Page 10 - Ashton & Backwell FC v Cadbury Heath 030122

Match Report

Ashton & Backwell UFC 1 v Ilfracombe Town FC 1

A team already missing Tom Press, Lewis Coombes, Miles Hardidge due to
suspension and injury/illness keeping out Sam Thomas and Bill Devoy, was
further changed from that which struggled to make any impact at Cadbury
Heath the week before. And there was certainly an energy about the Stags
as they took on the North Devon promotion hopefuls, with them pressing
and quickly moving the ball about, though that final pass was often not of
the quality needed to break the deadlock.
Hartley was again the class act and his quick pass to Brimson in the 10th
minute led to the first shot on target, blocked by Oliver, while a solo effort
from Bluebirds’ Short drew a save from Joel Manning in the home goal, after
13 minutes and shots saved from Backwell’s Charlie Saunders and
Ilfracombe’s Ed Jenkins being the only points of note till half time. It was an
even and competitive opening 45 minutes that was spoilt by fussy officiating
and unnecessary bookings that would have consequences later in the game.

From the restart both sides demonstrated intent, Stevens’s deflected drive
being pushed wide by Manning, before a great solo effort from Hartley,
beating the offside trap to take a long cross field pass on the right from
Meet the Player
Mason Hardidge to stroll through the Bluebirds defence and slot the ball
through a flailing Oliver’s legs for the opener. Two minutes later Paine
showed similar application, but this time the home keeper was equal,
however the Stags defence of their lead was made more difficult when
Charlie Saunders was sent off for a second booking for tackling from behind,
and the ten men could not keep out Stevens who turned on the edge of the
box, supplied by Paine, to slot home for 1-1.

The task then got even harder when Brimson, who was about to be
substituted, got a yellow then straight red, for delaying a re-start and
dissent, within a minute to take the home side down to nine, though the
Stags did weather that storm, and a few minutes later Montague saw a red
card following two yellows for fouls on Hartley, making it 9 v 10. Both sides
were now all out to win in the last ten minutes, Anthony’s free kick, forced a
save from Oliver, Hartley had one cleared off the line and in the 92 minute
nd
he fed Price whose shot was cruelly denied by the post. Then a couple of
minutes frantic home defending, led by the impressive Reece Hedges on his
home debut, saved a point.
Joel Manning, Tom Anthony, Regan Sollars, Connor Saunders ©, Reece
Hedges, Joe Bishop, Conor Hartley, Charlie Saunders, George Brimson Mason
Hardidge, Brad Skidmore (sub Sam Price 68m).
M.O.M Conor Hartely

Don Davies