Chatham Town 0-0 Ashford Town - Football can be so frustrating at times, admits Lovell

Saturday 07th November 2009

CHATHAM TOWN 0-0 ASHFORD TOWN
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 7th November 2009
Mike Green reports from Maidstone Road

A disappointing Kent derby in which the only fireworks were those which filled the early evening Medway sky, saw Chatham Town and Ashford Town cancel each other out as both went searching for a win at opposite ends of the Ryman League Division One South table.

For Ashford boss Steve Lovell the point and clean sheet (their first of the season) was perhaps more pleasing.

Speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game, he admitted that it wasn’t a classic as the pitch was very bobbly.

“I’m pleased that we didn’t allow Chatham to play and to be fair the game had nil-nil written all over it,” he said.

Chatham boss Alex O’Brien was equally resigned when he also told www.kentishfootball.co.uk, “After playing a side down the bottom (Chatham’s last home game against Chipstead) in which we didn’t compete, to keep a clean sheet today was a bonus as we didn’t create enough chances and to be fair both sides could have still been out there until Thursday and it would still be 0-0!

“The clean sheet was vital as we still battled to the last and could have nicked it at the end.”

Over the course of the ninety minutes, there was very little to choose between the two sides and in fairness both sides only created one worthwhile goalscoring effort each worthy of the name.

In a first half instantly forgettable, Ashford created the one early chance, when after only two minutes, Mark Lovell’s header from a right-wing free-kick from Ryan Briggs was brilliantly turned aside by keeper Dean Ruddy in the Chatham goal.

The home side huffed and puffed, but couldn’t create anything in the final third and in the closing stages of the first half, the visitors almost snatched the lead when Mitchell Sherwood held off Ray Powell to get to a long bouncing ball only for Chatham skipper Richard Avery to lay his body on the line to brilliantly block the shot.

The second half was better, but let’s face it, it really couldn’t have been a lot worse!!!

Ten minutes after half-time, Brendon Cass and Toby Ashmore clashed on the edge of the Ashford box and after resolving the resulting flare-up between about a dozen players, referee Mr Hicks showed Ashmore the yellow card - a card that was to prove costly later.

The hosts first attempt on goal followed shortly after when Mark Green hit a swinging shot which Darren Ibrahim did well to hang on to.

Mark Lovell almost turned provider on 65 minutes as Nick Smith blazed the manager’s son’s knockdown high over the bar.

Eleven minutes from time, Ashford should have taken the lead when on-loan defender Steve Springett sent a free header (from a Briggs’ corner), well wide of goal, when perhaps the young Ebbsfleet United defender could have done better.

Six minutes from time the crowd of just under 200 finally saw a moment of real class.

Green’s free-kick into the Ashford box was only half cleared and Cass’s shot on the turn, which was screaming towards the top corner, was magnificently turned away by Ibrahim - Ashford’s fourth goalkeeper of the season, who played despite carrying an injury himself, produced a wonder save full length away to his left hand.

In the final minutes another Briggs free-kick almost caused Ruddy a red face as the American keeper miss-judged his punch and the ball flew out sideways when it could have gone anywhere.

In stoppage time, as the hosts desperately went in search of their third successive win, substitute Byron Walker latched onto a long through ball and appeared to go shoulder to shoulder with Ashmore on the edge of the box.

Referee Mr Hicks, however, deemed the defender to have fouled Chatham’s speedy substitute and a second yellow card was shown, one which left manager Steve Lovell shaking his head in disbelief.

He said afterwards, “The sending off was ridiculous, it just shows what you can’t do in football today.

“We had three bookings this afternoon that in my day would have not even warranted a free-kick.”

The former Welsh international went on, “It’s just the way the game is controlled now. The referee’s are doing their job to the letter of the law and if you’re honest and they haven’t actually played the game, things like this are not going to change.

“Football can be so frustrating at times,” he shrugged.

Chatham boss O’Brien admitted afterwards that Ashford had played the game he expected them to.

“I saw them on Tuesday at Walton & Hersham and I am convinced that if we could have scored we would have won the game, which makes our performance in the final third even more disappointing,” he said.

“All derbies are big games and it doesn’t matter who you play, as I want my team to play like every game is a derby.

“When you look at the way their supporters celebrated the point, you would have thought that they’ve won the cup. It’s vital for us now to keep going as we extend our unbeaten run and whilst this draw takes us into the play-off places, I hope that we won’t rue dropping five points in our last two home games.”

Final word must go to the Ashford boss, whose said of his side’s performance, “We’ve now got to show we can play like this every week as we’re now at the end of what we consider to be our pre-season.

“One thing this result does show and other managers have said it to, is that no-one side in this league stands out and that everyone is capable of beating everyone else.”

Chatham Town: Dean Ruddy, Ray Powell, Ashley Probets, Matt Solly, Richard Avery, John Wilfort, David Hall (Tom Davey 88), Jim Lyons (Lee Barnett 70), Brendon Cass, Justin Ascheri (Byron Walker 81), Mark Green.
Subs: Lew Watts, Richard Stroud.

Booked: Jim Lyons 58, Ray Powell 89

Ashford Town: Darren Ibrahim, Carl Harrold, Steve Springett, Lee Hockey, Toby Ashmore, Ryan Briggs, Mitchell Sherwood, Danny Lye, Mark Lovell, Ross Morley, Nick Smith.
Subs: Ronnie Dolan, Jamie Forshaw, Bryan Pearce, Dan Scorer, Dan Mason.

Booked: Mitchell Sherwood 17, Danny Lye 63, Lee Hockey 83, Toby Ashmore 56

Sent off: Toby Ashmore 90

Attendance: 198
Referee: Mr Craig Hicks (Sutton, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Mark Ford (North Cheam, Surrey) & Mr Peter Crichlow (Carshalton, Surrey)