Page 19 - Ashton & Backwell FC v Buckland Athletic 020422

ILFRACOMBE TOWN FC 1 [JENKINS 64m]
ASHTON &BACKWELL UTD 0

On the way home from the match the radio sports reporter said the best
teams don’t rely on ifs, buts or maybes; that summed up the visit to
Ilfracombe. Yes, it was very windy and, yes, the pitch was bumpy and very
sloping, yet that was the same for both sides and neither used the
conditions to their advantage. The Bluebirds are a very workaday side, no
star turns and as a footballing team the Stags were better, but they still
did not win.

The Bluebirds tactics very much hinged on opportunistic attacking, and
this was the way they played, direct and trying to force errors. Seven
minutes in and Stevens eluded the defence and drew a diving save from
Coombes, then just after the break Langford forced his way along the by-
line for another solo effort for Coombes to smother. Stevens and Langford
combined ten minutes later, but the latter’s header missed the open goal.
Stevens should have scored in the 93 minute when he turned in the box
rd
and beat all except the crossbar and maybe Prentice could have made
more from his opportunity. Apart from the goal, coming midway through
the second half, the ball ricocheting around the Stags box, bouncing out
to Jenkins stood about 25 yards out who drilled the ball home low and
hard, that was it of note from the home side. It was however to be the
only goal of the game.

The visitors did move the ball better and had more ideas, but not enough
of that showed in the final third. Too often the offside trap or a weak final
ball brought a premature end to an attack. Yet Ford in his wing back role
was constantly seeking a way through, Hartley and Sady were both very
lively, and Ford gave both chances, forcing Oliver and Wright to block their
efforts. White too was imaginative, Oliver making a desperate save from
a long-range effort, and Charlie Saunders heading just over from his
corner. And when a chance came, a penalty for a foul on Charlie Saunders,
the victim fired a weak penalty that was turned away for a corner. So ifs,
buts and maybes don’t win games and the relegation battle continues at
Saltash on 26 March.
th
Team, Coombes, Ford, Anthony, Press (Bachelor), Bishop, Sollars, Charlie
Saunders (Price) , White, Connor Saunders©, Hartley, Sady,(Cummings)
MAN OF THE MATCH ZAC FORD

REPORTER DON DAVIES