Page 11 - Ashton & Backwell FC v Ilfracombe Town 181221

Match Report

Cadbury Heath FC 3 v Ashton & Backwell Utd 1

On a miserable, dark and wet afternoon, with Springfield not fitting its name one
bit, two basement clubs met for what is often called a six pointer. At the end the
Heath had advanced their march to safety at the expense of the Stags. On an
appalling pitch, with far too many players unable to keep their feet, the
difference between the two sides was quality and decision-making. All too often
the Stags gave away the ball in attack by sloppy passing and in defence by
indecision, both of which stunted their ability to win this contest.

Heath came out very much on the front foot winning most 50/50 challenges and
seemed to be first to every lose ball, and only two solo Stags efforts, by man of
the match Conor Hartley and Miles Hardidge, much troubled home custodian
Schofield in the first period. For the home side, with Smith netting from the edge
of the box after being given far too much time to pick his spot and Huxley
slotting in from close range after a corner was not cleared, it was surprising they
did not score more, Huxley heading wide when it was easier to score, Williams
hitting the post, Manning saving point blank from former Stag Invernizzi and,
Press’s last gasp stop only conceding a corner.
Meet the Player
Stags were brighter second period and straight up Hartley turned Ahmed in the
box, only to see his shot trickle agonisingly inches wide with the keeper beaten,
but that pressure was released when a defensive mix up let Boon through on the
left and his accurate cross found Huxley’s head for the third. Even three down
the Stags kept coming at a Heath side happy to sit on their lead, Anthony’s
freekick put the home defence into panic, but Schofield nabbed the ball in the
melee, Anthony should have done much better when unmarked from a corner
but headed straight at the keeper, Miles Hardidge had a great headed chance
following a long-range free kick, whilst Aaron Price took too long deciding what
to do from a fine Hartley cross. Miles Hariidge cross/shot grazed the cross bar
and his brother, Mason, hit the post from close range But even when this
pressure was being applied, casual mistakes let Heath off the hook and only the
touchline antics of Press kept out Heath’s fourth.

Eventually an away goal came via the penalty spot, when Hartley was fouled in
the box, Bishop scoring, but even that was a second attempt, the same player
having skied a shot over the bar from the spot following a home box hand ball
two minutes before. Ilfracombe provide pre-Christmas entertainment next week,
for another instalment of what is going to be long hard winter. And we can’t even
look forward to the January transfer window for our salvation!
Joel Manning, Reece Hedges, Regan Sollers (sub Brad Skidmore 74m), Tom
Anthony, Tom Press, Joe Bishop, Conor Hartley, Connor Saunders ©, Mason
Hardidge (sub Aaron Price 74m ) , Sam Price (sub Cameron Main 62m), Miles
Hardidge.