Ashford Town (Middx) (h) on Sat 22nd Oct, KO 15:00

[Daedalus]

FA Trophy First Qualifying Round -
St. Albans City v Ashford Town (Middx)
Saturday 22nd October 2011, KO 15:00

No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/FA20Trophy20logo.jpg

No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/Saints%20Stuff/stalbans.jpg v No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/Saints%20Stuff/Ashfordtownmiddlesexfc-1.gif

Clarence Park, St. Albans
No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/Saints%20Stuff/SACaction.jpg
Copyright David Bauckham, Centre Circle Publishing. No reproduction without prior permission.

STATTO'S CORNER (written by Daedalus):

Ashford Town (Middx) Quick Guide:

Club founded: 1964

Nickname: Tangerines

Club colours: Tangerine and white stripes/black/white

10 year record:

01-02	02-03	03-04	04-05	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10	10-11
Isth2 12th	Isth1S 17th	Isth1S 12th	SthW 6th	SthW 2nd	IsthP 17th	IsthP 6th	IsthP 10th	IsthP 20th	SthD1C 16th

Read more about the Tangerines' club history by clicking here.


Interesting links:

The Tangerines' official website

Current League table for the Southern League Division One Central 2011-2012

The report of the Tangerines' last match is not yet available on their website. They lost 2-1 away to Aylesbury in their Southern League Division One Central match.

You can, however, read about their tie in the last round of the Trophy against Maidstone United on their website. The Tangerines won 3-1 at home in this FA Trophy Preliminary Round tie. Click here for the report.

You can see the results of their matches so far this season by clicking here

The Herts Ad's 'Howell targets FA Trophy run' article can be read by clicking here

We'll add any other interesting links to this thread as they appear.


Current Form (last 5 matches in the league):
St. Albans City - LLDDW (home form - WWLDW)

Ashford Town - LLDDL (away form - WLLLL)


Latest Saints team news:

- Rob Haworth has recently been missing with injury but could be in contention again this weekend. If so, Owsy could have a selection headache up front, with Bakare and Walker seeming to have hit it off in recent games.

- James Bent has been missing with injury over the last week or so and there is no news as of yet as to his condition and whether he might be due a return. When he first sustained his injury, Owsy suggested he would be out for a few weeks.

- Ryan Watts will miss this FA Trophy tie due to his suspension now kicking in. He'll be out for three matches, unfortunately.


Possible Saints starting XI (in a 4-4-2 formation):

No images allowed -http://footballformation.co.uk/team/442/211011104511.png

Quick Stats Guide (league matches only unless otherwise stated):

St. Albans City:
- Scored in the last 8 games
- One win in 5 matches

Ashford Town (Middx):
- 1 win the last 5 matches in all competitions
- Have scored in their last 6 away matches in all competitions

[Daedalus]

No 'Final Word' for this match, so I've just cobbled together a few links to answer the usual questions.


How did the Saints get on against Bedford Town?

Here is the match report from the last game:

www.stalbansreview.co.uk/sport/9308632.Bakare_double_boost_for_Saints/?ref=rss



What did David Howell have to say about it?

Herts Ad article which quotes from Howell's post-match interview - www.hertsad.co.uk/sport/football/howell_targets_fa_trophy_run_1_1103668

Full interview here - www.sacfc.co.uk/index.php/news/-manager-interview/1715-howell-pleased-with-win.html


How are Frome Town getting on so far this season?

Their last match report isn't available. They lost 2-1 away to Aylesbury.

More useful is their FA Trophy match report here - www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com/content/view/1670/35/ - which reports on their win in the last round.

Here are their results so far this season - www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com/content/view/1510/59/ - to give you an idea of how they are performing.

League table - www.ashfordtownmiddlesexfc.com/index.php?option=com_joomleague&func=showResultsRank&p=7

[Daedalus]

The City Archives - Ashford Town (Middx), 2002[/u]

We have a new feature to place alongside our previews this season, as one of Saints Chat's regular posters, Brummie, delves into the history books to provide us with match reports from the past. This gives a chance to walk down memory lane, or learn a little about City's past, before the next match in the present!

This time, Brummie has given us a typed report of a match that took place in 2002. Over to Brummie for the report!

BRYCO LEAGUE CUP 3rd Round

Ashford Town (Middlesex) v St Albans City

10th December 2002

The Saints moved into the Fourth Round of the Bryco League Cup on Tuesday with a victory over Ashford Town (Middlesex). An excellent goal from Jon Challinor and a Simon Martin penalty saw off any threat Ashford posed on a bitterly cold night at Short Lane.

However, just as against Bognor Regis in the previous round, City should have comfortably sealed the win in the first half. Gary Roberts and Steve Cook were able to start with Gary Crawshaw and Simon Martin up front for the first time in five games and Martin soon responded with his 10th goal of the season.

An incisive pass from Steve Castle put Martin through, who touched the ball past Garvin Snell only to be brought down by the Ashford keeper. Martin took the penalty himself and beat Snell convincingly from the spot.

A frantic opening spell also saw Richard Wilmot beat away a Blaize O’Brien snap-shot and a Tom Hedges strike, another Martin goal was disallowed for offside, and a Crawshaw header was excellently saved by Snell on the line.

City continued to dominate the game and always looked the more likely of the two sides to score.

The second goal duly came on 44 minutes, as a long ball fell into the path of Jon Challinor, who continued his run from half-way to send a shot past Snell from 15 yards out.

The Saints appeared to ease their foot off the pedal in the second half and, despite a goal from O’Brien after 53 minutes, the Saints always looked content to sit on their advantage. Craig Mackail-Smith could have scored late on only to mis-time his volley.

Full Time Ashford Town (Middlesex) 1 St Albans City 2

Team Wilmot, Evans, Naylor, Campbell, Moran, Challinor, Oakes, Castle, Martin, (Butterfield 85), Crawshaw, (Mackail-Smith 69), Kean

Thanks, as always, go to Brummie for delving into the City Archives to provide us with an interesting read alongside our usual match previews!

[Daedalus]

So, with Bakare and Walker seeming to have hit it off in recent games, is that our best forward partnership?

Rob Haworth could be available to return, I would guess, and Paul Furlong is waiting in the wings too.

Who would you guys go with up front?

[Daedalus]

From Owsy's Twitter -

'Both Ryan Watts & Tobi Jinadu OUT but Rob Haworth & Paul Furlong available for Ashford (Middx) visit to Clarence Park tomorrow in FA Trophy.'

twitter.com/#!/Owsy5

So I imagine Cutchey will be in for Jinadu.

[COYS]

I'm hoping Walker and Bakare is our preferred front two now; with them up top we seem to actually play football. When we play Furlong or especially Haworth we tend to play hoof-ball towards the big man's head. Much prefer it when we have the quicker, more mobile partnership going forward, and they're not bad with their heads either.
With Watts out, presumably Sean Shields will be given a start? A chance to grab a place in the starting line-up, hopefully.

[Norman7Saints]

I think Howell will make changes tomorrow, wouldnt be surprised to see Bakare and Haworth as the front 2 with Hart and Walker on each wing!

[Deleted]

never change a winning side...

[Hatboy]

He'll have to though unfortunately with Watts out.

[Mick the Mike]

1 - 1 at Half Time

Moran 17th minute.

[Mick the Mike]

Today's attendance - 275

[Mick the Mike]

61st minute.

Saints 1 - 2 Ashford

[Mick the Mike]

72nd minute

Saints 1 - 3 Ashford

[Mick the Mike]

Full Time 1 - 3

[saintmichael]

This is absolutely hopeless. What does Howell think he is doing ? Adam Fry for gods sake !!! I worried about this appointment from the start, mediocre record at Harrow, despite unearthing one or two nuggets, and wondered about his ambition, and our ambitions as a club. keith Scott at Windsor was a better bet. Anyway, i suppose we will need to suffer through 2 months more of this before the board react.

[Daedalus]

Well, at 1-0 up, I thought we were going to win by 2 or 3. We were in control, dominating proceedings and looking good.

The hammer blow of the Ashford Town equaliser proved to be something that the Saints just couldn't recover from. From that point onwards, Ashford went from strength to strength, whilst City didn't manage to get a grip on the tie again. Ashford Town certainly deserve a lot of credit for their performance today but there was a real lack of fight from the Saints second-half.

This was pretty much the same group of players who played so well last weekend against Frome Town, with just one forced change (Sean Shields in for the suspended Ryan Watts).

Personally, I think that the manager deserves our support and I don't agree with the knee-jerk reactions that sometimes pop up on this forum. I hope that DH is given the time to prove his judgement or otherwise for a longer period than just three or four months!

Nevertheless, it was extremely disappointing today to see the lack of a reaction in the second-half from the players. Maybe we are missing some strong characters on the pitch at the moment.

[saintmichael]

We've got a duff manager,again.

[COYS]

Oct 22, 2011 18:23:56 GMT saintmichael said:

We've got a duff manager,again.

You seriously lack patience, and underestimate the amount of work that's needed to get a completely new and young squad working together and playing well week-in, week-out.

[tangerineman]

As a regular at the Under 18s this season I popped along to see the 1st team today for the first time.

From my (limited) knowledge of football it appears to me that it's all about confidence with this team. They started brightly, got the lead & could have had another. Ashford scored against the run of play & from my vantage point it was down to poor marking at the far post. Farcically, from the Saints kick off Ashford scored again only for it to be ruled out for a foul on the keeper. From this one piece of sloppy play I feel that Ashford were given hope & self belief & from that time they dominated the game & looked the only winners.

Furlong did net from close in, I think at 2-1, but it was ruled offside. A marginal decision that could have raised the Saints morale. The Ashford no 10 created problems all day & also won a header from a corner that hit the post. This was despite him being 5 foot nothing.

An educated football man sitting very near me was crying out for City to add more width to their game & I could see his point. There seemed to be no outlet & the midfield 4 were all coalboxed into the central area of the pitch.

As they say on MOTD, a disappointing result but give the new Manager a chance. We are only a few games into the season.

As an aside I thought that the 2 boys who set the training cones out were excellent & their use of space was something to behold.

[Canary Saint]

Oct 22, 2011 19:04:33 GMT COYS said:

Oct 22, 2011 18:23:56 GMT saintmichael said:

We've got a duff manager,again.

You seriously lack patience, and underestimate the amount of work that's needed to get a completely new and young squad working together and playing well week-in, week-out.

Just out of idle curiosity what is the deadline for officially accepting that things are not going quite as well as we might have hoped?

[COYS]

Oct 22, 2011 19:40:23 GMT Canary Saint said:

Oct 22, 2011 19:04:33 GMT COYS said:

You seriously lack patience, and underestimate the amount of work that's needed to get a completely new and young squad working together and playing well week-in, week-out.

Just out of idle curiosity what is the deadline for officially accepting that things are not going quite as well as we might have hoped?

I don't understand what you were hoping for at this stage?? Personally, I was hoping that we'd be in a decent position in the league with a view to moving up it as the team gelled, with signs that we could play some good stuff. And I think I've got that.

[saintmichael]

I am sick of being patient. We've had to endure several years of serious rubbish, and we are going through it all again this season. It is simply not good enough. We don't have a defence and there is no leadership on the field, again, the same story for the last 3-4 seasons, despite Bastock shouting at everyone. As if the result today wasn't bad enough the attendance is shocking.

[Norman7Saints]

Well im afraid when you have new owners a new chairman a new manager and a new team
things take time i agree some of the players are not good enough but the manager needs time to
see what there like and bring new ones in, i agree we were very poor today but im sure things will get better soon!

[Deleted]

Oct 22, 2011 20:29:55 GMT saintmichael said:

I am sick of being patient. We've had to endure several years of serious rubbish, and we are going through it all again this season. It is simply not good enough. We don't have a defence and there is no leadership on the field, again, the same story for the last 3-4 seasons, despite Bastock shouting at everyone. As if the result today wasn't bad enough the attendance is shocking.

Was it rubbish last week? Why's it taken till yesterday to make your first post , your agendas quite clear

[xtl]

Well it appears to be getting rather nasty on here in recent weeks, not something I want to be part of or associated with. I'm off! See ya. COYS

[saintmichael]

Fair enough, I am just concerned and disappointed. I have no "agenda" I just want to see some real progress. Perhaps you all feel that that is what we are seeing ? I understand that off the pitch the club is making progress, but on the pitch I am not convinced. I had expected us to be in the top 6-7 and looking useful, not floundering around in mid-table looking vulnerable.
Lets see how the manager responds to this, he needs to sort out this large squad and bring in some new players, starting with the defence.

[Daedalus]

The season kicked off properly on 13th August. It is now the 23rd October. That's not even three months of the football season. That's 10 weeks of a new campaign and some people want the manager out already? That's just crazy, in my opinion.

The idea of changing the manager right now seems totally illogical to me. I can't understand why anyone would think it was a good idea!

First of all, experience has shown that in the majority of cases, changing manager during the middle of the season has a negligible effect on how well the club does, bar an initial 'honeymoon' period, anyway.

Secondly, switching to a different leader brings with it massive disruption which, in itself, can have a negative effect on performance. Things are likely to get worse rather than better!

Finally, let's not forget that DH is rebuilding the first team for the longer-term. The ultimate goal never was to get promoted this season. It was to consolidate and rebuild after a terrible couple of years at the club.

During pre-season, we had a poll on here asking about people's expectations for the new season. The majority voted for a 'top half finish'. Most were realistic that this season could see a slow start whilst the rebuilding of the team takes place.

In my opinion, we've got a charismatic, intelligent football man in charge of the club. He and his staff deserve our support in these still very early days. Let's see some stability in the long-term at the club and get behind the manager and his team!

[Daedalus]

Some interesting Tweets from Ian Ridley:

'Not acceptable today. We all know that and must work together to put the faults right.'

And he also retweeted someone else's message. They said:

'give Howsie and Ken time, worked wonders at Harrow and they'll do same at for St Albans'

twitter.com/#!/IanRidley1

[Deleted]

Oct 23, 2011 7:12:07 GMT saintmichael said:

Fair enough, I am just concerned and disappointed. I have no "agenda" I just want to see some real progress. Perhaps you all feel that that is what we are seeing ? I understand that off the pitch the club is making progress, but on the pitch I am not convinced. I had expected us to be in the top 6-7 and looking useful, not floundering around in mid-table looking vulnerable.
Lets see how the manager responds to this, he needs to sort out this large squad and bring in some new players, starting with the defence.

really? what planet are you on.
the point about your agenda is very clear

[Deleted]

Oct 23, 2011 7:11:50 GMT @xtl said:

Well it appears to be getting rather nasty on here in recent weeks, not something I want to be part of or associated with. I'm off! See ya. COYS

Another troll. In order to be off you need to be on