Kentish Football 
Horsham YMCA 2-1 Ashford Town - Ashford defeat marred by racist attack on boss - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Tuesday 27th March 2007
HORSHAM YMCA 2-1 ASHFORD TOWN
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 27th March 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Gorings Mead
Ashford Town manager John Cumberbatch and substitute Ambrose Kamara were victims of an alleged racist attack during their 2-1 defeat at Gorings Mead tonight.
Cumberbatch informed Ashford Town officials of the alleged incident – which alarmed the assistant referee who was running the line in front of the main stand – in the car park after the game before expressing his feelings in his usual calm manner to www.kentishfootball.co.uk. “I didn’t really want to report Horsham (YMCA) because I felt it’s not something that’s representative of their officials,” he said.
“But the man in the crowd, what really annoyed me was that he aimed (the abuse) at one of my players, which I’m not happy about at all.
“The chap had a little bit of banter with me and then he started on the racist thing and then he started on Vince (Shell), who was physio for the day, and then decided to pick on Ambrose, who wasn’t saying anything to him.
“I’m really disgusted about that, very annoyed about it.”
He added: “I’d just like Horsham (YMCA) punish him in whatever way they feel fit as long as it’s a very strong punishment for what’s happened but I certainly feel they will deal with it.
“They made it clear to me that they would,” said the articulate Cumberbatch.
Cumberbatch made six changes to the side that suffered an embarrassing 1-0 home defeat to fellow strugglers Walton Casuals on Saturday.
Ken Jarrett-Elliott, Kamara, Steve Sodje and Ian Ross were all relegated to the bench tonight as the Orpington based manager drafted in Tom Adlington, Tom McGowen, Ryan Andrews, Walid Matata and Joe Hitchings – who were substitutes on Saturday – and Graham Porter.
And the move inspired the Kent side as they dominated early on with Matata’s pace causing problems.
Matata was denied by a comfortable save from Gravesend based goalkeeper Dean Ruddy after just 49 seconds following a low cross from the right by Andrews.
But after Ashford’s early dominance, the west Sussex hosts began to turn the tide.
Ellis Hooper came up from his defensive duties in the 15th minute to head Richard Greenfield’s corner over the bar.
And within a minute Greenfield latched onto Steve Davies’ through ball only to drag his shot well wide of the post.
Then, in the 27th minute, striker Pat Massaro’s scissor kick flashed agonisingly past the foot of the post.
Slack defending from the Kent side allowed Massaro and Nick Levett to take their second corner of the game quickly and Levett’s far post cross was nodded wide by Greenfield.
Horsham YMCA, coached by former Nuts & Bolts manager Tommy Sampson, thoroughly deserved to go into the break with a two-goal lead.
They broke the deadlock after 33 minutes when Davies netted his fifth goal of the season.
Massaro played in Davies, his strike partner, and he punished slack defending from Porter to roll the ball past Jake Whincup.
And 32-year-old Porter was shown a straight red card by Chipstead based referee Mr Nigel Lugg when he committed a professional foul on Davies just 12 yards from his goal.
Right-back Dean Carden netted his eighth penalty of the season when he sent Whincup the wrong way to fire the ball inside the bottom left hand corner.
Ashford finally created a goalscoring opportunity on the stroke of half time but Andrews’ skied his long range shot after Ruddy punched away McGowen’s third corner of the game.
With his side down to ten-men Cumberbatch made a tactical switch at the interval with former Tonbridge Angels striker Steve Sodje replacing right-midfielder McGowen and opting for a 3-3-3 formation.
This brave move allowed Ashford Town to increase their tempo to try to claw back their deficit.
But George Fenwick was never going to score in the 51st minute from fully forty yards when he should have sprayed the ball to an unmarked Joe Hitchings on the other flank.
Sixteen-year-old blonde midfielder Hitchings did go closer two minutes later when he stabbed his shot past the near post after Fenwick knocked down Glover’s free-kick.
Whincup thwarted former Crawley Town defender Hooper with a brave save at his near post in a rare shot on goal from the home side after 58 minutes before a long range drive from Scott Kirkwood deflected wide.
Matata and George Fenwick combined to carve open a chance for Sodje but his 18-yard lob dropped just over Ruddy’s crossbar.
But Ashford deservedly pulled a goal back with twenty minutes left when Matata scored his sixth goal for the club.
It wasn’t pretty but the former Dover Athletic and Folkestone Invicta striker turned in Fenwick’s near post flick in a goal-mouth scramble.
Seventeen-goal Fenwick should have done better than to roll his shot into Ruddy’s grateful arms following Andrews’ low centre in what was to be Ashford’s last real attempt on goal.
And after cutting inside Glover, Davies’ shot was saved by Whincup’s legs at his near post.
With Godalming Town scoring two late goals to hold Cray Wanderers to a draw at Hayes Lane tonight, Ashford are now just one point above the drop zone with ten games remaining.
Cumberbatch criticised “suicidal” defending for his side’s sixteenth Ryman League Division One South defeat of the season that leaves in a precarious position.
“We had a fifteen minute spell when the game got killed off for us by some sloppy defending, some suicidal defending and bad refereeing and that combination cost us the game,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
Speaking about Porter’s red card, he said: “I didn’t see it clearly (but) the lads are saying to me that their player ran across Graham and Graham tried to dribble the ball out.
“The player ran across him and he sort of blocked him but the referee was on the spot and he seemed quite positive about it.
“At the end of the day I still have to look at it and say whether it was the wrong decision by the ref or not, it was bad defending.”
Promotion chasing Hastings United have submitted a seven-day approach for Ashford Town’s prized asset Simon Glover, 24.
“I’m not surprised,” said Cumberbatch. “He’s been playing very, very well and whatever position I put him in at the moment at the back he’s done very well.
“There’s a very strong team spirit here despite the fact we’re a team that’s gone through the mire.“Simon’s still very much confident that he wants to stay in this squad.
“They might offer him the world and he might go but I don’t think that will happen – I don’t expect that to happen.”
Horsham YMCA: Dean Ruddy, Dean Carden, Jamie Lovegrove, Ellis Hooper, Glen Woodburn, Tom White, Richard Greenfield (Adam Jupp 75), Scott Kirkwood (Philip Fitzerald 89). Pat Massaro, Steve Davies, Nick Levett.
Sub: Eddie Achoko.
Booked: Ellis Hooper 11
Goals: Steve Davies 33, Dean Carden 37 (pen).
Ashford Town: Jake Whincup, Tom Adlington, Simon Glover, Graham Porter, Marc Cumberbatch, Joe Hitchings, Ryan Andrews, Gary Clarke, Walid Matata, George Fenwick, Tom McGowen (Steve Sodje).
Subs: Ian Ross, Ken Jarrett-Elliott, Ambrose Kamara, Steve Rowles.
Booked: Walid Matata 32, Tom Adlington 39, Gary Clarke 44
Sent off: Graham Porter 36
Goal: Walid Matata 70
Attendance: 110
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Dean Martin (Portsmouth, Hampshire) & Mr Roy Marsh (Portsmouth, Hampshire)
TONIGHT’S RESULTS:
Nationwide Conference
Tamworth 2-1 Gravesend & Northfleet
Nationwide Conference South
Braintree Town 2-1 Welling United
Margate 1 - 1 Horsham
Ramsgate 1 - 1 Chelmsford City
Ryman League Division One South
Cray Wanderers 2-2 Godalming Town
Horsham YMCA 2 -1 Ashford Town
Kent League Cup Semi-Final Second Leg
Herne Bay 0 - 3 Thamesmead Town
(Thamesmead Town win 3-2 on aggregate)
Kent League Premier Division
Greenwich Borough 1-1 Slade Green
Hythe Town 1-1 Whitstable Town
Sevenoaks Town 1-0 Erith Town
Kent League Division One
Thamesmead Town 3-0 Erith Town
Kent League Division Two
Sittingbourne 3-1 Tunbridge Wells
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