Ashford 2nd XI had to face League leaders West Hampstead 2nd XI at Short Lane in their penultimate league game of the season. Ashford were boosted though as former 1st XI skipper Nicky Benedict, returning after pregnancy and Annie Neyton returning from injury were added to the squad. Things started brightly for the Red & Blacks as they attacked from the start and an early short corner saw Lynne Morgan’s first time strike well saved and forward ‘Freddie’ Newman going close on another occasion. The visitors rallied though and the more they attacked and the goals didn’t come, the more frustrated they got as Ashford soaked up the pressure and continued to attack. Thus Ashford were certainly the happier team at half time and the 0-0 score was a reflection of their solid first half performance.
After the break the visitors upped their performance and should really have scored on two separate occasions when their forwards were presented with relative easy chances. Their pressure eventually told though and they caught the Ashford defence rather flat to open the scoring fifteen minutes into the second half. Shortly after they got another from an acute angle to go 2-0 up. Ashford fought back, but despite the clever play of midfielders Nicky Benedict, Ellie Ashford Hodges, Bryony Smith and Annie Neyton, they were unable to make much headway and create many chances. In the final fifteen minutes Ashford were mainly defending, but they managed to keep the visitors at bay with some sterling defending from ever reliable skipper Hilary Hull, Lisa Cunningham and deputy keeper Alison Boxell amongst others, and they kept the score to a respectable 2-0. Next week Ashford face another West Hampstead team at home at 12noon, this time it will be West Hampstead 3rd XI.
Team:
A.Boxell, A.Saunders, E.Sibia, A.Donelan, L.Cunningham, H.Hull(Captain), L.Morgan, E.Ashford-Hodges, B.Smith, N. Benedict, S.Kenward, V. Newman, A.Neyton
