dulwich011105

Thursday 01st September 2005

Thorogood: Individual mistakes cost us

Tuesday 1st November 2005	Ryman League Division One	Stephen McCartney reports from Champion Hill
Dulwich Hamlet	2	Ellis Conroy 39,41
Ashford Town	0

Ashford Town's players were locked inside their dressing room until 10:30pm after crashing to their eighth league defeat of the season at Champion Hill tonight, writes Stephen McCartney.

Ironically a fire alarm was set off some 75 minutes prior to kick off inside the dressing room area but sadly the fire alarms are ringing for the struggling Homelands outfit with only 12 points from their first 14 games and with only five teams below them in the table.

Shaun Bradshaw's fourth goal of the season lifted spirits on Saturday as fellow strugglers Burgess Hill Town were beaten at Homelands but winger Ellis Conroy's brace - his first goals of the season - in a devastating two minute spell at the end of the first half settled this dire match.

The former Tooting & Mitcham United winger sparked the game into life with his first after 39 minutes. Stealing the ball from Ashford defender Gary Croxton on the edge of the box, his initial shot was blocked by goalkeeper Sean Glover but his next effort, from the rebound, sailed into an empty net.

And within two minutes he drove his shot into the middle of the net to make it another miserable night for the Kent side.

Apart for the two goals the first half was uneventful with Bradshaw going the closest with the games first chance on 22 minutes. The 22-year-old former Waltham Forest striker met Marc Cumberbatch's cross from the right but his shot looped over the bar.

And on the stroke of half-time Kennickson Jarrett-Elliot played in Elliot Achoko whose long range shot flashed wide.

The second half, however, picked up slightly with Ashford striker Steve Humphrey twice going close and after the home side created a couple of chances through the lively Paul Scott, Ashford stalwart Ian Ross leaned back on a shot, which flew over.

Ashford played three men up front - Ross, Bradshaw and Solomon Henry - late on but their team-mates failed to provide them the service they needed to make an impact.

All in all, another depressing night for Ashford, and joint-manager Tim Thorogood, who emerged from the dressing room before John Cumberbatch, admitted their trip to Lymington & New Milton on Saturday is another "six-pointer" as his side have been told to eradicate "Individual errors" that cost them dear tonight.

In an EXCLUSIVE interview with www.kentishfootball.co.uk Thorogood said: "The majority of the problems as far as I'm concerned are individual mistakes. That's the reason why we're losing matches and our players have to be a lot more tougher.

"We've lost to a side, in my opinion, that wasn't particularly that great," he added. "Again two bad errors, we've given away two goals in two minutes and that's not going to be good enough."

Thorogood wasn't very pleased losing to a side that converted most of their chances.

"It was a very poor game," he admitted. "I thought until we gave away the goal we competed really well and to be honest with you I couldn't see them or us scoring."

Looking ahead to their trip to Christchurch Road on Saturday, Thorogood added: "There's going to be loads of "six-pointers" through the season if we carry on playing the way we do and giving away poor goals."

Dulwich Hamlet: Paul Seuke, Jason Turley, Cory Campbell, Alex O'Brien (Capt), Jamie Coyle, Gavin Dayes, Ellis Conroy, Miguel De Souza, Charlie Side (Phil Williams 76), Danny Ward, Paul Scott (Lee Richardson 86). Subs: Richard Brady, Peter Wood, Mark Simmons

Ashford Town: Sean Glover, Marc Cumberbatch (Capt), Ian Ross, Lynval Duncan, Gary Croxton, Eddie Achoko (Nathan Thomas 67), Joby Thorogood (Solomon Henry 58), Gary Clarke, Steve Humphrey (Mark Banks 79), Shaun Bradshaw, Kennickson Jarrett-Elliott. Subs: Jonathan Thorogood, Ray Riseley

Attendance: 148
Referee: Mr Joe Ross
Assistants: Mr Michael Webb & Mr Craig Melinn