Page 11 - Ashton & Backwell FC v Keynsham Town 041221

Match Report

BRIDGWATER UTD 2 Vs ASHTON & BACKWELL UTD 1

A Sam Crumb goal three minutes from the end gave the Robins three valuable points
against a battling Ashton and Backwell United on Saturday, on a day where football
played second fiddle to the ferociously twitching coat tails of Storm Arwen. When the dust
settled, we only had ourselves to blame as we collected two sin-binnings and had keeper
Coomber sent off right at the end to finish with nine men on a day when we could easily
have brought off a shock.
The hosts playing with the gale force wind behind them, as you would expect, started
brightly but without actually testing Coomber. He was well protected with excellent blocks
from Pressy, Bish and Rugs in the opening 20 minutes. Jake Llewellyn intercepted a back
pass for his brother Tom to crash just wide of Coombes. The visitors were lively and with
Charlie Saunders and Mason Hardidge stretching the home defence it needed Ellis to time
a tackle to prevent Hardidge from testing Jake Viney in the home goal.
George King and Mark Armstrong were both getting through plenty of work and on the
half hour King had a shot blocked then went on a long run before being poleaxed by Tom
Press who went into referee Mike O’Donovan’s book. King then flicked on a corner which
was cleared off the line by Billy Devoy as United began to dominate then Hardidge was
cautioned for another foul on King which proved pivotal. The soft pitch and strong wind
meant passes going astray and tackles being mistimed and near the break, Ashton’s
temporary loss of discipline cost them dearly. Regan Sollars was sin-binned after the
Meet the Player
award of a free-kick inches outside the area and when Jake Llewellyn’s shot was parried
by Coombes, Willliams headed onto the bar before Greenwood nodded home the rebound
for his sixth goal of the season. Half time 1-0.
Bridgwater very nearly doubled their lead in the first minute of the second period, but Bill
managed another goal line clearance from a Greenwood header. The form book said the
home side should dominated proceedings but that wasn’t to be the case. Sam saw his
shot from 15 yards go just wide of the far post, which was his last contribution in an
unusually subdued performance having come back from injury. Whilst the game remained
scrappy and substitute Miles Hardidge emulated his brother to bring a fine save out of
Viney low to his left. Our determined showing paid off just past the hour, more good work
from Miles, his cross led to a goalmouth scramble Sam Price got on the end of a flick over
Viney to level the scores. Chances continued to be few and far between and after Tom
Llewellyn and Ross Edwards had gone clear Greenwood slung in a cross from the left,
Tom Llewellyn returned it across the face of the goal for Crumb to turn in the winner from
a yard out. We subsequently saw a video and confirmed our defenders’ thoughts that the
striker was offside.
More drama in the dying minutes saw Bish sin-binned leaving us with ten before Coomber
went up front for the final play – a corner which was sent across the six-yard box and
Lewis was inches away from being the hero, but his touch saw the ball slide away from
him, his out- stretched leg clattered a home defender and was shown a straight red for a
two footed tackle, and probably a four-match ban. On another day the official would have
seen one leg on the floor and a yellow card sufficient with 20 seconds left on the clock.
When you are down on your LUCK!! Full time 2-1
Team Coombes, Devoy, Joe Bishop, Press, Sollers, Thomas (Miles Hardidge), Anthony,
Sam Price, Aaron Price (Skidmore), Mason Hardidge (Paul Uppington), Charlie Saunders.