Results > First team > Report
Tue 28th Aug 2012
FA Cup
Sponsored by Barry Simmons
TAFC First team 0-2 Ashford Town (Middx)
FA Cup
Sponsored by Barry Simmons
TAFC First team 0-2 Ashford Town (Middx)
A few days ago Ashford Town were a few seconds away from exiting The FA Cup but in this replay they made sure there were not going to be any upsets by scoring 2 first half goals that booked their passage into the next round where they will travel to fellow Spartan South Midlands side Dunstable Town.
The performance from the players on Saturday was first rate and we were unlucky not to win the game but afterwards there was a feeling that we had missed our chance and that it would be much harder next time as Ashford were a quality side and would be better prepared and so it proved.
Our guests were 2 goals up by the half hour mark and after that it was always going to be an uphill task. We did have a golden opportunity to levels the scores in the 24th minute when we were awarded a penalty but we failed to convert it and to add salt to the wound Ashford scored a 2nd goal just 6 minutes later and from then on we struggled to get back in the game.
Ashford may have underestimated us on Saturday and it nearly back fired on them but from the kick off they were clearly determined not to make that mistake again. They started on the front foot and we were under pressure as they won a few early corners and free kicks. The last thing we wanted was to concede an early goal but regrettably that's what we did, going a goal behind after only 12 minutes. The visitors are a good side but their opening goal came as the result of route one football, when we failed to deal with a long clearance down the middle and Dan Brown was on hand to finishing smartly. Score 0-1.
A few minutes later Dan Brown just failed to get a decent connection on a long cross into our area. We were struggling to get our game going but in the 24th minute we put together a superb passing movement which released Matt Jarvis into the area but before he could do any damage he was pushed from behind and a penalty was awarded. This was just the lifeline we needed but the visitor's keeper Paul McCarthy produced a great save to deny Tony Fields then did even better to block follow up shots from Tony and Graham Hall.
It was a magnificent series of saves from McCarthy and importantly it kept his side's lead in tact and worse was to follow for us as 6 minutes later they scored again through Kofi Lockhart-Adams. Score 0-2. Thus within a few minutes the whole nature of the game changed from one of potential equity to one where we had a 2 goal deficit.
The players worked hard to try and get something back before half time but to no avail.
Half Time:Tring Athletic 0Ashford Town2
Reon Thomas and Connor Waite linked up nicely early in the second half which set up Connor for a shot, but it didn't trouble the keeper. There was a lot of effort and commitment from our lads and Julian brought on Vinnie Iannone, Paul Jeffrey and Sam Addae to try and shake things up. Andy Hughes sent a header from a free kick wide and Sam Mitchell fired a shot wide of the far post but we made little impression on the visitors who were determined not to relinquish their advantage.
It was the visitors who looked the more likely to score with their front 2 of Dan Brown and Kofi Lockhart-Adams causing lots of problems and going close on a few occasions. The nearest we got to another goal was when the latter hit the top of the bar with a good shot.
There were no more goals and Ashford ran out comfortable 2 -0 winners in the end.
Full Time:Tring Athletic 0 Ashford Town2
This tie threw up lots of "what ifs" and this will be a source of much debate, but the reality is it will Ashford who remain in the competition. We can however console ourselves with the fact that we gave a team from a higher level of football a run for their money. The players worked their socks off but in the end Ashford showed their superiority when it counted and we wish them all the best for the next round.
We will still be cup action mode for Saturday's visit to FC Romania for an FA Vase tie followed by a welcome return to League action the following Tuesday when we travel to newly promoted London Colney.
Teams:
TA: 1 Mike Underwood 2 Rob Duncan (Sam Addae 70) 3 Matt Jarvis 4 Andy Hughes 5 Chris Salmon 6 Tony Fields 7 Sam Mitchell 8 Connor Waite (Vinnie Iannone 59) 9 Reon Thomas 10 Graham Hall (Capt) 11 George House (Paul Jeffrey 68). Subs not used: Sam Joliffe, Connor Smith, Andy Humphreys, Nick Law (GK).
AT: 1 Paul McCarthy 2 Harry Knock 3 Ed Thomas (Alex Duffy 76) 4 Russell Canderton (Capt) 5 Bairoh Conteh 6 Jack Mullan 7 Ashley Lodge 8 Scott Weight 9 Dan Brown 10 Kofi Lockhart-Adams (Joe Bennett 85) 11 Mark Bitmead (Samad Kazi 70). Subs not used: Perry Luckins, Tyler Tobin (GK).
Goals:
TA:-
AT:Dan Brown (12), Kofi Lockhart-Adams (30)
Crowd:117
AT Website:http://ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com/
The performance from the players on Saturday was first rate and we were unlucky not to win the game but afterwards there was a feeling that we had missed our chance and that it would be much harder next time as Ashford were a quality side and would be better prepared and so it proved.
Our guests were 2 goals up by the half hour mark and after that it was always going to be an uphill task. We did have a golden opportunity to levels the scores in the 24th minute when we were awarded a penalty but we failed to convert it and to add salt to the wound Ashford scored a 2nd goal just 6 minutes later and from then on we struggled to get back in the game.
Ashford may have underestimated us on Saturday and it nearly back fired on them but from the kick off they were clearly determined not to make that mistake again. They started on the front foot and we were under pressure as they won a few early corners and free kicks. The last thing we wanted was to concede an early goal but regrettably that's what we did, going a goal behind after only 12 minutes. The visitors are a good side but their opening goal came as the result of route one football, when we failed to deal with a long clearance down the middle and Dan Brown was on hand to finishing smartly. Score 0-1.
A few minutes later Dan Brown just failed to get a decent connection on a long cross into our area. We were struggling to get our game going but in the 24th minute we put together a superb passing movement which released Matt Jarvis into the area but before he could do any damage he was pushed from behind and a penalty was awarded. This was just the lifeline we needed but the visitor's keeper Paul McCarthy produced a great save to deny Tony Fields then did even better to block follow up shots from Tony and Graham Hall.
It was a magnificent series of saves from McCarthy and importantly it kept his side's lead in tact and worse was to follow for us as 6 minutes later they scored again through Kofi Lockhart-Adams. Score 0-2. Thus within a few minutes the whole nature of the game changed from one of potential equity to one where we had a 2 goal deficit.
The players worked hard to try and get something back before half time but to no avail.
Half Time:Tring Athletic 0Ashford Town2
Reon Thomas and Connor Waite linked up nicely early in the second half which set up Connor for a shot, but it didn't trouble the keeper. There was a lot of effort and commitment from our lads and Julian brought on Vinnie Iannone, Paul Jeffrey and Sam Addae to try and shake things up. Andy Hughes sent a header from a free kick wide and Sam Mitchell fired a shot wide of the far post but we made little impression on the visitors who were determined not to relinquish their advantage.
It was the visitors who looked the more likely to score with their front 2 of Dan Brown and Kofi Lockhart-Adams causing lots of problems and going close on a few occasions. The nearest we got to another goal was when the latter hit the top of the bar with a good shot.
There were no more goals and Ashford ran out comfortable 2 -0 winners in the end.
Full Time:Tring Athletic 0 Ashford Town2
This tie threw up lots of "what ifs" and this will be a source of much debate, but the reality is it will Ashford who remain in the competition. We can however console ourselves with the fact that we gave a team from a higher level of football a run for their money. The players worked their socks off but in the end Ashford showed their superiority when it counted and we wish them all the best for the next round.
We will still be cup action mode for Saturday's visit to FC Romania for an FA Vase tie followed by a welcome return to League action the following Tuesday when we travel to newly promoted London Colney.
Teams:
TA: 1 Mike Underwood 2 Rob Duncan (Sam Addae 70) 3 Matt Jarvis 4 Andy Hughes 5 Chris Salmon 6 Tony Fields 7 Sam Mitchell 8 Connor Waite (Vinnie Iannone 59) 9 Reon Thomas 10 Graham Hall (Capt) 11 George House (Paul Jeffrey 68). Subs not used: Sam Joliffe, Connor Smith, Andy Humphreys, Nick Law (GK).
AT: 1 Paul McCarthy 2 Harry Knock 3 Ed Thomas (Alex Duffy 76) 4 Russell Canderton (Capt) 5 Bairoh Conteh 6 Jack Mullan 7 Ashley Lodge 8 Scott Weight 9 Dan Brown 10 Kofi Lockhart-Adams (Joe Bennett 85) 11 Mark Bitmead (Samad Kazi 70). Subs not used: Perry Luckins, Tyler Tobin (GK).
Goals:
TA:-
AT:Dan Brown (12), Kofi Lockhart-Adams (30)
Crowd:117
AT Website:http://ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com/
