Lancing 3-2 Ashford United - I'm not unsackable, the buck stops with me - we're a club that's got to go up this year and we're making it very, very hard for ourselves, says Ashford United boss Tommy Warrilow

Lancing 3 – 2 Ashford United
Location	Culver Road, Lancing, West Sussex BN15 9AX
Kickoff	17/12/2022 14:00

LANCING  3-2  ASHFORD UNITED
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 17 December 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Culver Road

ASHFORD UNITED manager Tommy Warrilow says he is going to take the criticism that is coming his way after his side threw away a two-goal lead to suffer a shock last-gasp defeat at Lancing.

Strike partners Danny Parish and Gary Lockyer gave Warrilow’s men a comfortable two-goal lead inside the opening 27 minutes before poor defending allowed Lancing striker Kane Louis to stroke in his fourth goal of the season.

Dean Cox saw his side snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in his first game in charge as Reece Hallard came off the bench to score a brace inside the final seven minutes.

The winner came on the counter-attack with five minutes and 41 seconds into six minutes of expected additional time, as Ashford United suffered back-to-back league defeats having lost 1-0 at home to now seventh-placed side VCD Athletic last weekend.

Only three games survived the frosty conditions in the Isthmian League South East Division today, with Ramsgate, Sheppey United and Lancing all playing on artificial surfaces.

Leaders Ramsgate were held to a goal-less draw by Chichester City, while Sheppey United lost 4-2 at home to Haywards Heath Town, who are now managed by former Lancing pair Dave Hurley and Alex Walsh.

Steve Lovell’s Rams are now three points clear at the summit with 36 points from 17 games, while the play-off places contain Chatham Town (33 points from 16 games), Beckenham Town (32 points from 16), Whitehawk (29 points from 16) and Cray Valley (29 points from 16).

Ashford United remain in sixth-place in the pecking order with 29 points from 18 games, while Lancing have climbed up a couple of places into fifteenth with 19 points from 18 games.

“We wasn’t at our best today, I give that,” admitted Warrilow, whose side have now lost their last three away games.

“Listen, I think Lancing are a good team. They popped it about well.  We know here they are no mugs. I’ve looked at all of their games, irrelevant of where they are in the league, teams have come here and drawn and lost and we’ve come into that bracket.

“I thought the second half when we’ve come out we’ve had three good chances to get the third goal, which I think would’ve made the difference but to be honest they were knocking on the door from breaks, keeping the ball and knocking it about and it was a great finish for their second goal and the third one has killed us when we were trying to nick a winner ourselves.”

Warrilow added: “I wasn’t happy with our performance overall but I’m very disappointed and fuming about the result.  But I’m not going to make excuses.  I’ve just said to the boys in (the changing room), look around here and look at the players we’ve got now and the quality we’ve got. We’re better than that and I think on the ball we didn’t show it a lot today.”

Lancing are a side that play out from the back of their five-man defence, albeit at a slow tempo and Ashford United created their first opening when goalkeeper Pat Ohman’s long free-kick resulted in Henry Muggeridge and Toby Ajala linking up inside the Lancing penalty area before the ball was worked out to Lockyer, whose right-footed half-volley from 25-yards was comfortably held by goalkeeper Alieu Secka, low to his left.

However, Ashford United deservedly opened the scoring with five minutes and 39 seconds on the clock.

Lockyer’s threaded low through ball split open centre-half William Berry and left-wing-back Tyrone Madhani to play in Muggeridge within the right-channel and his low cross towards the near post saw Parish get in front of his marker to poke a first-time shot into the bottom right-hand corner from six-yards.

“Really pleased, ideal start, so pleased for Dan and the second goal as well, a good set-piece, pleased for Gary (Lockyer), so both forwards have scored, we’re up and running,” said Warrilow.

“Dan will score goals. He’s not played regularly, you can see that but his work-rate and he gives us that dimension of going in behind and taking people on but he's a finisher.  Get balls into the box, he finishes them.”

Lancing created an opening in the 10^th minute when Finn Daniels-Yeomans played the ball out to Madhani, who linked up well with Ollie Starkey down the left before wideman Starkey dragged his right-footed drive past the left-hand post from 25-yards.

Lancing then enjoyed a decent spell of possession before the Nuts & Bolts doubled their lead from a well-worked set-piece with 27 minutes and 32 seconds on the clock.

Muggeridge took a bang to his leg from Daniels-Yeomans tackle before he drilled the resulting free-kick towards the back post.  Centre-half Liam Friend rose to knock the ball across the face of goal and with goalkeeper Secka flapping, Lockyer’s brave header on the edge of the six-yard box bounced inside the bottom right-hand corner to score his tenth goal of the season (11 if you include his goal for Isthmian League Premier Division side Cray Wanderers).

“All these twenty-goals for these centre-forwards, not just Gary, whoever plays, they should be getting 20 goals a season, the amount of chances we create, so anyone plays up front should be looking to get that. Gary and Dan have both scored today,” added Warrilow.

Ashford United went close to increasing their lead in the 31^st minute when central midfielder Muggeridge played the ball to former Hastings United winger Gil Carvalho, who cut into a pocket of space and curled his right-footed shot against the far post from 25-yards.

“We’ve had a couple of chances in the first half and if we can get an extra goal it makes a difference and changes the game,” added Warrilow.

Ashford United were comfortable at this point of the game but sloppy defending gifted Lancing a goal with 33 minutes and 16 seconds on the clock.

Ashford’s centre-back Ryan Sawyer was in the right-back position when he played the ball towards Toby Ajala inside the Ashford half but the ball was intercepted by Lancing central midfielder Darius Goldsmith, who fed the impressive Modou-Lamin Jammeh, whose fine through ball released Louis, who swept his first-time right-footed shot into the bottom right-hand corner from 18-yards.

“Unfortunately, we’ve gifted them a goal and you can see what it’s done for them, it’s given them a massive fillip just before half-time and it’s sent us the other way, which is not what we want,” said Warrilow.

“Their first goal summed it up. They’ve not had a shot on target and we get punished.  We rolled it in, lost the ball and there was so much time, we could’ve gone back to Pat, Ryan could’ve gone long and if nothing’s on go back and keep the ball, we’re 2-0 up, no pressure at all.”

Another Muggeridge free-kick was floated into the Lancing penalty area and Sawyer nipped in front of Tom Butler and his downward header was held comfortably by the Lancing goalkeeper.

The half-time whistle was blown immediately after Goldsmith’s deep floated free-kick was met by Lancing centre-half Owen Spicer but the angle was too tight for him and he steered his header past the near post.

Warrilow added: “At half-time, we just wanted to get the boys in because we just lost our way a little bit.”

Lancing started the second half on the front foot and visiting goalkeeper Ohman had to be alert and use both of his hands to push the ball over his crossbar after only 69 seconds.

Jammeh released Starkey in behind Bradley Simms down the left and he cut the ball back to Madhani, who drilled a cross-come-shot in from the left touchline and Ohman’s hands ensured the danger was averted.

Ashford United squandered a couple of glorious chances to take the points back to Homelands within the space of 48 seconds.

Carvalho drove down the left and past a couple of defenders and played in a low cross towards the centre of the goal where Lockyer sliced his right-footed shot past the far post from 15-yards in the 50^th minute.

Then a lovely ball played Parish through on goal and in behind Spicer but Secka gathered the ball at the second attempt when faced a one-v-one situation with the former Canvey Island striker.

“The second half, we had three very good chances and any one makes it 3-1 and it gives you a little cushion,” said Warrilow.

“We’ve lost our killer instinct because we do have opportunities to kill teams off and if you don’t take them…”

Right-back Simms launched five long throws into the Lancing penalty area and a spell of head tennis ensued before the ball came out to Carvalho, who hooked his angled shot past the near post from 18-yards.

Ashford United should have had the game dead and buried in the 65^th minute when Ajala’s corner was cleared out and recycled back into the Lancing penalty area by left-back Mamadou Diallo.

Substitute striker Lanre Azeez hooked his shot back across goal from a tight angle towards the back post where Parish poked his first-time shot across the keeper and trickling towards the bottom far corner, only for the ball to be cleared away.

When asked how this game was lost, Warrilow replied: “Not taking our chances is one thing, giving away sloppy goals which gives other teams lifts and football’s easy, if you have a chance and you take it, you win. If you give balls away cheaply, you lose.

“I thought Lancing knocked it about well as well. I’m not going to sit here and say we were the best team and this, that and the other.

“First two goals, up until we let the goal in, it was pretty comfortable for us I felt, so that’s how quickly football can change.  You can’t have that mentality and you’ve got to go all the way and we’ve not and we’ve lost in the 95^th minute so fair play to Lancing.”

Jammeh was a constant threat to the Ashford United defence and he was to be denied a goal in the 28^th minute of the second half.

Jammeh played a one-two with striker Louis down the left and Jammeh drilled his shot from a tight angle close to the by-line which forced Ohman to dive to his right at his near post to push the ball behind for a corner.

“Jammeh is a very good player. He done well. He roamed about, done whatever he wanted, I liked him as well,” Warrilow said of Lancing’s attacking number 10.

Lancing grabbed their equaliser with 37 minutes and 9 seconds on the clock after Muggeridge and holding midfielder Mikey Dalton went AWOL.

Substitute left-wing-back Kyle O’Brien played the ball into Jammeh, who played the ball inside to an unmarked Hallard, who unleashed a right-footed drive into the bottom right-hand corner from a central position 35-yards out.

“To be fair, their equaliser was a great strike. He’s got a hold of it and it’s knocked the stuffing out of us again.  He just dropped off, he’s got acres but he’s quite a way out but it’s a great strike, so I’m looking at the keeper but I won’t take nothing away from the strike,” said Warrilow.

The Nuts & Bolts had a chance to snatch the victory themselves with just seven seconds of normal time remaining.

Muggeridge rolled the ball out to Simms, who got the better of both O’Brien and Jammeh before playing in a low cross from the right and substitute striker Johan Ter Horst’s rasping drive from a right angle was plucked out of the air by Secka.

When asked about Ter Horst’s five minute cameo at the end of the game, Warrilow replied: “It’s good to get Johan on the pitch again and nurse him. We’re slowly getting him introduced back in because of his hamstring.”

However, Ashford United threw it away with bad decision making close to the half-way line just before a throw-in.

Simms was expected to launch his sixth long throw into the Lancing penalty area but goalkeeper Ohman approached the halfway line and called out his name and the ball was thrown some 10-yards back to Ohman, who launched a big right-footed kick up field.

Lockyer flicked the ball on from the edge of the penalty area and Lancing cleared their lines from inside a crowded penalty area.

Ohman had to rush back and there was a three (Lancing) on two (Ashford) counter-attack and Goldsmith fed substitute striker Marcel Powell inside the final third and the ball was worked inside to an unmarked Hallard to rifle his right-footed shot into the top right-hand corner from 12-yards.

“It happens, doesn’t it? What can you do? We were looking for the win. We’ve gone for a long one and they’ve broke and if anything, we should be organised enough not to go gung-ho. We know that and the lads have and yet again, with us, we don’t get away with it. We’ve been punished,” said Warrilow.

“Overall, listen, I’m not happy with the way we’ve played today. We’ve done alright but listen we’re better than alright.  We’re a club here that’s got to go up this year and we’re making it very, very hard for ourselves.

“Do I think we’re capable of going on a run? Yes, I do, I do, generally do. I’ve got to just get into these lads and find out what’s wrong at the moment because I’ll take full responsibility, obviously we’ve lost.”

Warrilow insists he is working hard to turn around their fortunes and challenge Ramsgate and Chatham Town for the title going into their final 20 league games.

“I’m not one for using the phrases ‘a wounded animal’ and all this. Listen, I’ll be honest with them.  Listen, forget them, I’ve got to get results for myself. I’m not here to put my feet up. I’m not unsackable. The buck stops with me.

“I’ve been in worse situations than this.  I remember getting booed off the pitch massively at Tonbridge when we lost 4-0 against Cray Wanderers and we got promoted (from the then Ryman League Premier Division to then Conference South) that year.

“You can’t be expected to be patted on the back when you’ve lost a game of football, especially when we’ve had massive changes this year. It’s not because I wanted to, it’s because I had to. We’re now getting a bit of stability and I’m sure we’ll be fine.

“Listen, I’ve just got to take what’s coming. It’s criticism, it’s negative. I feel s**t myself but I’ve got to get my head around it, have a look at things and just get on with it.

“I’m sure there will be more days like this but hopefully there will be better days that outnumber them.  It doesn’t matter where you are at Christmas, if anyone puts a few games together in this league you’ll fly up whether you’re down the bottom or at the top.

“We’ve played today when another load of teams have not played and we’ve not capitalised so teams now have got a couple of games in hand so it’s not done us any good today.

“I’m confident that come the end of the season it will be a different story but we’ve just got to unfortunately go through all of this at the moment and time in football, as you know, is given to no-one as you know.

“I put myself under pressure, obviously (the board/supporters) are not going to be happy tonight and rightly so.  We (the board and I) have loads of rows about things because we both want, we all want the same thing here but at the moment it’s just not happening and that’s why I’m here.  I’ve got to sort it all out and I will but because of all of the changes it is difficult.

“We’ve got to make sure that we don’t go too overboard because it’s not a massive divide between top and if you go down to fourteenth or fifteenth, there’s not a real divide because really it should be a huge gap at this level.

“When you come off the pitch you can look at why you’ve lost. Sometimes it can be down to a bit of individual brilliance.  Nine times out of 10 it’s about the whole team and I’ve got lads in there that are better than what they’re showing me at the moment and it’s my job to get it out of them.”

Ashford United welcome Faversham Town to Homelands Stadium on Monday 26 December (13:00).

The Lilywhites are at the foot of the table with eight points on the board from 17 games, a point behind Corinthian, who are eight points adrift of third-from-bottom side Sittingbourne.

It will be Sammy Moore’s second game in charge of Faversham Town, having been held to a 1-1 draw at home to Corinthian two weeks ago and the former Potters Bar Town boss has time and money to bring in more players ahead of the local derby.

Warrilow said: “Everyone knows what’s going on at Faversham, god knows who they’re going to get in before Boxing Day but we’ve just got to concentrate on what we’ve got and we’re better than that (today).

"We've got a good enough squad now to make a fist of it."

Lancing:  Alieu Secka, Mohamed Zabadne, Tyrone Madhani (Kyle O’Brien 58), Tom Butler, Owen Spicer, William Berry, Ollie Starkey (Reece Hallard 61), Darius Goldsmith, Kane Louis (Marcel Powell 88), Modou-Lamin Jammeh, Finn Daniels-Yeomans.
Subs: Sean Stephenson, Faris Khallouqi

Goals: Kane Louis 34, Reece Hallard 83, 90

Booked: Darius Goldsmith 81, Reece Hallard 87

Ashford United: Pat Ohman, Bradley Simms, Mamadou Diallo, Mikey Dalton, Liam Friend, Ryan Sawyer, Gil Carvalho (Lanre Azeez 62), Henry Muggeridge, Gary Lockyer, Danny Parish, Toby Ajala (Johan Ter Horst 85).
Subs: Charlie Dickens, Jacob Russell, Jarred Trespaderne

Goals: Danny Parish 6, Gary Lockyer 27

Booked: Toby Ajala 45

Attendance: 222
Referee: Mr Daniel D’Urso
Assistants: Mr Robert Walczak & Mr Harry Redman