DAVENTRY 4 - ASHFORD 3

[brenwill]

Ashford 4 -1 down at half time. Better second half got it back to 4 -3. Hope we do better next week

[Swifty]

Those who didn't see the game will think we ran Daventry close in a seven-goal thriller. In truth, we were never in the game until Burgo took Kofi off (he was totally ineffective today), brought Perry on with the result he scored two in the last fifteen minutes (including stoppage time for Samad - hope his head doesn't hurt much after that clash), and had the courage to go 3-4-3 and try and nick an undeserved equaliser.

 

We simply weren't at the races. We gave Daventry too much space and time, won very few second balls, let them come on to us at will and managed just two powder-puff attempts in the first half, during which the only goal was a tame shot which Macca spilled into the net. Any hopes of a revival seemed buried when a free kick from thirty yards out on the left evaded everyone and went in (defence and Macca to blame), then our defence went AWOL and let a forward clean through to leave us 3-0 down after 53 minutes.

 

Alex got us a toehold on the game on the hour with a similar length free kick through everyone, then came the only controversial moment in the game. Daventry's number 9, Anthony Robinson, went clean through, rounded Macca but went away from goal then did an Ashley Young. Probably realising he'd taken the ball too far in the wrong direction to score, he dived and got an undeserved penalty for which Macca was unfairly carded and from which Tommy Berwick claimed his hat-trick. Robinson was the one loathable player on the pitch - very talented but he knew it, too many tricks and flicks and backheeled passes trying to take the mickey out of our lads. One day, another team will kick him up in the air, and rightly so.

 

With 15 left came the big tactical change and the introduction of Perry. For the first 75 minutes, we hadn't supported our front men properly - Pietro worked manfully but with no end result - and we were less than dangerous, but Perry showed us the way with two long distance strikes in the 81st and 92nd minutes. We should have tried more shoot-on-sight long range efforts as Daventry's keeper looked a bit woolly.

 

In the end, we probably should have lost by three, made a really good game of it but too late in the day and may feel undeservedly robbed by the controversial winner. Daventry looked relieved to be safe from the drop and played with a carefree joie-de-vivre more in keeping with a top four team than a bottom four side. I know we missed Dan due in part to the marathon, but we really need to re-think our attacking options. Perry definitely deserves a start on that showing.

 

Not too many positives today, but I thought Harry was our best player. He showed great commitment and resolve. A big thank you to the team, most if not all smiled, applauded or shouted my name when I cheered them onto the pitch. A poor result, but only the second defeat in 14, and a good bunch of lads after all.

 

As for Daventry, the only down side was the programme, which was good standard except it gave the history of Ashford Town (Kent) instead of ours and left a blank space where our team should have been - couldn't someone had cribbed our team off the net? On the plus side, a nice ground in club home and away colours (purple and yellow) with a huge spectator balcony and a very friendly committee, and I'd like to give special thanks to their manager Mark Kinsella - yes, that Mark Kinsella, the former Charlton captain who got 48 Republic of Ireland caps. During the first half he allowed me to have a quick chat with him during the game (I asked if they'd played that way all season, he said yes and they'd just lacked a bit of physical presence) and, after the final whistle, Mark came out of his dugout to shake hands with me, Gill Thomas, and Geoff and Trish Duffy, thanked us for coming and wished us a safe journey home. No opposition manager has ever approached me before, let alone acted as gentlemanly as Mark. He deserves to be successful with that personality.

 

Right, now to fix the cracked windscreen I got on the M1 on the way back...

Edited April 21, 2012 by Swifty

[fatboyatmfc]

Auto glass repair, Auto glass replace.....

 

Thanks Ed. Seems like an end of season dead rubber....as they say.

 

Lets hope thats the last half hearted performance and we give St neots a shock and go on to the cup finals with all guns blazing!!

 

COYT!!!!

[Swifty]

Sorry to ask for confirmation, Alan, but did Harry get the third goal? The Southern League website says Perry got our last two goals and, despite the fact I'm getting more Magoo-like with age, that's what I thought as well. I'd just like clarification for my sad groundhopping records!

[lazarus]

I thought it was Harry, Eddie but doubtless someone will confirm shortly.

[fatboyatmfc]

_.

_{Perry confirmed he had scored 2 on twitter...... pushing for a place!!!!}