Ashford Scorers:Stacey KenwardAshford were able to welcome back midfielders KATIE GREENE and STACEY KENWARD, along with young defender LOUISE DOUGLAS to their squad for their home game against South League newcomers Banbury on Saturday. However, they were without midfield dynamo NICKY DALY and Coach HELEN THORNALLEY and so super striker JACKIE PARSONS had to continue in her new sweeper role. The game started quietly with both sides feeling their way into the game. Ashford were combining well as a team and constructing some flowing moves and were playing with a new found confidence. Banbury soon started to pressurise the Ashford defence though, but DANI BROUGH and LOUISE DOUGLAS worked tirelessly to support the sterling work of sweeper JACKIE PARSONS and they were able to contain the early attacks. After eleven minutes play the visitors secured their second short corner and opened the scoring with well worked routine.Ashford weren’t deflated though and midfielders KATIE GREENE, CLAIR BRANT, STACEY KENWARD, JO SMITH and TRACEY HOLLAND worked tirelessly to create some good chances and threaten the Banbury goal. Several short corners were gained by the Red & Blacks and JACKIE PARSONS and CLAIR BRANT combined well from one on the twentieth minute to set up STACEY KENWARD who hit the ball home from close in to make the score 1-1. Ashford then worked hard to get another goal, but a strong Banbury attack resulted in them being awarded a penalty flick and Ashford’s deputy keeper LIV SUTTON, did well to save the flick which went low to her left and keep the score at 1-1. Once again Ashford attacked and after thirty three minutes of play JACKIE PARSONS nearly put them ahead with a good short corner strike, only for Banbury to then strike a second goal on the stroke of half time from another short corner.The Red & Blacks continued to play good open hockey in the second half and strikers SUNNY POTTAY and LAURA SAMUOEL ran and worked tirelessly up front to put the Banbury defence under pressure. Several more short corners saw Ashford go very close to getting the equaliser, but no goals were scored by either side in the second half; so despite their best performance for a long time, Ashford still ended up as the losing side! There were so many positives about the game and high standard of the Ashford team work though, that Coach HELEN THORNALLEY and her squad were not disappointed after the game. Next Saturday Ashford travel to Newbury to play Newbury & Thatcham 1st XI in their last South League game before Christmas. The opposition are currently only two places above bottom placed Ashford in the league and if the Red & Blacks can continue to play as well as they did against Banbury, the goal chances and league points will surely come.Team:O Sutton (GK), E Hynes, D Brough, L Douglas, K Greene, J Parsons (Captain), C Brant, T Holland, J Smith S Pottay, L Samouel, S Kenward.
