Evo-Stick Southern 1 Central
Saturday 1st April 2017
Matty Allan put us ahead inside ten minutes before Skipper Max York struck a stunning volley in the 19th minute that proved to be the winner in another crucial victory that keeps our survival hopes alive.
Dan Gleeson returned to the starting XI after missing the last three games through suspension and Lewis Clayton and James Carman started in place of Simon Unwin, Cameron Watson and Tommy Wright who were all on the bench as Manager Lance key made three changes to his side following last Saturday’s draw against Aylesbury.
Every game for us now is pretty much a must win and we went about this one with purpose from the start and were ahead within ten minutes. Lee Smith found James Carman wide on the left and the forward did well to hold up play before playing in the advancing Matty Allan in the area who calmly slotted past Tyler Tobin to give us the lead.
That lead was doubled ten minutes later in stunning fashion. The ball was half cleared from a free kick and Smith found Max York just outside the area. The skipper took the pass on his chest, spun and sent a right footed volley flying past Tobin and we were 2-0 up.
It could have gotten even better just a minute later when Allan seized on a short back pass but Tobin was out quickly and able to block. Meanwhile at the other end Ayden Duffy had to be at his best to keep the hosts from getting one back and was called into action again on the half hour mark to push away Scott Weight’s powerful drive.
Key would have been expecting the home side to come out firing after the break but we nearly made it three within seconds of the re-start. Elkanah Sibanda made progress down the left before firing a low ball across the 6 yard box that only just eluded the incoming Allan and Chambers-Shaw.
With just over an hour gone Ashford did get on the score sheet when Romario Jones sent a powerful header into the net and from there the hosts upped their game and went looking for the equaliser. Duffy had to be alert again to turn away a goal bound effort with twenty left on the clock but despite plenty of good possession in dangerous positions the home side were not really putting Duffy under as much pressure as maybe they could.
Joe Carden’s introduction added some pace up front for us and we looked dangerous on the break and as the clock ticked down it looked like the vital three points would be ours. The home side had other ideas though and kept pushing and so nearly got the equaliser in added time but Sibanda was in the right place to hook the ball off the line and away before the final whistle went and the points were ours.
Histon: Ayden Duffy, Danny Gould, Evan Key, Lee Smith (Simon Unwin 26), Max York, Dan Gleeson, Matty Allan (Tommy Wright 58), Lewis Clayton, James Carman (Joe Carden 76), Jake Chambers-Shaw, Elkanah Sibanda.
Histon subs not used: Cameron Watson, Marcus Hall.
Histon yellow cards: Evan Key, JamesCarman.
Histon goal scorers: Matty Allan (9), Max York (19).
Ashford Town (Middx): Tyler Tobin, Sahad Kazi, Max Herbert (Max Webb 84), Scott Weight, Russ Canderton, Romario Jonas, Mark Bitmead, Bayley Mommery, Conor Moody (Dan Fleming 76), Tommy Brunton (Alex Fisher 84), Jack Beadle.
Ashford Town (Middx) subs not used: Hakim Hammami.
Ashford Town (Middx) yellow cards: Mark Bitmead, Scott Weight, Russ Canderton.
Ashford Town (Middx) goal scorer: Romario Jonas (63).
Attendance: 92
