Page 10 - Ashton & Backwell FC v Keynsham Town 041221

Match Report

Ashton & Backwell UFC 2 v Bitton FC 3
With thanks to Don Davies

With a number of regulars missing, it was a much-changed Stags side, second from
bottom, faced second top, promotion hopefuls Bitton. The visitors were soon on the
attack, a Tippins shot blocked on the line in the second minute, with Bitton putting
the home side under considerable pressure for long periods, yet with little direct
threat. McLennon buzzed around, but even when he got clear, shot wide.
Stags, when they could feed Man of the Match Mason Hardidge, playing in a
previously unfamiliar role of centre forward, fresh from the table-topping reserves,
looked dangerous and half through the first period Cameron Main, another promoted
from the reserves, won a throw-in near the corner flag, the ball coming to Hardidge
who drilled the ball goalward and forced a save from Ledbury.
Price and Skidmore were busy especially down the left and the latter should have
made more of a Hardidge cross across the goal mouth on the half hour. However the
Stags were showing a big, yet static Bitton too much respect, trying to match their
physical dominance when speed and movement were far more effective. Therefore
the home box was a busy place, Coombes foiling a Tippins free kick and the defence
having to save the team from losing the ball too often in midfield. Both Ball and
Griffiths wasted a good opportunities, but when, three minutes later, a cross into the
Meet the Player
box was not properly cleared Groves thumped in from corner of the box for a half
time lead.
That respect persisted into the second period, McLennon bursting through on the
left, Coombes parried the ball out, but Griffiths made up for earlier failure to score
Bitton’s second. Immediately after Stags were twice indebted to Coombes for further
saves from Withey and McLennon.
Finally the Stags realised that moving quickly was the key and great movement
involving Hardidge and new signing Aaron Price finding Sam Price’s head drew one
rd
back in the 73 minute and more pressure should have given the goal scorer his a
second two minutes later. The home side were now worrying Bitton and pressurising
them into errors, sadly a poor home clearance gave the ball to McLennon who toyed
with defence whose shot took a wicked deflection, Coombes managed to get a hand
to it but not enough to prevent the visitors restoring their two goal lead with ten
minutes left. Stags heads didn’t drop though, and Bitton were struggling, 88 minutes
and a pinpoint cross from Skidmore out on the right was powered in by Hardidge,
the home side continuing to press, but time just ran out. Another defeat, yet in the
second period a belief that they can be competitive, the visit to Bridgwater on
Saturday can reflect this we hope.
Lewis Coombes, Billy Devoy, Regan Sollers ,Tom Anthony, Joe Bishop ©, Tom Press,
Cameron Main (sub Aaron Price), Dylan Hebblethwaite (sub Connor Saunders),
Mason Hardidge, Sam Price.

MoM: Stags – Mason Hardidge