Middlesex Premier League

Player of the Match:
Katie Greene

For their trip to Shepherd’s Bush to face PHC Chiswick 1st XI last Saturday, Ashford were without regular midfielder/defender ANNA PROTHEROE, who was still suffering with the injury she got in last week’s big win.However, they were able to welcome back regular midfielder STACEY KENWARD after her short winter break, and also add 2nd XI stalwart ALI DONELAN to their thirteen player squad.Ashford seemed to like the chilly, yet sunny conditions as they opened the game strongly and quickly put the home team’s defence under pressure.Their ventures up the field soon created a chance in the PHC Chiswick’s circle, but the Red & Blacks were unable to muster a decent shot at goal and the home team cleared their lines and created an attack of their own. Their attacks were calmly dealt with though by the Red & Blacks defence, with sweeper JACKIE PARSONS performing particularly well.The solid teamwork and spirit of Ashford was again playing dividends as the whole team combined well to move the ball swiftly round the pitch and between each other, resulting in shots on goal by strikers LIV YOUNG and SHARON McGINLEY.Ashford then secured their first short corner of the game, which was cleanly and decisively slotted home, by sweeper JACKIE PARSONS to deservedly put Ashford 1-0 up after eleven minutes of play.Five minutes later, Ashford deservedly went 2-0 up, when some skilful play on the right by the effervescent midfielder KATIE GREENE, saw her neatly pass the ball to skipper LAURA SAMOUEL on the left of the circle.LAURA swiftly took the ball towards the back line and cleverly reversed swept it past the oncoming defenders, back to Katie who was free and in space, in front of goal.KATIE duly slotted the easy chance home to put the Red & Blacks two ahead.The second Ashford goal seemed to stir the home team into action and they hit back shortly after, by scoring their first goal of the game after a melee in front of the Red & Blacks net. This was followed up by a well struck short corner, which Ashford sweeper JACKIE PARSONS cleared off the goal line.As Chiswick found their rhythm, they piled on the attacks and one break away on the right saw Ashford concede a penalty flick.A Chiswick defender stepped up to swiftly slot the stroke low and to the right of the Ashford keeper SAM GRANT, to score the equaliser after twenty five minutes of play in the first half.

After the interval, the home side played the more dominant hockey, with their thrust full forwards pinning the Ashford defence back for long periods of the half.The Red & Blacks continued to work hard though and on a tiring pitch surface, midfielder and ‘player of the match’ KATIE GREENE, showed some deft touches and made some incisive runs into the PHC Chiswick defence and goalmouth.Both sides had chances to score as the half progressed and gained numerous short corners each, but neither side were able to convert any of them.The score thus remained at 2-2 until full time, enabling the Red & Blacks to gain their first League away point in 2008, which pleased both the team and coach MANDY WAIN.There aren’t any Middlesex League fixtures next Saturday, so Ashford’s next Ladies 1st XI game isn’t until March 1st.They are then at home to Harrow 1st XI, in what should be a close game as the visitors are only one place above them in the League with two more points.

Team;
S. Grant (GK), S. Smart, E. Hynes, P Worsfold, J. Parsons, S McGinley, K Greene, L. Samouel (Skipper), O. Young, J Bashford, T Holland, S Kenward, A Donelan.