Kentish Football 
Ashford Town 0-1 Metropolitan Police - We've a chance of catching the sides above us, says Lovell
Ryman League Division One South
Monday 12th April 2010
Mike Green reports from Homelands Stadium
ASHFORD TOWN remain in trouble at the foot of Ryman One South after an unconvincing defeat at the hands of the Metropolitan Police on a windswept night at Homelands.
A solitary goal from Phil Ruggles in the first ten minutes settled the game as a contest as try as they might, Steve Lovell’s side struggled to adapt to the swirling wind and ironically given all the problems there has been at the venue this season, the rock hard Homelands pitch.
“After beating Sittingbourne here at the weekend, it’s disappointing – we started sloppy and that dictated the rest of the play,” bemoaned Lovell when he spoke with www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game.
“We had all the second half and didn’t take any of the chances that we created and ended up losing one nil to a goal that we should have stopped. Tonight sums up our season really – we lost two players before the game (keeper Scott Chalmers Stevens and defender Laurence Harvey) and another one in the first half (Ronnie Dolan) and when you’re down to the bear bones that makes it even tougher. But we dug in and really should have got something out of the second half.”
It was in all honesty not the best game that will be seen at Homelands as the first half’s highlight was Ruggles’ bobbling drive that beat late stand in keeper Darren Ibrahim into the corner of the net.
And to be honest the second half wasn’t a lot better.
On 51 minutes Danny Lye sent a flying header just over as he got on the end of a long free kick from the right.
Then, on 63 minutes Ibrahim was almost embarrassed when we left his area to try and clear only to be robbed by Ruggles. Ibrahim was fortunate to be able to recover before the Police striker could settle to shoot.
On 71 minutes Lye again came close. This time Tom Murphy broke down the left and pulled the ball to Lye, whose first time swinging drive unfortunately swung the wrong side of the post.
Eleven minutes from time Ibrahim again went walkabout and this time it was former Ashford striker Craig Wilkins who was unable to take advantage – shooting wide albeit off balance!
In stoppage time, the home side came within a whisker of levelling as a long throw was flicked on by Lee Hockey and Joe Fuller was only inches away from scrambling the ball home before the ball was hacked clear, and the chance and the points were gone!
After the game, Lovell was realistic. He said, “Eastbourne are now six points behind us and we’ve a chance of catching some of the sides above us. The game on Thursday against Whitstable is important now to both teams. There’s only a week to go – so one way or another we’ll be sorted by Saturday week.
“I don’t think the extra days rest for us will work especially as we’ve had mixed performances – I think it’ll just be a case of who wants it most on Thursday will come out on top.”
Lovell then added with a smile, “Providing the game is played of course after being postponed I think it’s now seven times – the original fixture was for August Bank Holiday Monday for goodness sake.”
Ashford Town: Darren Ibrahim, Carl Harrold, Joe Fuller, Lee Hockey, Danny Lye, Ronnie Dolan (Matt Newman 38), Mitchell Sherwood, Ross Morley, Mark Lovell, Tom Murphy, Chris Borchescu.
Subs: Sam Conlon, Liam Geering, Dan Scorer, Roddy Hayward
Metropolitan Police: Mo Mann, Lee Gledhill, Nathan Simpson, Michael Cobden (Jamie Reed 80), Nicky Humphrey, Vernon Francis, Craig Brown, Paul Honey, Craig Wilkins, Phil Ruggles, Elliott Taylor.
Subs: James Greenaway, Rob Smith, Steve Sutherland, Will Packham
Goal: Phil Ruggles 7
Booked: Craig Wilkins 70, Nicky Humphrey 71
Attendance: 115
Referee: Mr Andy Mead (Orpington)
Assistants – Mr Adam Bakalarz (Bromley) & Mr Freddie Collins (Bexleyheath)
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd