistant-Manager. I have fond memories of J-P from his time as a promising midfielder for Ashford Town. If anybody asks me to name the best goal that I have seen scored by an Ashford player, I usually mention the first of J-P’s brilliant goals in a 2-4 win away at Kingstonian; here’s what I wrote, at the time:

“J-P Collier picked the ball up just about in the centre of the Kingstonian half; he ran at the defence, ghosted past two players, transferred the ball onto his right foot and slotted it into the corner of the net. Think of the young Michael Owen’s goal in the World Cup against Argentina !”

…..and his second wasn’t too shabby, either:

“…another wonder goal from J-P Collier. This was another solo effort, very much like his first, but this time he picked the ball up just inside the Kingstonian half. With the home side pushing forward, there was space to run into, and J-P needed no second invitation. With a diagonal run from the right-hand side of the pitch, it was Michael Owen / Argentina Time again, but the finish, from outside the penalty area, and with his left foot, was more akin to Geoff Hurst’s third in 1966. (“They think it’s all over”, an’ all that). There was also something about 1966 in the celebration that involved the whole Ashford squad and management team after the goal. Mrs Milton Keynes Correspondent almost wet her knickers when the ball hit the back of the net. It’s moments like these that make it worth traipsing out to God-forsaken corners of the country like Banstead and Croydon !”

That was the 2005-6 season. Thanks, J-P – happy days !

Back to the World of Dreams, and the biggest worry today was the weather forecast, given the biblical amounts of rain that were being forecast for the country – eight inches, FFS ! – as a result of the arrival of Storm Abigail. It was certainly a wet march to the ground, and, on arrival, I noticed that the furrow parallel to the touchline, made by successive linesmen, was, ominously, already full of water, but, in spite of steady rain persisting throughout the 90 minutes, there was never a doubt about the game being completed.

So it was a rain-soaked scene, just prior to kick-off, as the two teams and the officials stood to observe a minute’s silence marking the first anniversary of the passing of Deres’ Director Martin Tarrant, but also commemorating those whose life has been taken during the global conflicts of the last hundred years and the innocent victims of the terrorist attacks in Paris of the past 24 hours. To show solidarity for more recent events, a small boy released a clutch of red, white and blue balloons. (The Paris attacks had nothing to do with religion, of course – they were about vengeance, and the response will probably be more vengeance, when someone gets a large amount of high-tech, highly explosive French ordnance on their head).

The two teams’ approach was evident from early on, in this game, with the home side trying to play nice, passing football on the rain-soaked deck, and Ashford playing to their strength by getting the ball out to their wide men at every opportunity. But sloppy play in the Ashford defence put them under pressure in the opening seconds. Left-back Chris Elliott sliced an attempted clearance, and, as Pat Kingwell stepped in to tidy things up, another Ashford defender got in his way. The ball broke to Erith striker Ashley Robinson, who, in spite of appearing to carry plenty of poundage, looked to be the home side’s best player, and caused problems for defenders every time he had the ball. On this occasion, he attempted to curl a right-footed shot around the goalkeeper, but George made a good save, diving to his left.

The visitors, in the new, daffodil yellow and Lincoln green away kit, had a succession of chances to score, from about the eighth minute. First, Shaun Welford rose, beyond the far post, to meet a deep cross from an Ellis Green free-kick, but could do no more than put the ball behind for a goal-kick. A minute later, Ryan Palmer did well to win the ball, after Deres’ ‘keeper Rilwan Anibaba, formerly of Beckenham Town, was a little careless with a short pass to a defender. Palmer attempted to cross the ball into the goalmouth, but rather sliced his effort – and the ball found Ellis Green, just outside the penalty area, who volleyed the ball just wide, with his left foot.

Ashford’s real chance to take control of the game came from the penalty spot, in the tenth minute. Pat Kingwell showed class and composure when bringing the ball out of defence, and found Ryan Palmer, wide on the left. Palmer squared the ball infield, to Seb Schoburgh, whose brilliant turn beat two Deres players and took him into the penalty area. The third defender brought him down, and Referee James Hurst had the easy task of awarding a penalty. Shaun Welford didn’t do much wrong with the “kick from the penalty mark”. He hit the ball firmly and low, to the ‘keeper’s left, but Anibaba got down well, to make a good save. At the time, this didn’t appear likely to have been such a costly miss, as nothing had happened, to this point, to suggest that the home side might take a 2-0 lead at half time – but, in hindsight, Anibaba’s save provided a major turning-point in the game.

The first chance that Erith & Belvedere created came in the 13^th minute, and J-P Collier was very much the architect, from midfield. He spread a great pass, on the turn, out to the left wing, which completely wrong-footed Chris Elliott, and then almost finished the move, sliding in, about six yards from goal, but narrowly failed to make contact.

In the 19^th minute, The Deres’ No.7, notable for both wearing gloves (Grrrr), and, listed as Andreas Felipe Losada Tobon, being the first footballer I’ve seen to have four names, went close. His low, long-range effort from the right had George Kamurasi diving at his near post, but the ball was always heading for the side-netting. Five minutes later, however, it was Andy Four Names who became the first player to beat George in open play, after six hours and 24 minutes in goal for Ashford, when he put Erith & Belvedere 1-0 up. The opening was created by some excellent play, involving a one-two, between Ashley Robinson and Jamie Wood, which teed up a chance for Enoch Akosah. The midfielder hit his shot well enough, but it was met with a great save from Big George – but the ball went straight to Tobon, who smashed the ball into the net.

The game was fairly even for the remainder of the half, with Ashford giving plenty of possession to Ellis Green, on the right – but it has to be said that Erith & Belvedere defended extremely well, and effectively nullified Green’s threat. Ashford’s best chance during this period came when Adam Cuthbert helped Ellis out, on the right, in the 29^th minute. The right-back’s cross found Shaun Welford, but the big No.9, not for the only time this afternoon, shot wide.

In the 34^th minute, George Kamurasi fluffed a clearance, when well outside his penalty area. The ball was controlled on the ample chest of Ashley Robinson, who really should have seen the chance to lob the goalkeeper early – but he dwelt for a vital few seconds, and the lob that he eventually attempted was, in any case, well wide. But the reprieve for Ashford was only temporary, as the same player was presented with another chance, about ten yards nearer the visitors’ goal, in the 42^nd minute. The culprit, I think, was Jack Healey, who was caught in possession, in a deep position, by Robinson. This time, The Deres’ No.10 made absolutely no mistake, firing an unstoppable shot high into the Ashford net.

So it had been a half in which Ashford had missed the few chances that they had created, and there were too many individual errors which had given away possession. The home side, on the other hand, had defended well, and they had looked after the ball better, and so were value for their lead at the interval. And still it rained.

Rather surprisingly, the second half was entirely different, as there was very little offered by Erith & Belvedere, who seemed more intent on running down the clock than anything else. I don’t know whether this was due to fatigue, or because they were, frankly, surprised to be in front, but the story of the second period was all about whether Ashford could convert enough chances to get something out of the game.

A good, flowing move, from right to left, in the 47^th minute, found Chris Elliott in the proverbial acres of space. He drilled his diagonal shot across Rilly Anibaba, but the ‘keeper made a good save – and Elliott had, in any case, been flagged offside. A similar move, just a minute later, found Ellis Green (who had switched wings) on the left; he fed the ball inside to Chris Elliott, but, this time, the former Folkestone full-back sliced his shot wide.

Danny Lye made an early substitution, in the 50^th minute, replacing Seb Schoburgh with Paul Booth, and then, in the 57^th minute, Erith’s Zak Henry was helped off, to be replaced by George Reed – who was yellow-carded for a foul on the hard-working Mickey Dalton, just a minute later. But there was a more explosive incident on the hour-mark, which resulted in Ryan Palmer being booked. Typifying Ashford’s spirited approach in the second half, Ryan flew into two consecutive tackles, in the midfield area. Neither carried any malice, but he made the second one with two feet. It wasn’t one of those that players make with both feet together, which usually results in a red card. It was one of those tackles made with first one foot, and then the other, with the feet well apart. It was a foul, and a yellow card was probably the correct decision, but, given that Palmer’s momentum and the wet pitch caused him to go through the player, it did give rise to a brief scrum, which involved both goalkeepers.

Ashford continued to press, and Shaun Welford was off target yet again, in the 64^th minute. This was a “Route One” attempt from a throw-in. One potent weapon that Ashford United now have is Chris Elliott’s Rory Delap-style throw – OK, it’s an Ian Hutchinson throw, for the old-timers – but Shaun put his header wide.

Ashford’s endeavour eventually paid off in the 67^th minute, and came about as a result of a well-worked passing movement that began from the back. Chris Elliott fed the ball down the left touchline to Paul Booth, whose low cross found Ryan Palmer, beyond the far post. The ball was slightly behind Ryan, but he had time to get the ball from under his feet, turn and stick the ball past Anibaba, for his fifth goal for the club.

The goal prompted the home side to replace Tobon with Danzel Gayle, immediately, and J-P Collier with Liam Wright, a few minutes after, but these substitutions made no difference to the flow of the game. With The Deres no longer offering any sort of attacking threat, Ashford could attack with complete impunity, and, in fact, in the 79^th minute, Danny Lye was able to throw on a third centre-forward, Tom Fagg, in place of Ellis Green, (who, a minute earlier, was rather harshly booked for a stupid, but innocuous, trip). Unfortunately, things did not go to plan for young Tom, as he received a kick almost as soon as he had jogged onto the pitch – and limped off after only four minutes, to be replaced by Josh Woolley.

So, could Ashford equalise, in the time that remained ?  Well, Shaun Welford had a golden opportunity in the 80^th minute, when a long, high, curling cross from Chris Elliott, almost from the halfway line, found him unmarked, just inside the Erith & Belvedere penalty area - but the centre-forward completely miscued his header, putting the ball well wide, to the obvious disbelief and disappointment of both men.

Ashford also had chances with a free-kick attempt from Ryan Palmer in the 78^th minute and a long-range shot from Mickey Dalton in the 84^th minute, but Anibaba was able to save both efforts. In the 87^th minute, Paul Booth tried to latch onto a huge clearance by Big George, which went all the way to the edge of the Erith & Belvedere box. The advancing ‘keeper got to the ball just before Booth’s outstretched leg, and appeared to be caught as he made his clearance. Anibaba was one of several players, at about this time, on the home team to go down with an apparent injury, as time started to run out for Ashford, (although, to their credit, nobody in a blue & white shirt resorted to the “old chestnut” of “cramp”).

As full-time approached, and as Ashford became increasingly desperate, resorting to longer and longer balls forward, it was a case of how many minutes Mr Hurst would add on at the end of the game, to allow for the home side’s delaying tactics. To his credit, and Ashford’s advantage, he must have played four or five minutes of stoppage time, because the equaliser came in the 94^th minute. Another long clearance from George Kamurasi once again managed to find Paul Booth, but the home defences scrambled the ball away. But the ball was played back into the crowded penalty area, and, this time, amongst all the confusion, Shaun Welford poked the ball over the line. So the big man salvaged something from what had otherwise been a game that he would probably prefer to forget – he had ended a largely frustrating afternoon for the Ashford fans with an exciting finish, and he had scored his 13^th goal of the season, to maintain his excellent strike rate.

There was a further delay, with yet another Erith & Belvedere player down injured, which probably ensured that there would be no time for a further goal – and Mr Hurst probably said to himself that “if they thought it was all over, it is now”, and promptly blew for full time as soon as the home side had kicked off.

It had finally stopped raining by the time that I trudged back to Welling Station, reflecting on a game that Ashford should have expected to have won. Logging onto the SCEFL web-site, waiting for the 17.39 train back to Charing Cross, I discovered that, very unusually for a game involving Ashford United, the park View Road attendance of 42 had been the lowest in the SCEFL, this afternoon. It also soon became apparent that it had been a very good day for Greenwich Borough, as, not only had Ashford dropped two points, but also Hollands & Blair had been held to a 1-1 draw and Erith Town had lost.