Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

Departing pommie Bruce Cotton, managing the team for a last hurrah couldn’t fathom out ‘why this team isn’t top of the league’.

It was a master class in attacking hockey as Ashford rolled over a Sevenoakes side some 12 points ahead in the league.

The math was simple, a win by 4 goals and a defeat for Henley would mean safety for a side that has been inconsistent throughout the season but was coming into fine form.

Ashford started strongly with Barnes sprinting though the midfield to set up an early attack. This set the tempo as only a few minutes later Barnes again gave the attack some width by hitting a fine pass to the right wing to Holland who got the ball to Emmerton in the D to put Ashford ahead after just five minutes.

Midfielder and captain Smart wasn’t going to loose out on any glory as just four minutes later he laid on another fine pass to Emmerton to get his second.

Sevenoakes were unlucky in hitting the post but Smart carried on his attacking foray when he found himself in the opposition D with some space. He struck a shot that bounced back to him; he struck again with the same result until the 3^rd shot found Lewis who demonstrated to his more experienced colleague how to score.

So after just 20 minutes the Reds were 3 up and that’s the way it stayed until halftime.

The second half started spectacularly as Meadows crossed from the left, the ball went through to the back post as Emmerton dived and deflected the ball to hit his hat trick and 4^th goal for Ashford.

Just seven minutes later Smart beat two players as he had another foray into the D and hit a reverse stick shot, which ricocheted off a defenders stick. The keeper was left helpless as the ball arched above him and hit the bar. It just wasn’t going to be Sevenoakes day as the ball rebounded to Lewis to score his second goal as Ashford went 5-0 up.

In the 50^th minute of the game Ed Green hit a speculative strike into the D the ball again deflected off a defenders stick towards Lewis whose deft touch into goal meant that he was the second player to score his hat trick in the same game.

This was exhibition hockey as Ashford tore into Sevenoakes. The squad of 13 all contributed in keeping the tempo high with tired legs being replaced by fresh ones in a true 70-minute performance.

Sevenoakes did come back through a short corner strike well saved by Adam Smith but the rebound came back to a Sevenoakes player who managed to squeeze the ball into the goal.

Back came Ashford and it was a chance for Smart to score to reward his excellent performance making it 7-1. The best was yet to come as just a minute later Dan Holland beat two players and struck a superb undercut shot wide of the keeper to ensure that goal difference that was required was not in any danger- at 8-1 this was easily the most comfortable win this season. Just before the final whistle Sevenoakes scored another through a set piece but it was just a consolation goal as Ashford ended up 8-2 victors.

There’s a football team right now playing in the Premier league that wear red shirts.

They have a tendency to win matches with style, they are also the team that head the league and are going to be crowned champions. This Ashford performance was one that wins championships, and although it was a disappointing season overall, the lessons learnt meant that this team has evolved to one that can really compete for the top spot next time.

As it transpired poor Henley lost 2-1 to West Hampstead which meant that the goal feast at Short Lane provided more than entertainment. It also provided the warmth in freezing conditions of safety from relegation

The future’s bright, the future’s red.

With the league won easily by Fareham, the only games of note are the ones at the wrong end of the table and Saturdays clash was an intriguing one for two reasons.

Ashford just HAD to win against a side that was in contention for the league earlier on in the season. Secondly it was the battle of coaches. John Shaw in charge of Oxford University, former GB player, having represented GB in two Olympics and Hockey World cup silver medal winner versus Guest coach Mike Williamson, former Wales International and Hounslow player in their heyday and now making strides as coach of Reading (and Wales) as they head towards their second consecutive title under his management.

In the end there was no contest in either category. Ashford looked comfortable for most of the game although the score line suggests otherwise and of the two coaches, Williamson got more out his players then Shaw did.

The omens were good when in the first minute. A ball played down the right found McFarlane in space. He looked up, beat his man and spotted Jimmy Webber in front of goal who took the ball onto his reverse side and slotted the ball in. The ease of the goal surprised the spectators and the bench and the low-key celebrations bore that.

Just 3 minutes later Ashford conceded a penalty corner that resulted in a drag flick low to Appleyards right, which hit the underside of his body and thudded into goal for stunned silence.

Back came Ashford as Jody Smith had a good run into the D won a penalty corner and the resulting flick from Jimmy Webber hit the post. Ashford were more then holding their own with good movement and passing. Oxford with nothing to play for looked disinterested and at times this looked like a training game. In the 17_th minute another attack won Ashford a penalty corner and this time Jimmy Webber found the gap just inside the right post to give Ashford a 2-1 lead.

Ashford looked more and more like the side in the top three rather then the bottom three and in the 23_rd minute a long corner resulted in McFarlane finding room in the D to strike at goal, the rebound off the keeper came straight back to him and this time he placed the ball to the left of the goal giving Ashford a 3-1 lead at half time.

Williamson’s talk at halftime was about moving forward and finding space behind the Oxford defence. Oxford started the second half strongly with greater purpose as they increased the tempo. Ashford on the other hand had lost some of their urgency with a two-goal lead already in the bag. It was inevitable that Oxford would pull another goal back and it was so in the 60_th minute when they won a penalty corner and the straight dragflick went through Appleyard’s legs to add some belief to Oxfords intelligent play.

Suddenly there was a reaction from the Ashford players and another attack won a penalty corner which Jimmy Webber flicking only to have it saved. The ball went to McFarlane whose strike was deflected in at the far post by Grainger.

With only 4 minutes to go that should have been it but a desperate attack by Oxford on the left after breaking up play forced Bryant to lunged into a tackle leaving the defence exposed resulting in a goal for them, making it 4-3.

There just wasn’t enough time for Oxford to build on the late goal and it was three wins on the trot for the boys in red.

Ashford are out of the relegation zone for now with just one game to go against Lewes who prop up the table. A win will secure their position in the league, ready to rebuild for next season.

The long awkward drive, the cold wet weather and the lousy showers couldn’t dampen a sunny performance from Ashford as they grabbed another 3 points.

Chichester until recent weeks had been on the tails of Fareham for promotion and looked a well organised and talented team coached by ex England International, Ben Barnes.

Neither side created much in the opening salvo’s, Chichester with nothing to play for looked good but not hungry. Ashford were a little tentative which meant that the opening 25 minutes was littered with individual errors by both sides with very little creativity.

This changed in the 30^th minute as a careless pass by Olly Smith was intercepted easily and as Chichester counter attacked, Smith, in trying to recover possession committed a foul, which resulted in a flick. Barnes punished the mistake with a bullet of a flick into the top corner which keeper Fry didn’t even have time to flinch for.

Minutes earlier Fry saved a certain goal as the Ashford defence caught flat left him as the last ‘defender’. He managed to charge out to the edge of the D, diving to cut out a strike. His momentum took him outside the D which the umpire punished with a yellow card for handling outside the D. Fortunately for Fry and Ashford even the opposition coach implored the nearside umpire to help out, particularly as he had a clearer sight of the incident.The yellow was reversed but a short corner conceded which was cleared.

At the end of the first half there was only the flicked goal separating the two sides and the 2^nd half was full of possibilities. Ashford grew in confidence and just 7 minutes into the second half Ashford equalised. Jody Smith hit a pinpoint pas to Andrew Webber on the right of the D who squared it to Barlow in front of goal to make it a well-worked equaliser.

Granger, who looked out of odds as the high striker in the first half, looked a danger in the second as he started to exploit the Chichester defence with his pace and aggression. His unpredictability has a knack of working for Ashford and just 3 minutes after the equalizer he beat two players on the right, worked his way into the D and won a short corner. Jimmy Webber decided to go low and to the keepers left with his flick and the ball sailed in to make it 2-1 to Ashford.

The second half was starting to look good.

Chichester realized that defeat was staring them in the face and increased the tempo and pressure on Ashford. This resulted in 5 short corners in quick succession. A combination of fine saves and dogged defending kept Chichester out. Meanwhile Ashford looked to counter attack and played some of their best hockey of the season as slick and fast passing penetrated the Chichester flanks.

The final whistle was a welcome relief especially for the heroic defence who had put body and soul into preserving the lead. Olly Smith more then made up for his one error and he Sazegar, Bryant, Meers and Fry all contributed to a feisty and formidable performance which lifts Ashford to 8^th place.The drive back from Chichester was a lot more pleasant.

If hockey were football then the return of Mike Williamson as guest coach would have been akin to the return of the messiah at Tyneside. The only other difference being that whereas Keegan is still looking for his first win, Williamson has already made his mark in helping Ashford secure a win against a decent mid table side away from home.

The win closes the 4-point gap to just 2 points from 9^th place, theoretically considered safe. Ashford started well and within 4 minutes were one up with J Webber assisting McFarlane to create an opening that was put away.

Ashford had much of the play in the first 20 minutes holding the ball well, creating good openings and so it was against the run of play that Hawks equalized through a defensive error by Olly Smith. His touch to clear was deflected to an Oxford Hawks attacker who scored from close range. The previous week this would have seen a collapse in morale and Oxford might have leveraged the equalizer to inflict more misery on Ashford. Under Williamson the team just carried on playing good hockey. The body language, work rate and the shape showed no evidence of changing.

In the 27^th minute Mcfarlane hit the post with a close range effort. The half time team talk was positive and attentive as the best hockey coach in the UK calmly reiterated the points that would, without question, bring victory. It was made so as Ashford won a penalty corner after 48 minutes and Jimmy Webbers drag flick deflected in off a defenders stick. Amazing that the bad luck of other games this season was exorcised by a deflection and a deserved lead.

This was followed by a clearance off the line by the Oxford defender a few minutes later. Granger then beat two players in an aggressive run into the D passing the ball to Andrew Webber on the flick spot to score a great team goal making it 3-1 to Ashford. Of course no game would be complete without at least one yellow card and the umpires had their fill from the action when they carded the Webber brothers in short succession.

The outcome was never in doubt after that, as Oxford Hawks looked second best despite winning 2 penalty corners near the end.

How strange that the same players who had been misfiring for the majority of the season looked like a top 3 side today not only in ability but also in belief.

With 3 more games to go and a tough one next week against Chichester, Ashford still have it in them to escape relegation and the next few weeks are going to be just as exciting and stressful as the run-in last season when promotion was the talking point.

Ashford go down in Kent

Ashford went to Maidstone with high hopes after a fighting performance last week against the league leaders but the story was going to become a familiar one after a decent first half performance was thrown away by a return, in the second half, to the sort of performance from earlier in the season.

The astro at Maidstone takes getting used to with its spongy texture making it difficult to keep the ball on the ground. Players with good technique can cope but even those players need more than five minutes to warm up especially if they are playing away from home.

Manager, Martin Smith was concerned with the low key warm up but nevertheless Ashford started well with good possession and pressure on Maidstone. The pressure told as 3 short corners were won and all 3 were cleared off the line. Maidstone have some fine players with good skills and accompanying the skill there is an element of steel with tough physical players prepared to use their body and strength, sometimes illegally, to gain advantage. Some of these ‘tackles’ may be punished more harshly in Middlesex then they are in Kent but would be perfectly legal on a rugby pitch.

It was against the run of play in the 21_st minutes when a hip high pass across the pitch from left to right found a Maidstone attacker un marked, he ran into the D and from an angle hit a shot that hit the backboard. Ashford came back and after some good attacks won a short corner resulting in Mcfarlane dragflicking the equalizer.

Ashford were comfortable at half time and were confident that superior fitness would give them the edge in the second half. That was short lived as a break from the right just 3 minutes into the half gave Maidstone the lead. 7 minutes later it was 3-1 as a short corner routine was dispatched clinically.

Ashford fought back and they were still in the game. Just as you thought the tide was going to turn Maidstone broke again and made it 4-1. There were still 17 minutes to go when Joe Lewis positioned himself perfectly at the far post to guide the ball for Ashford’s second goal The 5_th Maidstone goal was a great individual effort with the player running through beating 2 defenders and hitting a shot that thudded against the backboard.

The second half performance was disheartening; a lack of fight and passion with some naïve play and individual errors took away the good work of the first half. A missed penalty flick could have made it 6-2 minutes from the end as Appleyard, in frustration, clattered a Maidstone player.

The result leaves Ashford second from bottom with just 5 games to go and there needs to be a dramatic improvement over the next few weeks if Ashford are to play in this division next season.

Proud performance

Ashford took on leaders Fareham who had been scoring an average of just under 5 goals a game and only conceding 1 in all the league matches they had played so far. Promotion is almost certain for Fareham while Ashford’s season is certain to carry on being a roller coaster ride.

Despite the difference in league rankings Ashford started well but conceded an early goal after just 7 minutes when the ball was needlessly given away from an Ashford free hit in the Fareham half. The lapse of concentration was punished with a counter-attacking move, which resulted in Fareham celebrating an early lead.This spurred Ashford to play some of the best hockey of the season as they fought to claw back the game. Emmerton hit the post and there was a fine save from the Fareham keeper.

Good possession and good tempo meant that Ashford looked like a side quite capable of competing with the top side as they camped in the Fareham half looking for a breakthrough. That came when they won a short corner after some good pressure. The set piece became a farce as the ball went past Olly Smith and Jimmy Webber; Fareham broke away and within 15 seconds of the short corner had added a second.That goal took the stuffing out of Ashford as within the next 5 minutes Fareham scored another 2. Ashford had 3 yellow cards making the half time team talk somewhat challenging as the boys went in 4 nil down.

Fareham don’t lead the league by accident. They are an excellent side, well drilled playing a 3-1-3-3 formation, first introduced by the Germans in the 80’s. There’s good movement off the ball, they pass with high tempo and no player holds the ball long enough for anyone to close them down. This gives them fluidity and movement that the lesser sides in the league cannot live with. It was starting to look the same story for Ashford.

Starting with 8 men for 10 minutes of the second half meant that Fareham added a 5^th and before long it was 6 nil. Despite the scoreline Ashford fought back and a bad foul by the Fareham keeper not only earned him a yellow card but allowed Ashford to get back into the game through a penalty flick which Jimmy Webber put away.

The break gave the boys time to think and for the last 15 minutes they played hockey on par with some of the games of last season. Suddenly the belief they had in the first 20 minutes of the game came flooding back. Beautiful and vintage Ashford pass and move hockey came visiting Short Lane.

With 3 minutes to go Ashford had scored another 3 goals bringing the score back to 6-4. Fareham looked flustered and it would have been the first time that this side had been under any real pressure this season, the side doing this to them was an Ashford side short of resources made up by sheer passion of not wanting to be embarrassed on their home ground. As the clock ran down Fareham were relieved and a brave effort by the Ashford boys ended in a defeat but a proud performance.

There were some excellent performances especially from Dan Appleyard and an eye catching one from Mark Bryan. Andrew Webber played one of his best games this season as he revelled against opposition who will comfortably sit in the National league next season.

Hard fought victory lifts Ashford

A cold sunny day at the Sussex University yielded victory for AHC after an ugly but hard working performance saw the boys pick up their 4^th win in 5 games. That wasn’t the only result as Martin Smith celebrated becoming a granddad as Mr and Mrs Jody Smith became proud parents of a baby boy half way through the game.

Both sides looked tentative with little goalmouth action but after just 6 minutes AHC broke away and Andrew Webber picked the ball just outside the right hand side of the D and played a pass to the far post where a well anticipated run saw Matt Emerton deflect the ball to make it 1-0.

Rather than the early lead being the catalyst for Ashford to play a more expansive style of hockey the goal resulted in a style of play to protect the lead. Brighton are a poor side and never really looked like coming back into the game. In previous years this Ashford side would have scored a handful of goals in the first half for a decisive victory but confidence is fragile at the moment and the focus is on achieving results, Dan Appleyard, in goal, had very little to do for most of the game and the 3 short corners in the game were all won by AHC.

There is a determination in the team to get some positive results after being at the wrong end of the table for most of the season. The hockey isn’t pretty but slowly, steadily and painfully Ashford are starting to put results together that has seen them climb a couple of places over the last few weeks with the only blip being the 4-2 defeat against local rivals Staines. Kessels has been a revelation in partnering Olly Smith in the centre of defence. Jimmy Webber has played out of position for most of the season and has had to adapt to playing a position, which has restricted his attacking play.

McFarlane, Baker and Jody Smith should return to the side next week as Ashford take on runaway league leaders Fareham. The formbook says that Fareham should comfortably pick up 3 points but the Ashford boys should have a point to prove and perhaps with no pressure and no expectation these boys can rally and put in a performance that harks back to the days when the opposition came to play at Short Lane with damage limitation as their target.

If you ever needed a reason to wear a gumshield then here’s one… and Graham WAS wearing one.

Think of the damage if he hadn’t.

Hockeyheaven will be donating a box of gumshields to the club FOC so those that haven’t got them can protect your gnashers.

These will be £1 donation and the funds will go directly to the astro fund.

You will be able to get the gumshields from behind the bar.

Many thanks to everybody who played this summer and I hope you enjoyed playing even if we didn’t win all our games.

The League’ A’ Final, which was between Teddington and Eastcote A on Thursday 16^th August at 7.15pm. Eastcote won 2-1. Walton & Weybridge defeated Eastcote B in the ‘B’ league final.