Ashford Town 0-4 Molesey. Chief Executive: I apologise for atrocious display

ASHFORD TOWN 0-4 MOLESEY
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 26^th August 2006
Stephen McCartney reports from The Homelands

The chief executive of Ashford Town was forced to apologise to fans after the club surrendered four goals to Molesey and dropped to the foot of the Ryman League Division One South table after just three games into the new season.

Mr Mark Jenner, whose seen his club finish in the bottom three for the past two years, described today’s “atrocious” display as the worst his seen for 15 years.

He also explained display’s like this, hits The Homelands club financially, as only 133 brave fans watched this dire performance.

The passionless Nuts & Bolts finished the game with only nine-men as midfielders Simon Glover (straight red card) and Jonathan Thorogood (second yellow) were sent off in what was a miserable day for the club.

But Mr Jenner apologised to disgruntled fans on the club’s website, saying: “Quite frankly everybody who attended today’s game (except those from Molesey) deserves an apology for such a bad performance, probably the worst I have seen in 15 or so years.

“The only consolation being that it cannot be that bad again. If it is it won’t be me running the club.

“All I ask is don’t lose the faith. Things have to change. Simple fact is the gate receipts today, after paying the officials, was £475, which has to pay the wages for two weeks. You don’t have to be a genius to work it out.

“Far as I am concerned only the goalkeeper needs to queue up at the pay office next week.”

But youngster Jason Ward, a 54^th minute substitute, even had the audacity to ask a club official when he would be paid. On days like this, players should hand their wages back to the club.

It took Molesey just 116 seconds to break the deadlock. Ashford skipper Stuart Playford, who endured a poor 45 minutes out on the pitch, played a header towards Simon Overland, which was intercepted, but the first shot was blocked by the 20-year-old stopper.

Right-back Tom Adlington got back to block another shot on the goal-line with his chest, but Phil Ruggles, who opened his account in their 2-2 draw at Dartford last Monday, was on hand to rifle his shot inside the right post.

But Ruggles missed a gilt edged chance just two minutes later, flicking Jay Richardson’s cross from the right, over the bar.

But had Ashford winger Kenny Jarrett-Elliott found the far corner, instead of stabbing his shot against the right upright after 12 minutes, the outcome could have been better.

Striker Richard Sinden latched onto a through ball and burst into the area, but his shot from 16-yards was blocked by Chuck Martini.

Joby Thorogood picked up the ball on the right hand side, found Jarrett-Elliott in the middle but the 22-yard old stabbed the ball against the upright.

The Kent side were left to rue that miss as Overland first blocked from Warren Burton at his near post before he was picking the ball out of his net for the second time after 27 minutes.

Playford was penalised after the ball struck his hand as he cleared the ball and Simon Brown sent Overland the wrong way from the resulting spot kick to open his account for the new season.

The Homelands faithful were now stunned into silence and there was more noise coming from both technical areas.

Man-of-the-match Overland made three saves in quick succession later in the half but Molesey put the game beyond doubt on the stroke of half-time.

Ruggles’ cross from the right was knocked down into Richardson’s path and he drove a shot into the far corner.

But had Sinden put away his two early second half chances, then Ashford would have at least salvaged some pride.

Under pressure from John Murphy, the 27-year-old striker blazed his shot high over the bar, and then stroked another shot against the foot of the left post.

A minute before Sinden’s second chance, Glover was shown a straight red card, in an incident which joint-manager John Cumberbatch described as “ill-disciplined and silly.”

Glover, a star signing from Heybridge Swifts, retaliated after he was allegedly elbowed in the face by Richardson, who escaped with just a yellow card.

But Molesey wrapped up the comfortable win in the 63^rd minute when Chris Wales’ cross from the left, following a short corner, picked out an unmarked Brown, who floated his header into the top left hand corner.

Overland made a full-stretch low save within a minute to deny substitute Brahim Eloumani doing more damage with a left-footed 22-yard drive.

Joby Thorogood teed up a 20-yard chance for ineffective striker George Fenwick after 73 minutes but Martini made a comfortable low save.

But hot-head Jonathan Thorogood, who was booked in the 26^th minute, escaped a second yellow card just seven minutes later, was duly shown his second yellow card, which turned to red, with 14 minutes left.

Maidstone based goalkeeper Overland made two fine saves late on to deny Sam Lampard and substitute Chico Kadzombe, but the damage had already been done.

Joint-manager John Cumberbatch had inquests with three players after the game - speaking to Sinden in a storeroom and then speaking at length to Anthony Allman and Glover out in the car park later.

But he admitted in an EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with www.kentishfootball.co.uk that he is concerned that his side have lost their opening three games and have slumped to the foot of the table.

Although they lost to Kingstonian (2-1) and Cray Wanderers (0-1) in the first week of the new season, they did put on decent displays. But there are no excuses for this dire showing.

“We are very concerned,” he admitted. “Like last season, we weren’t playing badly, no points in the first two games, and then today we were atrocious - that is the only word I can use.”

Reflecting on the two red-cards, he added: “The only comment I can make was that they were both ill-disciplined and silly.

"I mean Simon, to an extent, felt provoked but again you can’t do that in front of the referee and expect he’s not going to get the red card out.

“There’s no need for Joffy to make the challenge, having been booked. There was no need to go in like that, in that part of the park.

“He and one or two of the players feel that he didn’t make contact and didn’t warrant a booking. But you just don’t do that in that situation.”

When asked if both players will face disciplinary action, Cumberbatch replied: “We’ll have to discuss and consider that - we’re not sure.”

* More reaction from this match follows later.