After their brave performance in the FA Cup on Saturday, Ashford went top of the league with a scintillating performance at Martyn Grove. 

The game started slowly as fourth played fifth but in the end class showed as Ashford ran out easy winners, in the 9^th minute Ryan Palmer from 25 yards tried his luck forcing Harry Potter (real name) to push round the post, another chance came in the 15^th minute when Palmer passed forward to Brett Ince whose shot from 15 yards was saved by Potter.

Lordswood had their first half chance in the 22^nd minute when Jordan Gallagher passed out wide to Junior Alade but his shot from 18 yards was easily saved by George Kamurasi.

Three minutes later Ashford nearly took the lead when Charlie Dickens slid the ball forward for Rory Hill whose curling effort from 18 yards went past the post.

Ashford were now in control & in the 29^th minute a long ball forward was chested down by Shaun Welford for Ben Davison whose shot from the edge of the area went over the bar.

In the 31^st minute Ashford did take the lead when a long ball down the right wing was flicked on for Palmer who latched onto it & ran into the area before sliding the ball past Potter.

Four minutes later it was nearly two when a Welford long throw into the area found Dickens whose flicked header was saved by Potter. Half time was approaching & Lordswood would have taken only losing by one but in the minute added on Ashford doubled their lead when Palmer corner into the 6 yard box saw Welford on his own shoot home.

The second half was only 8 minutes old when Ashford scored again when Tim Michelson chipped the ball forward for Hill to run onto & he got to the by-line & his low cross to the near post was side footed in by Ince.

In the 58^th minute the dynamics of the game changed when Gallagher was shown a red card for a bad challenge, then four minutes later it was four when a corner into the area was headed into the net by Stuart West from 6 yards.

Ashford were now enjoying themselves & they kept up the tempo wanting to score more. In the 78^th minute George Savage saw his 30 yard swerving shot saved at the second attempt by Potter.

In the 83^rd minute a long ball forward was flicked on by Michael Phillips & Ince raced after it & was fouled in the area by Potter who got booked for his sins as well as giving away a penalty, up stepped Palmer & he hit it into the top left hand corner.

Lordswood were now just waiting for the final whistle, in the 86^th minute Tommy Fagg latched onto a long ball & saw his shot from 10 yards saved but in the 90^th minute a Savage through ball saw Fagg outmuscle a defender & Potter which left him the easy task to slot into an empty net & then to make it a Magnificent Seven in the 90+5 minutes of added on time a Phillips corner into the 6 yard box was headed in by Dickens.

What a night for Ashford but for Lordswood a night to forget.

 

LORDSWOOD:

1. POTTER 2. H.OROME  3. D.AKIN  4. S.SAGE  5. K.BAILEY (70)  6. P.HUGGINS 7. M.WILLIAMS ( DEBUT ON LOAN FROM CRAY WANDERERS ) 8. J.ALDERMAN (68)  9. J.GALLAGHER  10. A.ADESITE ( DEBUT ON LOAN FROM CRAY WANDERERS ) 11.  J.ALADE (84)

SUBS USED: 15. D.SMITH (68)  17. M.DODSWORTH (70)  14. D.WEST (84)

SUBS NOT USED:  12. E.IZOKUN  16. A.BLANCHARD

BOOKINGS:   1.H.POTTER (82)

SENT OFF:  9. J.GALLAGHER (58)

ASHORD UNITED:

1. KAMURASI  2. G.SAVAGE  3. C.DICKENS  4. T. MICHELSON  5. S.WEST  6. P.KINGWELL  7. R.PALMER 8. B.DAVISON (68) 9. S.WELFORD (62)  10. B.INCE  11. R.HILL (75)

SUBS USED: 12. T.FAGG (68)  15. M.PHILLIPS (68)  16. M.DALTON (75)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. L.ELDRIDGE  17. J.WOOLEY

 

REFEREE: Mr W.JAMES

ASSISTANTS:  Mr J.BEADLE & Mr J.SMITH

ATTENDANCE: 90