Page 18 - Ashton & Backwell FC v Clevedon Town 290122

Match Report

Ashton & Backwell UFC 1v Mousehole Athletic FC 0
Super Sam Seals the points - AGAIN

On a cold overcast afternoon, with a well prepared pitch that survived an overnight frost,
second bottom Stags faced third top Seagulls with both sides desperate for points in their
relegation and promotion battles respectively. And the long coach trip to Backwell had certainly
not wearied the visitors as they started much the better, reflecting the relative league
positions.
For the first half hour the Stags did not have a shot on goal whilst at the other end the Seagulls
dominated, being very quick to move forward and distribute the ball, the home defence were
under pressure and the home attack lacking any fluency. An Anthony block stopped a certain
Fraser goal, Turner crossed from the by-line for Golosworthy, but Coombes was too
quick, Bishop’s header took the ball from Golosworthy poised to knock in a Mitchell
pass, Louis Price beat the defence, only to shoot wide and a Bishop tackle thwarted a Turner
strike.
30 mins in and a Charlie Saunders cross found 17 year old Henry Sady, making his full debut, in
the box for the Stags first shot. That they could attack the Seagulls goal added life into the
home side and two minutes later the same supplier pushed the ball to Man of the Match Miles
Hardidge to shoot, only the upright stopping a goal. Then nine minutes before half time, the
turning point of the match, Miles took the ball from his own half, down the right, crossed to
Sam Price who made no mistake, thumping home from 10 yards for the only, decisive goal.
Price’s 6th goal of the season was his 2nd consecutive match winner.
The goal rather burst the Seagulls bubble, their confidence seemed to ebb, less fluent in attack
and flaky in defence, whilst the Stags resolve was massively increased. The rest of the game
was much more a war of attrition, Stags defending in numbers and attacking when given the
opportunity. This frantic end to end stuff made for few further chances, Sam Price might have
added to his tally, when combining with Young and Miles Hardidge down the right flank, his
effort narrowly looping over and for the visitors little more, Turner beat his marker, Mitchell
shoot just wide and Connor Saunders blocked a point blank Turner shot. Having done so much,
the conceding of a 96 minute free kick about thirty yards out certainly added to the anxieties
th
of the home supporters, desperate for the Stags to stay unbeaten in 2022. When that threat
was nullified and the final whistle blew, the celebrations could begin.
Manager Tony Beecham was extremely pleased with their best league win of the campaign
against a side he rates “as the best footballing side we have played this season, my side
worked very very hard, kept their shape, took on board the plans made in the 2 training
sessions this week” Beech took time out, on behalf of the whole club, to wish long serving Sam
Thomas our best wishes following his move last week to Southern league Mangotsfield fc.
Thomas joined the club in 2010 as a 16 year old, spent 11 1/2 consecutive seasons with the
Stags, making the most appearances in that period.
The task at hand now is to remain unbeaten in January by beating local rivals Clevedon Town,
who will be looking for revenge following Ashton’s 3-2 victory at Clevedon in September, next
Saturday!

Lewis Coombes, Tom Anthony, Regan Sollars, Lewis Hogg (sub Cordell Young 56m), Reece
Hedges, Joe Bishop, Charlie Saunders,Connor Saunders ©, Miles Hardidge, Sam
Price (sub Mason Hardidge85m) , Henry Sady (sub Alfie Cummings 73m). MoM: Stags – Miles
Hardidge
Report Don Davies