VCD Athletic 2-1 Ashford United - It would mean everything to stay up, no one wants to get relegated and we want to keep the club up, says VCD Athletic assistant manager Dean Harrison

VCD Athletic 2 – 1 Ashford United
Location	Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN
Kickoff	07/04/2023 14:00

VCD ATHLETIC  2-1  ASHFORD UNITED
Isthmian League South East Division
Good Friday 7 April 2023
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakwood

VCD ATHLETIC assistant manager Dean Harrison says he wants to keep the club in the Isthmian League South East Division after pulling off a shock deserved home win over play-off chasing Ashford United at a warm and sunny Oakwood.

The Crayford based club claimed their first home win since thrashing Faversham Town 5-0 back on 12 November and they gave their chances of survival a shot in the arm with three games remaining, having completed the double over Tommy Warrilow’s men, having won 1-0 at Homelands on 10 December.

Manager Grant Basey resigned on 18 February after 32 games in charge in all competitions, winning nine, drawing seven and losing 16 with the side in fourteenth-place in the table at the time.

Basey’s assistant manager, Michael Power was handed his first managerial role and this was his second victory in seven games.  VCD Athletic went into this game with one win in 15 and in 18^th place in the table with 34 points, while Ashford United were in sixth-place with 57 points from their 34 league outings.

Warrilow’s men would have leapfrogged over Beckenham Town (who travel to Ramsgate tomorrow) and Cray Valley (who travel to Sevenoaks Town) back in to the play-offs, while Power’s men have jumped above Haywards Heath Town and Burgess Hill Town and are now out of the relegation play-off zone.

VCD Athletic officials have confirmed that if they were to participate in the one-off home play-off on Saturday 29 April, it is likely to be against the runners-up in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division.  Next door neighbours Phoenix Sports currently hold that position.

The first half was a poor affair and Power made a couple of substitutions at the interval and one of them, left-winger, Muraino Banjoko made a swift impact, lashing in his first goal for the club after only 10 seconds into the second half.

Bromley loanee, impressive right-winger Soul Kader drilled in a deflected second goal to score his 11^th goal for the club to give VCD Athletic a deserved two-goal lead.

Ashford United pulled a goal back through substitute left-winger Johan Ter Horst’s fourth goal of the campaign with a hooked volley as Warrilow’s three-match unbeaten run came to an end.

“I thought we were good for the points. I thought we deserved it,” said former Fisher and Bermondsey Town manager Harrison.

“I thought we worked hard and our work-rate off the ball was good and we thought we could get at their back line today, which we did.

“It’s a coupon buster, no one would’ve fancied us today but we played well on Tuesday night at Sittingbourne (despite losing 3-1), let in two late goals, which was really against-the-run-of-play if anything, so we were confident today.

“What did they give us? Energy, work-rate, desire, all of the things we’ve been asking for since Shaggy (Power) took over and we’re getting better and better every week and we’re growing in those areas.”

Ashford United assistant manager Alex O’Brien said: “A waste of a day, if I’m totally honest.  With four games to go, you’ve got to know that every game is like a cup final and we didn’t do that today. 

“We got out-fought, out-battled, out-run, they were winning tackles, we weren’t.  I’m not talking about individuals, I’m talking as a team and today we got found out. We didn’t turn up and fair play to VCD, they wanted everything more than we did.

“We didn’t do enough.  We didn’t give the travelling fans enough to get excited about and we let them, the club and ourselves down today and that’s not acceptable.

“We’ve lost to Faversham and Lancing (both away). We tend to sometimes turn up to the bigger games and even though as management we know this is a real tough place to come, you’ve got to come with a desire and you’ve got to come with a work-rate and you’ve got to come with a passion that can get you something but we lacked all three today, unfortunately.”

VCD Athletic centre-half Jonah Tolulope threw the ball into the Ashford United box on six occasions and the home side created their first chance through this method inside the opening eight minutes.

The ball bounced down and then up within a crowd of players at the near post and central midfielder Karl Dent placed his header past the near post from inside the six-yard box.

Dent had a second headed chance in the 14^th minute.

Tolulope’s fourth long through was cleared out to an unmarked Dent, who looped his header over a crowd of players and over the crossbar from 12-yards.

VCD Athletic were the better side during the first half, as Ashford United’s players’ were lethargic.

“He missed a couple but they weren’t easy chances but he was in the right areas to get on the end of them so that’s positive,” said Harrison.

“I thought first half we were strong.  We were winning our second balls and I thought we won the midfield battle and defended.”

Visiting goalkeeper George Bentley was called into action as the home side went close to taking a deserved lead in the 33^rd minute.

Dent floated and curled a free-kick towards the bottom far corner from 35-yards, which forced Bentley to dive to his left and use a strong hand to push the ball around the post.

“I thought the boys missed it in the middle. It was a lovely ball and it just went through and the keeper made a good save and tipped it around the post,” said Harrison.

O’Brien added: “I thought he (Bentley) saw it late as well.  Denty’s got that in him, he can do that, so it was always a worry.

“He’s a goalkeeper, so that’s what he gets paid to do. We didn’t expect anything less from him. It was a good save.”

Ashford United created half-chances towards the end of a very poor first half performance from them.

Midfielder Henry Muggeridge released Cameron Brodie in behind Tolulope and the central midfielder flashed the ball past the foot of the near post from a tight angle.

Holding midfielder Rhyle Ovenden pinged a long diagonal towards left-wing-back Bradley Simms, who cut into the box but Vickers’ Millwall loanee goalkeeper Jordan Gilmore came out towards the corner of his box to make the block.

O’Brien couldn’t believe what he was watching from the sidelines.

He said: “They didn’t let us (play).  We knew that they were going to press us high. We knew that they were going to compete and we just didn’t get going and sometimes as footballers you’ve got to have a plan B and join the fight and join the battle and earn the right to play. It’s such a cliché in football but we didn’t do that and we didn’t earn the right to play.  Every time we had the ball, we gave it away and their pressure and their want to win made us look like a poor side and that’s what really disappointed me today.”

Harrison added: “We’ve worked on our defensive shape so much since we’ve been in, just being tighter.   The midfield in front protecting the back four has been ok.  We shouldn’t have let in three on Tuesday, it was a little bit freaky.”

Ashford United ditched their three-man defence when Robert Saunders (who played in the centre) was withdrawn with a hamstring strain, so Warrilow went with a back four.

Ineffective striker Danny Parish drove a 30-yard free-kick into the four-man wall, flashing just past the foot of the near post in stoppage time.

Muggeridge floated the resulting corner towards the back post and Ashford centre-half Samuel German rose to steer his header just past the left-hand post.

O’Brien said: “Last week (a 1-0 home win over Lancing), we were picking up second balls, we were popping balls into the box. Honestly, we could’ve scored a lot more goals than the one but we didn’t but we were knocking on the door whereas today we didn’t knock on the door, we didn’t even come up the driveway!”

Both assistant managers were asked about their thoughts going into the interval.

Harrison said: “What we said was ‘just keep doing more of the same’.  We needed to be aware of their midfield runners, the eight (Brodie) was making good runs into the box so we were aware that we needed to pick that up.

“We made a couple of changes because we had a couple struggling out there, a tactical one as well and we were confident that we could get at their back line.

“Sam Williams (striker) was struggling a little bit. He had a bit of a groin before the game and Jesse Airen (holding midfielder) was on a yellow, so we just thought we wanted to freshen it up so we put Harry Barnes in there and he played really well second half.”

O’Brien added: “What I’ve been going on about, work-rate, desire, standing up, wanting to get the ball in their box, wanting to turn them, wanting to win the second balls, wanting to create things, everything like that and as soon as they’ve kicked off, it went out of the window!”

VCD Athletic kicked-off, outstanding centre-half Jack Bath launched a long ball into the Ashford United box and some poor defending from German opened the gate.

Banjoko stayed on his feet, tussled for the ball inside the penalty area, before lashing a right-footed half-volley into the top left hand corner to give VCD Athletic a deserved lead after only 10 seconds.

Harrison admitted: “I missed the goal. We were coming out (of the dressing room) and it was that quick, I missed it!  I’ve seen Junior celebrating and I heard it was a fantastic finish, a great start.

“Jack Bath is solid, a good captain, it was a good captain’s performance. He won his headers, was solid.”

O’Brien said: “I’m not sure whether Sam could’ve dealt with it a bit better. I’m not sure whether George could come off his line but 10 seconds into it, it looked like we started flat and they’ve punished us, they’ve punished us.  He made it difficult for Sam because of his work-rate because of his hunger and he picked up the knock downs and finished well.”

Ashford United went route-one in search of an equaliser in the 50^th minute.

Bentley’s big kick was flicked on by 20-goal targetman Gary Lockyer (who was soon withdrawn with a groin injury) and Muggeridge hit a right-footed half-volley sailing over the crossbar from 12-yards.

“I think he snatched at it if I’m honest. He probably didn’t realise he had more time.  Again, it’s a half-chance but still a chance. If he can take that, maybe the game swings,” added O’Brien.

VCD Athletic squandered a glorious chance to increase their lead in the 18^th minute when Kader floated in a deep right-footed cross from the left towards an unmarked Banjoko, who lacked composure inside the box and sliced his shot harmlessly wide.

“He could’ve had a touch there. I think he was unlucky. He just slashed at that a little bit. It was good play from Soul, he had a decent game,” added Harrison.

However, VCD Athletic deservedly doubled their lead with 19 minutes and 17 seconds on the clock, courtesy of great desire from Dent in the build-up.

Right-back Jack Holland (the former Corinthian one, not the former Bromley captain centre-half, now at Dulwich Hamlet), played the ball down the line and Dent showed great desire to keep the ball alive.

The ball was played low towards the near post, the ball was cleared out to Kader, who cracked a right-footed deflected drive into the roof of the net from 25-yards to leave Ashford United in plenty of trouble.

Harrison said: “Some finish that. I thought it went over and rolled down the back of the net somehow but it was a great finish. He kept his eye on it, kept it down, hit the target.

“He’s a good kid, he’s only young. He’s got bags of quality and he’s only going to get better at this level. He scored on Tuesday for us, he’s scored again today, he's a great little player.”

O’Brien admitted: “To concede the second, it’s killed us a little bit.

“I think there was a touch on it but do you know what? What a player he is by the way. I liked him when he came to our place and I think again today he caused us problems.

“He got his luck with the deflection but the harder I work, the luckier I get and that’s exactly what happened to him today.”

Ashford United started to throw caution to the wind and were denied halfway through the first half, following the third of their eight corner kicks.

Muggeridge swung the ball in from the right, the ball was cleared out to the unmarked Ovenden, who drilled a right-footed shot towards the roof of the net from 25-yards, which was pushed over the bar by Gilmore’s outstretched right-hand.

O’Brien said: “You’ve got nothing to lose. It’s a little bit of a weak thing, you can go 2-0 down and then all off a sudden people want to roll their sleeves up and go forward and put the ball into the box so for me honestly, they’ve got licence to do what they want because they’re chasing the game but they should’ve been chasing the game at 0-0.

“Rhyle probably hit it too well if that makes sense. He probably hit it too well but it's a positive thing.  Rhyle is a fantastic footballer, he can score goals like that from the edge of the area. His technique is really, really good but unfortunately the keeper was up to it today and pushed it over the bar.”

Harrison added: “A good shot, a good strike. He hit it from distance.  Jordan’s a great goalie, we’ve got him on loan from Millwall. He’s such a good kid, he’s kept his eye on it and did what he had to do. It was a good save.”

Twenty-eight seconds later, Muggeridge pulled back another right-wing corner towards Ovenden, once again in space, but this time his 30-yarder sailed just over the crossbar.

VCD Athletic left-winger Andrew Allassani reached the by-line and fizzed a low cross across the face of goal and Banjoko lacked composure at the far post and Bentley didn’t have a save to make.

Ashford United scored a consolation goal with 33 minutes and 44 seconds on the clock, courtesy of a well-worked move.

Brodie played the ball out to substitute right-winger Djean Spencer, who threaded the ball in behind Banjoko and Parish reached the by-line before whipping in a cross towards the far post for Ter Horst to crack a right-footed volley across the keeper to find the bottom far corner from eight-yards.

O’Brien said: “That’s the first time that we went down the sides with changing personnel up top (Parish alongside Emmanuel Olowasemo).

“We didn’t want us going direct all of the time. We didn’t have Gary Lockyer (on the pitch at the time) so the first time we actually rolled the ball down the sides and the forwards made that run and Johan’s at the back stick to finish off a goal.

“I’m glad for him. It’s a great goal but it was the only time we went down the sides and looked to cross the ball back into the box.”

Harrison added: “Disappointing, we switched off there and the ball came across and I think there were two or three over at the back and there shouldn’t be, so we need to look at that but it was the only time when we switched off all game.”

Ashford United then had the momentum for the remainder of the game and Brodie lacked composure to score inside the final six minutes.

Ter Horst floated in a cross from the left, substitute striker Olowasemo had his back to goal but chested the ball down for Brodie, who dragged his shot wide of the left-hand post from 22-yards.

“Of course you’re chasing the game, they’re holding on. We’ve been on the other side when we’re holding onto a 2-1 lead, so we always knew that it’s a horrible scoreline sometimes and we just needed to keep going and keep getting the ball into the box and just see what happens.

“It didn’t happen and I’ve got to be honest me and Tom, we love the players, we love the squad but I just think VCD wanted it more than us today and they got their rewards.”

German had a pop at goal from 35-yards, which flashed past the far post when he was left in oceans of space but this was a big win for VCD Athletic.

All off the other 18 sides are in action tomorrow.

Ramsgate host Beckenham Town tomorrow, with Jamie Coyle’s side at the summit with 67 points with four games remaining.

The play-off places are currently held by Chatham Town (67 points), Whitehawk (61), Cray Valley (59) and Beckenham Town (59, with a game in hand).

Ashford United (57 points, three games remaining), Sheppey United (55 points) and Hythe Town (55) are still in with a shout of grabbing a play-off berth.

Big-spending Faversham Town (24 points, five games left) and Corinthian (26) remain in the relegation zone.

Sussex pair Haywards Heath Town (35 points) and Burgess Hill Town (35) are in the relegation play-off zone, while VCD Athletic are now in sixteenth-place on 37 points and looking to chase down Lancing (39) and Three Bridges (39).

Harrison wants his players to replicate today’s desire levels when they travel to play-off chasing Cray Valley on Easter Monday (15:00).

Hythe Town then visit here on Saturday 15 April, before the Vickers travel to East Grinstead Town seven days later.  Any home play-off will take place on 29 April.

“It’s a really good win. It was unexpected looking at the table but we were confident today.  We’re growing in confidence and we’ve got a lot to play for and we want to keep this club up and it was a fantastic result,” hailed Harrison.

“We’ll see what happens tomorrow. We can only do what we can do.  We’ve just got to keep getting points.

“It’s a tough one (at Cray Valley). We have to recover and we have to go again and see what we can do.  We’ve just got to keep fighting.

“All three games will be tough but it’s always tough when you’re down the bottom.  Everything’s pressure and you just have to dig in and do what you can do but we’ve got the confidence in the dressing room. We’re growing, there’s a togetherness there, it wasn’t there when I came in and I think we’ll be ok.

“Yes, absolutely (we can stay up).  If we can go and beat teams like that (Ashford), then why not – but we’ve got three tough games.

“Since Shaggy (Power) has taken over we’ve got two wins so we must be doing something right.  The desire is better, the commitment’s better, the attitude is better. It would mean everything to stay up.  No one wants to get relegated and we want to keep the club up.”

Ashford United face a big home clash against Sheppey United on Easter Monday (15:00), before they travel to Chichester City (15 April) before welcoming Ramsgate seven days later.

“It’s a massive ding-dong derby isn’t it but all we ask (from our players) is that they turn up for that one. It’s going to be a really big day, a big game,” said O’Brien.

“Sheppey have done brilliantly and they’re coming to us and we have to put in a massive performance.  You never know in this league what might happen but today was a missed opportunity. We go again on Monday and we want more than what we’ve given today.

“You shouldn’t be asking for a reaction time with three games to go.  Today has hurt us but we’ve got three games to go, nine points are available, let’s see what happens.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been given a punch to the face today but me and Tom will dust ourselves off and see what we get on Monday.

“There’s always been pressure, any team that Tom’s managing, you know there’s pressure and you need to perform and you know the play-offs is the minimum.  But regards to pressure, what can you do? You’ve got to get on with it. We’ve got three games to perform, nine points, see where you are.”

VCD Athletic: Jordan Gilmore, Jack Holland, Craig Ross, Jesse Airen (Harry Barnes 46), Jack Bath, Jonah Tolulope, Soul Kader, Michael Aziaya, Sam Williams (Muraino Banjoko 46), Karl Dent (Luke Tanner 71), Andrew Allassani.
Subs: Folarin Awoleke, Zack Dainkeh

Goals: Muraino Banjoko 46, Soul Kader 65

Booked: Jesse Airen 45, Soul Kader 82

Ashford United: George Bentley, Tariq Ossai, Bradley Simms, Robert Saunders (Johan Ter Horst 43), Samuel German, Charlie Dickens, Cameron Brodie, Rhyle Ovenden, Gary Lockyer (Emmanuel Olowasemo 55), Danny Parish, Henry Muggeridge (Djean Spencer 69).
Subs: Connor Towens, Lanre Azeez

Goal: Johan Ter Horst 79

Booked: Charlie Dickens 44, Cameron Brodie 48, Tommy Warrilow (manager) 60, Samuel German 62

Attendance: 200
Referee: Mr Ross Murphy
Assistants: Mr William Donnelly & Mr Ronald Albert