This was a game of two halves as Lordswood won the first and then Ashford won the second and it is Ashford who carries the flag for the Southern Counties East League in the last 32 of the FA Vase.
The game started with Lordswood having the conditions in their favour, in the 11th minute Timmy Babington was put through on the left & he went into the area but saw his shot go over the bar.
In the 17th minute Lordswood nearly took the lead when Danny Smith’s free kick from halfway was unconventionally kicked away from goal for a corner but it could have ended up in the net & then two minutes later they did score & take the lead when a ball forward from the Ashford defence was headed forward by Aaron Singh-Sekhon for Brendon Cass to flick on putting Ben Francis in the clear & he went into the area steadied himself before slotting the ball under the onrushing George Kamurasi.
The rest of the half saw Ashford try to get forward but bad passing or finishing stopped them getting an equaliser whilst Lordswood pressed forward without causing many problems, half time arrived & Sam I’Anson in the Lordswood goal had one of his easier halves as he only collected pass backs or took goal kicks.
Danny Lye, the Ashford manager, had to rally his troops & hopefully get a goal back as soon as possible whilst James Collins would like his side to get a goal & control the game.
The second half started with Ashford having the best of the conditions & were in the ascendancy as in the 54th minute a corner into the Lordswood area saw an almighty scramble occur & Ryan Palmer latched onto the ball & shot home from 6 yards.
With an hour gone on the clock Ashford equalised when Michael Phillips 20 yards out took one touch & then let fly & it ended up in the top of the net.
Two minutes later Seb Schoburgh on the right saw his low cross clipped away for a corner by Jack Hope & from the resulting corner taken short to Chris Elliott his shot was deflected for a corner by Smith. In a rare attack Francis received the ball in the area & his curling shot went just past the post.
In the next minute Paul Booth saw his 30 yard free kick pushed away for a corner by I’Anson then in the next minute Ashford took the lead when Elliott’s shot from 30 yards hit a defender on the hand & a penalty was given, up stepped Booth who slotted it into the bottom right hand corner.
In the 75th minute things got worse for Lordswood as they conceded another penalty when Danny Stubbs on the right saw his low cross fell at Schoburgh’s feet & his first time shot hit Captain Ashley Sains on the hand, up stepped Booth who this time hit it into the top left hand corner.
Lordswood nearly pulled a goal back in the 77th minute when substitute Brima Daramy in the area twisted & turned & saw his shot smother by Kamurasi. In the 85th minute Phillips moving forward tried his luck forcing I’Anson to push away for a corner & from the resulting corner a shot hit Sains on the back again forcing I’Anson to push around the post for a corner.
With time running out Ashford completed the rout in the 3rd minute off added on time when Palmer on the left received the ball & went into the area & his shot beat I’Anson.
LORDSWOOD:
- I’ANSON 2. J.HOPE 3. D.SMITH 4. S.RICHARDS (76) 5. A.SAINS 6. A.SINGH-SEKHON 7. T.BABINGTON (51) 8. G.BROWN 9. B.CASS (66) 10. B.FRANCIS 11. E.ADJEI
SUBS USED: 15. R. DEAKIN (51) 17. B.DARAMY (66) 16. N.NWITUA (76)
SUBS NOT USED: 12. S.HAYES 14. J.LODGE
BOOKINGS: 7. T.BABINGTON (14) 6. A.SINGH-SEKHON (29)
ASHFORD UNITED;
- KAMURASI 2. A.CUTHBERT 3. C.ELLIOTT 4. L.CUTHBERT 5. M.DALTON 6. P.KINGWELL 7. R.PALMER 8. M.PHILLIPS 9. S.SCHOBURGH 10. P.BOOTH 11. D.STUBBS
SUBS USED: NONE
SUBS NOT USED: 12. J.WOOLLEY 14. N.HUMPHRIES 15. E.GREEN 16. N.LUEN 17. T.FAGG
BOOKINGS; NONE
REFEREE: Mr N.DUNN
ASSISTANTS: Mr I.GELOV & Mr J.FAGG
ATTENDANCE: 90