5/3/2022 Horley 1’s 2 v Ashford Ladies 1’s 8

With only five league games left in the season (three away and two at home), the Ladies 1’s undertook their longest journey, when they travelled to West Sussex to face eleventh in the league side, Horley Ladies 1’s on Saturday. Injuries ruled out regular squad members Phoebe Neyton and Emma Hynes, whilst Nicky Benedict was also struggling and had to miss most of the match, after starting the game. The ever reliable Lenka Petrakova had recovered from her eye injury of last week, and the squad welcomed back striker youngster Kitty Langdon and versatile defender Anna Prothero. Coach Jackie Parsons was also unavailable, so Emma Hynes took on side line duties, utilising Jackie’s pre-match plans and the substitute schedule, as well as cheering on and directing the team throughout the game. The Red & Blacks got off to a cracking start by securing an early goal. A great combination of passes between Anna Prothero, Sophie Nicholas, and Lucy Downs on the left was finished with a pass to Kelly Roberts who struck the ball home. Shortly after a reverse stick pass from Sophie, put Lucy Downs through and her shot went just wide. A good interception of a home side clearance and slicing pass, put Lucy Downs through again and she placed the ball between the home team keeper’s pads to put the Red & Blacks two nil up within the first eight minutes of the game. Ashford’s first short corner followed, but Molly Davis’s shot was too high. In fact players from both sides struck some wild and high balls on occasions, partly due to the damp and sandy pitch surface. A flowing Ashford move between Lenka Petrakova, Claire Brant and Kelly Roberts, set up Lucy Downs with her second goal of the game. Some good play followed and Ashford skipper Jacqui Bashford’s controlled pass set up Lucy Downs to score again and she completed her hat trick and put Ashford 4-0 up. The home team had some skilful and hard hitting players of their own, with one dominate defender regularly striking the ball the length of the pitch and setting up some home attacks. Dependable Ashford keeper Jo Lawton nimbly saved the Horley first few shots on goal, whilst Red & Black defenders Jade Johnston and on form Anna Prothero contained the other home team attacks. A quick breakaway by Horley following another Ashford attack, caught the Red & Blacks defence out and their striker rounded Jo Lawton to open the scoring for the home team and make the score 4-1 to Ashford. Despite strong instructions from deputy coach Emma Hynes, a similar move by Horley saw them notch a look alike second goal to make the score 4-2. Ashford soon sprang back into action, and started controlling play again, with youngster Kitty Langdon doing some swift and penetrating runs, along with Lucy Scott and Kelly Roberts who were both working hard up front. Various shots went wide, before a well executed short corner routine saw Molly Davis set up super striker Lucy Downs for her fourth and Ashford’s fifth goal of the game to make it 5-2.
After the turn round Ashford completed many sweeping moves towards the Horley goal, with Anna Prothero driving things; whilst Horley persevered with the long hard ball from the back. A good move down the right saw Ashford’s two Lucy’s interchange passes in the Horley circle, which led to Scotty unselfishly setting up Lucy Downs with an easy chance to score her fifth and Ashford’s sixth goal on the game after ten minutes of second half play. A similar move shortly after saw Downs surprising sweeping the ball wide when the goal was wide open, so the score remained at 6-2. More determined play by Kitty Langdon, saw the Red & Blacks gain another short corner and a neat move saw Molly Davis score her first of the game to give Ashford a 7-2 lead. After twenty eight minutes play, another well worked Red & Blacks short corner routine saw Sophie Nicholas net her fourth goal in four consecutive games to make it 8-2 to Ashford. Lucy Scott had another chance, but couldn’t find her usual finishing touch whilst Lucy Downs later set up Sophie Nicholas, who unfortunately fell over whilst lining up her shot. There were no further goals before the final whistle and it was a convincing away win for the Red & Blacks who have now notched 133 goals in their eighteen matches played so far, and are looking to net another twenty in their remaining four games to record over 150 in the season. A big target, but on this form an achievable one.
Thanks go to Jacqui Bashford’s large group of supporters and indisposed squad member Kim Downs for her ace babysitting of Billie, on a raw and drizzly Sussex morning.
LM - 5.3.2022.