Sutton Athletic v Ashford United. Kent Senior Trophy, First Round. 15th of October 2016.

Sutton Athletic 2

Ashford United 3

 

From Ashford United’s Milton Keynes Correspondent

“This week, we have mainly been playing ….. cup ties”.

To be precise, this week Ashford had a break from the latest promotion campaign, and played their first games in the SCEFL League Cup and the Kent Senior Trophy.

Wednesday’s game, away to Lewisham Borough, was always likely to be straightforward, with Ray Simpson’s team being at the bottom of the Southern Counties League’s lower tier, having lost all THIRTEEN of their matches to date. The 0-0 half time score-line was a bit of a surprise, but, after a “quiet word” in the dressing room from The Management, and the introduction of very exciting loanee Luke Miller after the interval, Ashford were soon 0-4 up, and eventually ran out 0-6 winners. Let’s hope that the season soon improves for Ray and his team.

Today’s game, in a competition in which Ashford United’s recent record has been Runners-up – Banned – Runners-up, was expected to be a completely different kettle of fish, with Sutton Athletic having been consistently one of the better teams in (what used to be called) the Kent Invicta League. In the three seasons since Ashford were promoted from that league, Sutton have finished 3^rd, 4^th and 4^th, and the two games that we played away at Sutton during our Kent Invicta years both ended in a draw, (1-1 and 0-0).

Only the second of those two games took pace at today’s venue, the London Hire Stadium, in Hextable, (a village with a population of some 4,000 people, but no pubs), just north of Swanley. Sutton moved here in the summer of 2012. The biggest problem with this very rural location, to the east of the village, is that it is accessed by a very narrow, single-carriageway road, and Your Milton Keynes Correspondent’s battered, but trusty, Astra Estate only just managed to squeeze past on-coming traffic, both before and after the match. (I’m not sure what they’ll do when they draw Arsenal, in the cup).

Once at the London Hire Stadium, however, I must say that the whole place proved to be a delight. Apart from having a rustic setting, Sutton Athletic FC is unapologetically Step 6, which is something that I found quite refreshing. Instead of there being a set of portable turnstiles, admission money – and it was a very reasonable £6, including an excellent programme – was handed over to some friendly blokes stationed at the gate. Also, instead of providing a box standard, characterless, from-the-catalogue stand, in order to achieve the bare minimum for some FA ground grading, the club has obviously decided to create the best Step 6 facility possible, and has achieved this mostly thanks to an immaculate and spacious clubhouse. There are no PA announcements, and the only other building on site is a fairly token shelter constructed from corrugated iron sheets, but the teams were displayed on a white board.

Importantly, the pitch looked absolutely immaculate. The grass was very short, like a carpet, and the surface was very level. There is a slope, from one side to the other, but it is a uniform slope – unlike the crazy undulations we saw at Hollands & Blair, three weeks ago.

There was plenty of parking space when I arrived, and the weather was fine – the only problem was that, for the first time ever, in 17 years of writing these match reports, I had forgotten to bring a notebook and pen. I am therefore indebted to Don Crosbie for giving me Denise Peach’s lilac biro, and to a nice chap called Ron for finding a few sheets of A4 for me.

The first player I saw, this afternoon, was Mickey Phillips, who will certainly be several weeks off returning after his knee operation, but who seemed, at least, to be pretty sound at walking place. More harrowing was the sight of club captain Stuart West tucking into a cheeseburger, just 25 minutes before kick-off – but this was explained by the fact that Stuart was actually unavailable for selection, due to suspension, having totted up the requisite number of disciplinary points.

The captain’s armband was today worn by goalkeeper George Kamurasi, and he led what was, surprisingly, a full-strength Ashford United side. After youngsters Matt Kirby and Brandon Williams had filled the full-back positions in mid-week, it was back to the first-choice duo of Savage George and Charles Dickens, with Pat Kingwell and Ryan James in the centre. In midfield, there was Tom Michelson playing deep and Ben Davisson the play maker, with Rory Hill and Ryan Palmer on each wing. Luke Miller, the loanee from Greenwich Borough, who had played for Greenwich on Tuesday and Ashford on Wednesday, partnered No.9 Shaun Welford, in what was a classic “big target man and quick No.10” combination. There was a place on the bench for young Brandon Williams, alongside Brett Ince and reserve goalie Owen McLeod; both Player-Manager Danny Lye and Player-Coach Paul Booth were also named as subs.

The name that stood out from the Sutton Athletic team was that of Aiden Purseglove, formerly a star striker of Ashford Town’s Reserves, a few years back. My detailed records only go back as far as the 2005-6 season, when Aiden made a total of four substitute appearances, totaling 89 minutes. This afternoon, he was named as one of four substitutes for The Sutts. (Incidentally, I reckon that’s a seriously naff nickname for a club – my current favourite is Chipping Sodbury Town’s nickname: “The Sods” !).

Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed the score-line of 2-3, at the top of this report, and, given the undoubted quality of the home side, might be expecting to read an account of a closely-fought cup tie. In actual fact, this was almost entirely a very one-sided match, with a full-strength Ashford side being far too good for the hosts. I thought the lads were excellent, and dominated all over the pitch. Up until the 73^rd minute, the match was not unlike England’s recent very easy 2-0 victory against Malta – but, then, five minutes of sheer madness turned what should have been a stroll in the countryside into a dramatic game of football.

The visitors, playing in all yellow, with Sutton in green & white striped shirts, green shorts and white sockies, made a bright start, with Shaun Welford winning everything that came near him in the air – but it was the home side that had the first clear chance. From very early on, No.11 Jonny Murray looked to be Sutton’s most dangerous player, and good work from him in the seventh minute, cutting into the penalty area from the left, earned his team a corner. From the resulting cross, centre-half Chris Mirrlees got up well, and looked to have directed his header just under the Ashford crossbar, but George Kamurasi plucked the ball out of the air.

A minute later, George Savage picked up possession just inside his own half, and went on a determined run that carried the ball to the edge of Athletic’s penalty area. There, he played a one-two with the pink-booted Ryan Palmer, whose accurate return pass gave George a clear sight of goal, but the full-back side-footed his shot wide. Shortly after this, a good, cross-field passing movement from Ashford found Rory Hill, on the left, just inside the area. He transferred the ball onto his left foot, but sliced his shot wide.

Ashford’s only goal in the first half came in the 14^th minute. Shaun Welford won yet another header, inside the Sutton penalty area, and the ball broke to the bijou Luke Miller, and it was no surprise that this quality player had the composure to pick his spot and then have little trouble in curling the ball into the far corner of the net.

Ashford bossed possession for the remainder of the first half, and had plenty of good opportunities to add to their lead – with George Kamurasi having little involvement, beyond the yelling of instructions. Ryan Palmer saw plenty of the ball, and looked confident in possession, but without really hurting the opposition – except for when Sutton goalkeeper Dean James came off worse in a 50-50 challenge, in the 19^th minute. Chris Mirrlees, galloping back towards his own goal, was a little short with his header back to the ‘keeper, and Palmer managed to nip in ahead of James, but could do no more than dink the ball over the bar. The subsequent collision caused James to be on the ground for some time, but he was able to continue, after receiving treatment.

Palms went off on a long, mazy dribble in the 27^th minute, before laying the ball off for Pat Kingwell. Not to be outdone, the big centre-half showed some mean dribbling skills himself, before slipping the ball through to Shaun Welford, in the penalty area. With just the goalie to beat, it looked odds-on that Welford would score his 16^th goal of the season, but Dean James made a good save, diving to his right. A minute later, Luke Miller became the victim of a good, old-fashioned “sandwich”, between two players who, together, probably out-weighed him by a factor of five. This gave the visitors a free-kick on the corner of the penalty area. This was taken by Rory Hill, whose curling attempt at goal was kept out by James’s good, low save.

In the 33^rd minute, Pat Kingwell took up a position in the Sutton penalty area, suggesting that Shaun Welford was about to launch one of his Rory Delap-style throw-ins into the six-yard box. Instead, he threw the ball short, to Charlie Dickens, whose hard, driven cross rather hit Luke Miller on the forehead. Nevertheless, the diminutive No.10 managed to direct the ball into the path of Tom Michelson, whose toe-poked effort, from close range, was blocked by goalkeeper James.

As the half drew to an end, the ground became bathed in warm sunshine, so that it felt more like late July than mid-October – but Ashford’s play became a little scrappy and disjointed. The lads did, however, manage one more constructive attack before half time. With 42 minutes on the clock, a curling shot from Ryan Palmer was saved by the diving James, at the expense of a corner. The resulting cross, from the right, was met by Tom Michelson, but his header went well wide of the post.

So the match remained nicely poised, at 0-1, at the interval – but a goal from the excellent Rory Hill, almost immediately after the break, seemed to put the game beyond the home side, and the ease with which the Ashford No.11 scored seemed to epitomise Ashford’s superiority. The move started with Ryan Palmer, on the left, with Hill receiving the ball on the right side of midfield. He cut inside and carried the ball to the edge of the penalty area, before planting the ball into the net with a low, firm shot. It was a goal that was very reminiscent of the one he scored at Hollands & Blair, last month, and, when he does something like that, it’s a surprise that he doesn’t score 30 goals per season.

Sutton’s Manager, Ben Young, responded immediately, by replacing Jay Smale with Marvin Francis – having earlier substituted Will Roomes with Aiden Purseglove, in the 38^th minute – but it was Ashford who continued to create the game’s chances. In the 48^th minute, Shaun Welford chased, and caught up with, a long clearance from defence, but could do no more than direct the bouncing ball straight at the goalkeeper. Then, a minute later, Charlie Dickens sent in a long cross from the left touchline. He found the head of Luke Miller, who, stooping low, only managed to loop the ball into the air, for James to collect.

The home side did respond with a good attack, in the 52^nd minute, which resulted in a shot from Jonny Murray being blocked by George Kamurasi, from close range. Four minutes later, Aiden Purseglove ran at the Ashford defence, through the inside-right channel, and it needed an excellent tackle from Ryan James to stop him.

On the hour mark, Sutton Athletic were once again kept in the cup tie by goalkeeper Ryan James. A well-executed one-two between Ryan Palmer and Ben Davisson put Palms through on goal, on the right edge of the six-yard box. He pulled the ball back to Luke Miller, whose shot, from close range, was well saved. Strangely, three minutes later, James was substituted, with Dean Nash replacing him in goal.

Danny Lye made his first substitution in the 65^th minute, with Paul Booth making a welcome appearance – his first since coming on as sub against Sheppey United, on August Bank Holiday Monday. Booth, (“There he is !”), almost made an immediate impact, beating two players to take himself into the Sutton penalty area, but pulled his shot across the face of goal.

And then, in the 73^rd minute, the world went mad !

With Sutton pressing forward, left-back Luke Newman made a good, overlapping run, received the ball and then found Arlie Desanges, just outside the penalty area, with a square pass. Desange’s shot struck Ryan James, who was no more than four or five yards in front of him. I wouldn’t argue with the fact that the ball struck James somewhere on the arm, but both of his arms were by his side, and it was a surprise when young ref Joseph Dann-Pye awarded a penalty. Up stepped Chris Mirrlees. George Kamurasi dived one way, Mirrlees slid the ball into the opposite corner, and, from out of nowhere, Sutton Athletic had pulled a goal back.

Almost straight from the kick-off, the home side attacked again, and won a corner, on the left. The resulting cross, which seemed to be fairly innocuous, was first missed completely by Charlie Dickens’ air shot at the near post, before Ryan James sliced his attempted clearance up in the air. Thankfully, George Kamurasi was underneath the ball, and completed a simple catch – at which point I stopped watching the action, to make a note of what had happened. The next thing I knew, the Sutton player nearest to Kamurasi was writhing around on the turf, and the referee was already running towards the incident, holding up a red card. According to a reliable witness, George had kicked him – so Ashford were down to ten men, our goalkeeper can expect to soon serve a three-match ban for violent conduct, and, of course, the home side was awarded a second penalty.

In a hurried reshuffle, Kamurasi removed the captain’s armband and gave it to Pat Kingwell, and substitute goalie Owen McLeod was thrown on by Danny Lye, with Ryan Palmer the sacrifice. Chris Mirrlees again stepped forward to take the penalty. This time, he tucked the ball into the opposite corner of the net – but Owen dived the wrong way, and so it was all square at 2-2, with about a quarter of an hour to play.

Immediately, the visitors regained the tempo that they had had before the sudden change in fortunes, but Sutton Athletic now looked a different team, and pressed forward with new-found energy and optimism.

In the 80^th minute, Luke Newman again overlapped on the left, to good effect, but his cross was cut out by Ryan James, and went out for a corner. The resulting cross was knocked down to right-back Chris Page, who was about 18 yards out, and his hooked shot appeared to be heading for the back of the Ashford net, but Owen McLeod reached up and made a good save.

By now, the sun had sunk behind a bank of slate grey cloud, and, as if to emphasise the change in the mood of the good turn-out of Ashford supporters, there were a few spots of rain in the freshening breeze. With 84 minutes gone, however, and with the prospect of the tie being settled by “kicks from the penalty mark”, Rory Hill restored the visitors’ lead. Rory’s second goal of the afternoon, and his fifth of the season, owed much to some good work by Paul Booth and Luke Miller, in and around the penalty area. As the ball was laid back to Hill, he lashed it into the net, from about 18 yards. Part of his celebration was to direct a verbal volley at the referee – which was unnecessary, and also unwise, given that he has probably been Ashford’s best player this season.

Sutton continued to charge forward, but were unable to find a second equaliser. Their best chance came in the second minute of injury time, when a long cross into the Ashford box was headed down by Arlie Desanges, to Daniel Gunner – he had the time and space to take a touch, had he the composure, but, instead, Gunner pulled the trigger straight away, and his shot went wide.

So Ashford made it through to the next round of the Kent Senior Trophy – and, thanks to Wednesday’s victory at Lewisham, we’re still in the SCEFL League Cup. The story of the afternoon, however, is the damage that George Kamurasi’s sending off might do to the club’s push for promotion. With Shaun Welford due to start a three-match ban, also for violent conduct, next week, Ashford will be without both a goal-a-game striker and a very influential goalkeeper in some difficult matches coming up.

One other small thing that went against Ashford today was the fact that leaders Croydon Athletic somehow contrived to end their involvement in this season’s Kent Senior Trophy by managing to lose, at home, to Erith Town !