Ash Trees 2 Sarnies 3

[Swifty]

An object lesson in how to throw a game away.

 

We were far superior for the first half hour and had got our noses in front with a superb curling free kick by Bitz in the 10th minute, followed by Fleminho shrugging off a challenge, turning and scoring a cracker in similar style and from similar range in the 18th. Egham's keeper was spilling and flapping at almost everything early on, though he made a brilliant one handed save to deny a Flemmo header and that was probably the pivotal moment. The problem was that we didn't turn our supremacy into enough goals and, when we let Egham back into the game, we lost our plan, our heads and eventually all the points. 

 

A low 38th minute shot from the edge of the box was parried by Tyler, Matthew Woods followed up for 2-1 and suddenly, instead of being the three goals or so up we should have been, we lost crucial advantage before half-time and Egham grew in confidence, with the second half such a contrast in the team's attitudes and fortunes that Egham looked the more likely to win as the game went on.

 

The equaliser in the 58th minute was horrible - Tyler ran out of his area and misjudged the bounce and two defenders got caught up, leaving Brendan Matthews with an easy 20-yard tap in. At that stage the game got feistier, with both teams sailing closer to the wind card-wise, Egham's manager 'sent off' from the dugout in stoppage time, and one of our better players being subbed before he got a second yellow, which he might have got had he stayed on much longer. In the end, a far post cross was nodded home in the 92nd minute by Mitchell Wiseman and that was that.

[Gibbo]

How we ended up losing this game is beyond me , 2-0 up and looking in total control , Tyler didn't have his best game but still looked like Joe Hart compared to the Egham keeper.

To lose in added time is a bitter pill to swallow and I hope the boys don't get to disheartened by it as there is still a lot of football to play.

[kevchenko]

_{Spot on Ed and Gibbo we really did as the old song goes "2-0 and we $£%&*! it up" A special mention for Samad who's defensive covering and reading of the game was superb... Not sure who was given our MOM but he was miles better then anyone else in a Tangerine 'n' White shirt for me....}       

[Swifty]

I'd agree with you, Kev... "Chopper" Kazi (two crunching bookings early doors this season) was definitely our best player.

 

Things could have turned out differently, mind you. I wasn't going to mention this but, early in the game, Tyler rushed out to close the angle for an Egham forward, whose shot hit Tyler on the elbow (which was close to his chest - his arm wasn't stretched out) about a yard outside the area. Some refs would have given a red card for that and, along with a couple of Ashford fans standing next to me, I was astounded that none of the Egham players called for a 'handball' outside the box.