Hampton & Richmond

[lazarus]

Here's Hampton's version of yesterday's match (hopefully reproduced with their approval) Pretty much spot on, I'd say. Some good sensible refereeing as well.

 

On a pleasant afternoon at the Robert Parker Stadium, the Beavers took on a neat Ashford Town side that clearly wanted to play football.

Mark Harper fielded a strong side; giving a run out to Elliot Bent, brother of Marcus, in the number 11 shirt, giving the Beavers some much needed width, but the squad was pretty much as expected.

Although the hosts had the most of the play, the Beavers took the lead on 18 minutes, when Jon-Jo Bates ran on a a clever Karle Carder through ball, and lofted the ball first time over the despairing dash of the Ashford keeper.

Ashford continued to have the most of the play, and Bitmead almost pulled off a deserved eqialiser, but his cross just cleared the bar, with Craig Ross pleased to see it on the roof on the net.

After half time, the expected raft of substitutions altered the game. The nearest chance for either side was a Dan Brown chance that had Beavers substitute keeper Rodney Chiweshe out to block and ultimately gather.

Neither side could make any definitive chances for the rest of the game, and the game meandered to its end in an unhurried fashion.

Jon-Jo Bates looked busy and had a good game as did Karle Carder, Alan Bray and Dean Inman, which bodes well for the coming season should Bray and Bates choose to sign for the Beavers.