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#Post#: 573--------------------------------------------------
Ashford United 3 Chipstead 1
By: John Pease. Date: January 6, 2018, 1:11 pm
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ASHFORD UNITED 3 CHIPSTEAD 1
Bostik League South Division
Saturday 6th January 2018
by John Pease.
Ashford extended their unbeaten run to five matches with this
fine win over a very decent Chipstead side, despite being
reduced to ten men with 36 minutes to go.
Ashford opened the game brightly with Andrew Dalhouse feeding
the ball to Max Watters but he could only manage a tame shot
straight to Chipstead keeper Michael Sibley. Chipstead were
playing some nice tidy football and spreading the play.
Indeed, it looked like they would open the scoring when nippy
attacker Dean Lodge broke clear but home keeper Michael
McEntegart dived to snatch the ball from his feet. The Chips
were looking the more dangerous of the two sides and visiting
number nine, the experienced Allan Tait, went close with twenty
minutes gone. Ashford, for their part, were also playing some
nice football but Chipstead seemed to have the edge. However,
all that changed with 31 minutes on the clock. Max Watters won
the ball just inside the Chipstead half and set off on a strong
attacking run leaving defenders behind. He was supported by
two Ashford attackers and, having reached the Chipstead area, he
picked out George McLennan who beat Sibley with ease.
Chipstead fought back and Tait broke clear but his final shot
was way off target. Then it was the turn of Watters to win a
loose ball but he shot straight to Sibley when maybe he should
have done better. So the half closed with Ashford in the lead
and with the Chipstead management looking a bit peeved.
Their demeanor was not improved in the 48th minute when Ashford
added a second. Once again Watters won a loose ball and surged
forward. Andrew Dalhouse made himself available and un-marked
in the middle but Max suddenly unleashed a shot that flashed
past Sibley into his bottom right hand corner. This put the
home side in a strong position but this changed in the 54th
minute. Allan Tait burst clear with only Jon Difford in his
way. They clashed just outside the Ashford penalty area and as
the ball broke forward Difford appeared to handle it. The
referee stopped the game and ran over to the nearside lino who
was waving like mad. Most of us thought there would be the
award of a penalty for hand ball but the referee opted for a
free kick just outside the box Unfortunately, he then showed a
straight red card to Difford for, one assumes, preventing a goal
scoring opportunity by foul play. This struck most of us as
strange as the incident outside the box was “sixes”. Anyway,
with the home side down to ten men the free kick was taken and,
to be blunt, wasted. Whilst all this was going on Ashford
manager Jason Whitmore sensibly sent on James Fitchett for
Andrew Dalhouse. Home keeper McEntegart made another fine save
and Chipstead substitute Callum Maclean picked up a yellow card.
From this moment on Ashford raised their game whilst Chipstead
seem to run out of ideas. The ten men then increased their
lead. With 63 minutes on the clock Shomari Barnwell broke
clear and raced into the Chipstead box only to be upended by
keeper Sibley. The referee awarded a penalty plus a yellow
card to Sibley. Having won the spot kick Shomari opted to take
it and smashed the ball into the net. Almost at once Ashford
nearly scored again and were now dominating play by winning all
the 50/50 balls. Every single man in a green shirt was giving
100% and, although Chipstead scrambled a consolation goal in the
84th minute, the home side saw out the remaining time to record
a fine victory. This must rate as one of Ashford's best
performances of the season so far. With a settled starting
eleven there is every reason to hope that they will now steadily
climb up the league.
The Ashford team was as follows:-
Michael McEntegart Cheick Toure, Tommy Cooney, Kwabena Osei, Jon
Difford, Ryan Richefond, Max Watters, George McLennan, Andrew
Dalhouse (James Fitchett – 54 mins), Rohdell Gordon (Joe Bingham
- 70 mins), Shomari Barnwell.
Subs not used = Ira Jackson, Brandon Williams and Matt Day.
Attendance = 267.
M.O.M.? = Once again I found myself in agreement with the
“official” pick of Max Watters. He never stopped working and,
having laid on the first goal, he then scored the all important
second. But this was a day when every single player gave of
his all.
P.S. Sad to report that Messrs Toure, Dalhouse and Gordon were
guilty of glove wearing.
P.P.S. My sincere thanks to Keith and Benn for going out of
their way to get me team sheets for recent home games.
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