LEWES Vs ASHFORD UNITED
26/10/24 ISUZU FA TROPHY FIRST ROUND PROPER
DRIPPING PAN STADIUM LEWES
On the back of 3 excellent wins in the league an increasingly confident Ashford United travelled to the Dripping Pan Stadium in Sussex for their FA Trophy fixture against high flying Lewes (currently 3rd in the Isthmian Premier).
A crowd of 739 for this one with strong away support for the Nuts and Bolts. The light rain stopped in time for kick off and the players were welcomed onto the pitch by a Lewes Bonfire society group with flaming torches held aloft. The Lewes hybrid pitch looked in excellent condition suitable for a fast and flowing game.
Ashford made 3 changes to the starting lineup from the win at the Homelands last Tuesday evening with Ronald Sithole, Adem Ramadan and Jack Saunders all starting. This was Adem Ramadan’s 50th game for Ashford and Gary Lockyer’s 100th start for the Nuts and Bolts. Noah Carney also returned from injury starting on the bench today alongside William Dupray, Theo Osinfolarin, Preston Kedwell and Danny Kedwell. Marley St Louis apparently was unwell.
The game kicked off on time with Ashford kicking towards the main stand. James Dunne and Jack Saunders started excellently giving Ashford control of the midfield. The ever young Matt Bodkin showed his class on the right linking up well with Ronald Sithole. It was Saunders first to get a shot away having fought his way into the box, the shot clumsily saved by the Lewes Keeper Toby Bull. Adem Ramadan was his usual busy and skilful self on the left and forced a couple of excellent saves from Bull with Ashford very much on top. Lewes were slow on the ball and created very little and seemed to have few answers to Dunne in particular snapping at their heels.
In the 28th minute Ronald Sithole found himself with some space out on the right wing and crossed hard and low towards Bull the goalkeeper. He fumbled the ball into the goal and it went down as an Own Goal. No more than the Nuts and Bolts deserved!
Ashford still pressed for more goals and the ever running Louis Collins went close as did Gary Lockyer. The Ashford back four of Matt Bodkin, Will Moses, Craig Stone and Tolu looked solid and in control with the few opportunities for Lewes to test Beeney in goal snuffed out. Ramadan forced another excellent save from Bull making up somewhat for his error earlier in the half. Gary also had a good looking opportunity to score from another Matt Bodkin cross but didn’t convert and may have been offside anyway.
At half time Ashford led by a goal to nil. A thoroughly deserved lead but perhaps Ashford should have scored more whilst on top. Lewes are a good team and currently stand 35 places ahead of Ashford in the league pyramid so during the break most assumed Lewes would come at Ashford all guns blazing in the second half.
When we got going again Ashford started in a similar vein to the first half. It was all Ashford, playing some flowing football through the midfield with opportunities to score falling to Collins, Lockyer again and then Louis Collins broke into the box and was brought down the ball falling at the feet of Gary Lockyer who tucked the ball away into the right hand corner of the goal. It probably would have been a penalty anyway but the referee played the advantage allowing Gary to increase his scoring tally this season to 16. Soon after another excellent Bodkin cross was met by Lockyer at the far post and headed over. After a good period of controlled possession from Ashford and excellent defensive work from Tolu in particular Ramadan again found an opportunity down the left forcing another excellent save from Bull the Lewes keeper. From the resulting corner Bull again has to make a flying save to his left and from that corner move Sithole headed just over. Chance after chance and it was all Ashford.
On 62 minutes Tolu had to go off battered and bruised and Noah Carney came on as a replacement. This meant Matt Bodkin swapped to the left and Noah had to play deeper than he usually would. Bodkin soon after proved he can cross with both feet and Lockyer forced another corner. From that corner came perhaps the pivotal moment in the game.Ramadan’s shot deflected off a Lewes defender and the ball looped to Lockyer on the far post, he headed the ball backwards to Collins who tapped home. Presumably the linesman felt that when Ramadan shot Lockyer was in an offside position but everyone watching felt Lockyer was onside at that moment. Ashford still attacked and Gary Lockyer even tried to do a Danny Kedwell and lob the keeper from the halfway line. A good effort but the fans sang ‘there’s only one Danny Kedwell’ given his wonder goal at East Grinstead recently.
Lewes then began to use the wings and made a couple of decisive substitutions. With 10 minutes to go for the first time in the game we were on the back foot. Lewes made a few good chances and in the 80th minute Shae Hutchinson broke through and despite Beeney’s best efforts scored. Ashford brought on Osinfolarin and Dupray as legs began to tire. 5 minutes of injury time and it was all Lewes. In the 92nd minute Ashford hearts were broken by Alfie Allen’s shot into the left corner of Beeney’s net. Somehow it was even and heading towards penalties. Danny Kedwell brought on 16 year old Preston Kedwell in the final moments having complete confidence in his penalty taking abilities.
The penalty shootout lasted an age it seemed and is always a lottery. Both keepers managed one save each and sure enough Preston Kedwell can take a penalty it turned out. Unfortunately Ashford missed their 8th penalty in sudden death and that was that Lewes won 8-7 on penalties.
A great game to watch and an excellent performance from the underdogs Ashford. Hopefully Lewes will make the most of their fortunate win and do well in the trophy.
Reporters Man of the Match Matt Bodkin.
As always highlights are available to view on Nuts and Bolts TV on YouTube.
