Langton wants a bright start down at the YMCA

Monday 26th October 2009

HUGO LANGTON wants Ashford Town players to start believing themselves after showing their true character against Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

Goals from Sanchez Ming and Sol Pinnock gave the south Londoners a 2-0 lead inside the opening five minutes, but goals from the impressive Toby Ashmore and Joe Fuller’s seventh goal of the season bagged the Kent side a point.

“We were slow out of the block again and we’re two down after five minutes, then we started to play!” assistant manager Langton told www.kentishfootball.co.uk today.

“Dulwich are a good side with some outstanding players, but for 85 minutes we matched them and the more the game went on, outplayed them.”

Goalkeeper Seb Barton returned to Homelands on the eve of the game and made an excellent contribution with one or two outstanding saves.

Langton added, “Second half we were decent and showed good spirit and I thought our fitness levels were nice and high too.

“Toby Ashmore lead by example and got us back into it. When Joe Fuller equalised we felt we would go on and win it, and on another day we would have done.

“With many players still out, we handed a full debut to Ronnie Dolan, who is 18, and he, for me, was magnificent from start to finish.”

Langton and manager Steve Lovell wants more of the same when they travel to Horsham YMCA tomorrow night.

Ashford presently sit in the bottom five with 9 points from their 11 games, whilst their west Sussex hosts go into the game with two less points.

“This is going to be a very tough game,” warned Langton. “Like us, they have not had the best of starts, but it does not make them a bad side.

“They will have a real go at us, as three points for either of us will push us up the table a little bit.

“We’ll go there and have a right go, we want to win this game, but it’s vital we start bright. If I had a pound for every time I have said that lately, then I would be a wealthy man!

“But seriously, we showed on Saturday, and in the second half at Worthing, that we are more than capable of holding our own against any side.

“We just need to maintain that bit of self belief as well, as we have some outstanding talents in our dressing room.”

Ashford have some serious injury doubts and tomorrow may be too soon for most of them, although Langton expects Jamie Forshaw (who is on loan from Ebbsfleet United) to be available for selection as he has finally shaken off his illness.

Visit Ashford Town’s website: www.ashfordtownfc.co.uk

Horsham YMCA v Ashford Town

Ryman League Division One South

Tuesday 27th October 2009

Kick Off 7:30pm

At Goring’s Mead, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5BP