Match Report: Worplestone v Under 14 Corinthians: 1 - 1 Away Draw (League)
Match Date: | Sun 20/03/2016 |
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Played: | Worplestone (Away) |
Result: | 1 - 1 |
Match Type: | League |
Man of the match: | The Corinthians..! |
Match Report
Football is a funny old game....Ashtead belied their league position and were desperately, desperately unlucky not to win this game against a Worplestone side who are pushing for promotion and also had a man advantage. Ashtead’s approach to this game was to compete for every ball and when possible break forward using sole striker James Moore as a Costa-like battering ram and it almost worked with the wretched Worplestone scoring their undeserved equaliser 30 seconds from the end. It would be corny to mention Ashtead’s “Corinthian” spirit but that is exactly what they showed.
There were season best performances all over the pitch for Ashtead not least from the defence with Captain Max Parris adopting a robust “he shall not pass” strategy with the opposing winger and certainly led by example. Dylan Williams at left back played in the same determined way and if he was beaten by the winger he made sure he got back goal-side to make a tackle. Matt Burns and Jack Newman completed the back 4 and formed a formidable centre back pairing winning 50/50 tackles with crunching regularity and in fact the Ashtead defence gave up few chances, mainly a few corners that keeper Joe easily dealt with; Joe is having quite a season and dominated the area with confident handling and sweeper-keeper antics!
The pitch was hard and made the ball bouncy and difficult to control but the central midfield pairing of Oscar Power and George Bartlett (playing in his least preferred position!) dug in and refused to let the numerical disadvantage overwhelm them. They were unable to create much in an attacking sense but certainly stopped the shameful Worplestone getting any kind of foothold in midfield. A difficult game for the wide players, Will Douglass on the left and Ashley Edwards on the right but they both did well to tuck in to ensure the midfield battle was even and stretched the opprobrious Worplestone defence when the opportunity arose.
The first half had missed chances at both ends with Ashley and James both going close for Ashtead and it ended goalless. Halftime ended with the Ashtead team lined up and waiting with obstinate determination for their opponents and this attitude set the tone for the second half. They almost took the lead when James went close after a marauding run down the left and continued to press forward and were rewarded when George floated in a corner to the danger zone that caused confusion and was put in the net by a defender. Ashley then chipped the keeper after a strong run down the right following a great pass from Oscar but saw his effort cleared off the line and Ashtead looked by far the most likely to score again. However the numerical advantage began to tell and as the Ashtead players tired, flagitious Worplestone saw their chance. Joe made a couple of more saves and Max cleared one off the line but in the end it was just too much and the villainous Worplestone scored with 20 seconds left.
A truly dramatic and unfortunate end to a fantastic effort from the entire Ashtead team (including the terrific vocal encouragement from the travelling fans).
Ashtead MoM
The Team – superb game against the odds by the whole team who have surely raised the bar for the rest of the season.