Hernebay231004

Weather is 12th man in Ashford's reserve win at Herne Bay

On a truly awful winters day, Ashford Town's reserve side traveled the short distance to Herne Bay, to play a side that scored seven midweek in the floodlit league, writes Stephen McCartney.

Ashford themselves were full of confidence after scoring eleven and only conceding one in the previous two games.

Ashford were missing Curnock, Pursglove, Wills and White - all players that should taste first team football, yet still had a strong squad to choose from.

"Herne Bay are always a physically strong side and I picked a side that would mix it up where necessary," said manager Mike Robbins.

"Having reserve skipper Ollie Finch available is a great boost too." 

As previously stated, the weather was awful, as wet as the sea side town could be. Preparation was not great as new first team prospect Danny Bromsfield was  not released in time from Beckenham to play.

Ashford came closest during the early exchanges, but could not break the Herne Bay defence.

Herne Bay had a header hit the bar, but other than that did not really threaten.

Jason long missed the easiest chance of the game, taking what appeared to be an air shot, when it seemed easier to score.

The slippery conditions did not suit either side, Ashford like to get the ball down and play but on the sticky slippery surface they were unable to take control.

Barry Cunningham had two chances with the keeper beaten, but both of these trickled past the far post.

What ever Robbins said at half time appeared to do the trick, for the first twenty minutes after any way.

Long who sustained a dead leg on the stroke of half time was swapped for Jamie Hutton, and Ollie Finch was replaced with Jay Aldridge. 

Almost immediately the changes made good, when Tom Evans, Starting his first competitive game in weeks, made some good running down the left.

Jim Day enjoyed his best 45 minutes to date and was involved when Town were awarded a corner on the hour mark.

Tom Evans struck the corner well - swung high to the near post for a flick on, but somehow the ball squirmed into the net.

It was nothing less than Ashford deserved, and proved to be the only goal of this Go Travel Kent League Division One clash.

Expecting the flow to be one way, Ashford took their feet off the gas and allowed Herne Bay back into the game.

Enter the Karl Levielle Show - Some how Karl and his defence kept Herne Bay out. First with a dive low to his left, then a tip over the bar and again from point blank in his busy penalty area.

First Jim Day and then Dan Hunwick had chances to widen the scoreline, but both shots were tamely stopped by the Herne Bay keeper.

"In the end, I I think that we were worth the points today, we could and probably should have wrapped this game up by half time - but I feel the weather was 12th man for both sides." added   Robbins

Elite security Man of the Match:  Luke Robinson
 
Ashford Town: Leveille, McCann , Evans, Clarke, Robinson, Nadjowski,  Poyner, Finch (Aldridge 50), Cunningham (Hunwick 65), Day, Long (Hutton 48). Sub: Skillett