Ashford (Middlesex) Hockey Club

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.

Ashford Scorers:
Jamie McFarlane FG (5 mins), George Clutton FG (54mins), James Webber PS (45mins) PS (50mins)

The game begun with both teams playing like they meant business and it could be an even contest. Portsmouth had the first opportunity to open the scoring through a penalty corner in the 4th minute. This, however, was unsuccessful and was returned with interest when Ashford struck a minute later with a well worked field goal finished off by Jamie McFarland.

The trend for the first half looked ominous for the home team as Ashford mounted many attacking opportunities in their oppositions half. The Ashford midfield combined well creating many opportunities to score in the first half including several corners, however they were unable to finish these attacks. There was no addition to the score before half time despite the numerous opportunities created by the Ashford attack.

City of Portsmouth came out in the second half believing they could take the points from this game and were prepared to take it to Ashford. The Red and Blacks stood strong in defence and once again created many opportunities throughout the second half. With the finishing not up to standard once again the forwards were finding it hard to find the back of the net. Eventually a penalty stroke was awarded after a neat turn on top of the circle saw George Clutton drive toward the goal and draw the foul from the defender. James Webber made no mistake firing it into the back of the net.

The next goal was also a penalty stroke after a George Clutton shot hit a defenders foot on the goal line stopping a certain goal. James Webber shot the ball cunningly over the keepers head to take the Ashford lead to 3-0. Ashford continued to create many chances to extend their lead and could have made quite a considerable breakaway had they taken their chances, however there was to be only one more goal in the game for the Red and Blacks that was knocked in by George Clutton after the keeper made a save off a Jody Smith shot. City of Portsmouth got a break away goal in the dying minutes of the game as both teams were pushing to score.

This was a good performance from Ashford with the dominance in the midfield being a good sign in the lead up to the Christmas break.

Ashford Scorers:
James Webber PC 65 mins

Following on for the success of last weekend we were hoping to further our winning streak against the team from Richmond. On paper it was difficult to predict who would win and by how much by nevertheless we knew that we were in with more than a chance. We had a game plan, now all we had to do was to stick with to pull off the win and take the points.

Despite the fact that is only early in the season we have experienced a number of disruptions. A number of players have been injured and others are unavailable for a number of reasons. In typical style we have come together as a unit and managed to present a united front each week. A number of the more “senior” players have made their return to first grade and proved that experiences speaks loudly, very loudly.

The first provided both teams with multiple attacking opportunities, but neither side was able to capitalise. Throughout the first 15 minutes of the first half Richmond seemed to control most of the ball as the Ashford boys seemed in a rush to penetrate the circle and create a scoring opportunity. It was not until the latter stages of the first half that Ashford regained control of the match and create a number of scoring opportunities. Unfortunately none of which were successful.

Strangely enough the first half only saw one penalty corner awarded, despite the fact that both teams clearly believed that many more should have been called. The sole penalty corner attempt went the way of the opposition, but thankfully they were unsuccessful.

As usual halftime provided the red and black with a chance to rest, review and revise the game plan. The solution was simple. Play smart, not fancy, just plain and simple hockey. Get possession of the ball and hold on to it. The gaps would appear and the opportunities would come.

The second half saw a refreshed Ashford take control of the match and dictate the play. The defence was strong, reducing the circle penetrations of the opposition and the forwards worked tirelessly trying to get a penalty corner. For reasons unbeknown to all the penalty corners continued to be scarce, almost nonexistent. Nevertheless, the red and black soldiered on.

Unfortunately, after nearly 50 minutes of hockey the scorers were bothered for the first time in the match when Richmond scored a runaway goal against the run of play. Following a controversial decision, Richmond were given inside our defensive half and managed to slip through our usually tight defensive line.

Ashford continued to work tirelessly for the last 20 minutes of the match and were unlucky to not score one of the several scoring opportunities we created. All the boys rallied hard in an attempt to prevent the loss and save a draw. Our efforts were rewarded in the 65th minute when James Webber scored a brilliant penalty corner. The final 5 minutes of the match were scrappy as both teams tried, in vain, to salvage a win.

Definitely not the most elegant game of hockey and obviously not the most desirable of outcomes. What this game did show us was that we are capable of rallying as a team and producing goals when the pressure is on.

Ashford Scorers:
Jamie McFarlane FG (2mins), Alex Barlow FG (51mins)

Looking for our first consecutive wins of the season we played host to the boys from Purley Walcountains. We were expecting a close battle with the team from Banstead as we were on even points on the ladder but they were ahead of us in terms of goal difference. We knew that this is the type of game that we need to win. It’s the close ones that are going to make the difference for us this year.

The first 15 minutes of the match were dominated by the Red and Blacks with great field positions and strong attack on the Purley defence. It appeared that we may have the upper in the match after Jamie McFarland scored an impressive field goal just 2 minutes into the game after James Webber and George Clutton combined beautifully from the midfield. As though we let our guards down the joy was very short loved. Purley caught us napping in defence and managed to counteract our goal only three minutes later. We managed to penetrate the circle numerous times throughout the first half but couldn’t follow it up with a goal. After the disappointment of allowing Purley one goal we rallied in defence and limited the opportunities for them to be in a scoring position.

At half time we reflected on the success of our attack and also on the fact that we allowed ourselves a lapse in concentration which let the opposition back in the game. We were determined to go back into the game and capitalise on our opportunities.

Early into the second half we endured major disruptions to our line-up when Ben Washer went off after he injured his hamstring and young Joe Lewis could not overcome his recurring knee problems despite his gallant efforts. As if this wasn’t enough Justin ********* was forced to play the majority of the game with a badly injured wrist. After a number of close scoring opportunities that should have been “sure things” we became more determined to be victorious and take the three points on offer. The intensity of the game was apparent as both teams were limited to one penalty corner for the second half, however the Ashford defence stepped up and severely reduced the number of circle penetrations of the Purley forwards. Our determination and perseverance paid off in the 51st minute when Alex Barlow slotted a seemingly easy field goal to put us back in front by a goal. The final 20 minutes of the match were fierce and fast with both teams desperate to score. The score remained unchanged for the duration of the game.

Ashford Scorers:
Andrew Webber PC (13mins), Jamie McFarlane PC (39mins), James Webber FG (56mins), PC (67mins)

On the back of our very close, controversial lose to Chichester we travelled to Eastcote determined to walk away with the three points. We were confident, albeit it very quietly, that we could put our plans into action and be victorious. With Steven Kessells out with a groin injury we were lining up with only a slight variation to our victorious side from the clash with Sevenoaks.

We were determined to start strong, and start strong we did. The tone of the game was established early with the physical contact and verbal remarks flying around thick and fast. Even the umpire didn’t come out of it unscaved, suffering a bruised ego after falling over his own feet.

The red and blacks opened the scoring through Andrew Webber after 13 minutes. Webber sent a rebound from a corner high into the net and opening his account for the year. This match, however, was not going to be as easy as the first goal suggested. Eastcote defended grimly and managed to keep the Ashford attack at bay for the rest of the second half. Their determination in defence was converted to a scoring opportunity towards the end of the first period by forcing a corner on a break away and finishing off with a neatly executed flick into the top right corner.

Half time provided the Ashford men to get some perspective about the game and realise that they needed to take control of the speed, flow and direction of the play. It was only a matter of minutes into the second half when Ashford stamped their dominance in the game through a Jamie McFarland penalty corner after a brilliant run of attack from the mid field. The goal provided the lift the red and blacks needed to ensure their victory.

In the final 15 minutes of the second half Ashford landed a sensational field goal from the stick of James Webber after an impressive display from Richard Green and Jody Smith. The game was put out of reach for Eastcote in the dying minutes when James Webber landed his second goal for the game through a penalty corner. The victory was slightly tarnished with Richard Green receiving an extremely controversial yellow card in the last ten minutes of the match. Walking away with the three points was significant this week following the narrow loss to Chichester.

Ashford Scorers:
George Clutton FG (10 min), Jamie McFarlane FG (45mins ), James Webber PS (65min )

The second match for the year proved to be a very tight contest where both teams played some very good hockey. Chichester were to be the unknowns this season as they were newly promoted to the 1st division.

The first half saw Ashford take the lead in the 10th minute through a solo effort from George Clutton who stole the ball of their defence on their 25, ran to the top of the circle and slotted it into the bottom left corner. This was to be the only real joy for the Ashford team in the first half. Ashford had some good attacking raids that could have produce more goals however it wasn’t to be and Chichester managed to get on top and apply some pressure to the Ashford defence.

This pressure proved too much as Chichester scored from two well worked penalty corners mid-way through the first half. They then scored a third from open play that sparked the Ashford team into action. The end of the first half was dominated by Ashford raids on the Chichester goal but unfortunately opportunities were missed and would cost the Ashford team dearly. Half time saw Ashford down 3-1.

The second half started the way the first ended, with multiple attacking raids from Ashford on the Chichester defence. This was to be the pattern for most of the second half with Chichester creating only a few goal scoring opportunities in the second half. Ashford scored first in the second, through a well worked field goal being finished off by Jamie McFarland, taking the score to 3-2 with plenty of time to play. Ashford, still launching plenty of attacking on the Chichester defence, had a momentary lapse in concentration leading to a free hit, to Chichester, just outside Ashford’s defensive circle. This resulted in a neat deflection from a Chichester attacked taking them two goals clear once again.

The Ashford boys never gave up and earned a penalty stroke, neatly converted by James Webber, which put Ashford back within one goal with 5 minutes to play. Unfortunately Ashford couldn’t find the equalizer in the last minutes of the game despite having many opportunities to draw level.

Ashford Scorers:
Jamie McFarlane (PC–23mins, FG–68mins)

The first game of the season saw us up against a team that caused us a certain degree of difficulty last season. We travelled in convoy deep into Sevenoaks territory and we were prepared for a physical and challenging match. We were not disappointed. With Mearsy suffering an injury in the warm-up with were slightly disrupted and were force to adjust our line-up and face the prospect of 12 men for the entire 70 minutes.

The first five minutes were somewhat dominated by the purple men, their dominance continued in the seventh minute when Reza received a green card and the opposition were awarded a penalty stroke. The decision was somewhat controversial and met great displeasure which our supporters on the sideline displayed. A valiant attempt by Goalkeeper Dan Appleyard was not quite enough to save the brilliant stroke from the Sevenoaks midfielder.

As expected the Ashford spirit kicked and the restart saw the whole team lift and regain control of the game. We had numerous opportunities to equalise through short corners and field shots but were not able to capitalise any of these chances. Finally, the scores were equalled when Jamie McFarlane scored a goal in the 23rd minute of the first half off yet another penalty corner. Each team had scoring opportunities in the last minutes of the first half but neither team could capitalise. Dan made some fantastic saves in the net and kept the scores level at half time.

Half time provided us with the opportunity to reflect on our strategy, and identify the areas that we needed to shut them down. With the change of tactics and the chance to recuperate we started the second half more confident and determined.

Again we had several scoring opportunities in the second half but their defence proved too difficult to penetrate. Sevenoaks saw little possession in the second half, as our approach of shutting them down in the midfield proved very successful. As you would expect the Ashford boys persisted and defended two short corners in the last five minutes of the half to retaliate with a field goal in the last 90 seconds by Jamie McFarlane off a George Clutton cross in front of the net. Joy almost turned to disappointment when Sevenoaks counter attacked with a strong and determined attack from the restart but the defensive line proved too strong and we walked away narrow victors, but victors all the same.

Player of the Match:
Steve Kessel