After the usual train chaos on SWR and not getting to a game on Saturday, this came as a welcome relief from all the travel hassles as it’s always a pleasure to catch up with Bryn, Duncan and the ladies at Ashridge Park. The day didn’t seem as cold as recent days so I opted for just a hoodie and a warm jacket for the short bus journey over to Wokingham, something I’d come to regret later in the afternoon! This game would also see me hit the half way point in my quest to get to 50 women’s games this season and make it 51 games seen in total so far in 24/25.

With Farnham’s game falling foul of the cold snap it was great to see their former Ashridge players, Megan Averill and Laura Comerford (along with the most possessive pup ever), and Lily-May Varney there to support their former team. It was also great to be able to catch up with Suzana Traguedes who was looking really well after being pretty poorly recently. It was good to see her back smiling and as effervescent as usual.

Ashridge, currently sitting mid-table in Division One, started the game on full throttle, taking the game to their visitors from the league below from the first minute. Promising early link ups on the right between Chloe Barton, Ellie Messitt and Lauren Broadhurst, led to a couple of quality crosses fizzing across the six yard box but on both occasions just too far in front of Ruby Owen and Katie Sayer coming in at the far post.

A nice through ball by Lucy Thomson found Messitt in the box and her quick feet made space for a shot which was beaten away at the near post for a corner by Town keeper Bells Rowan. The resulting corner was floated towards the far post where Broadhurst got her head to it but could only direct it over the bar.

After 20 minutes the pressure finally told with Messitt sliding in to knock the ball past Rowan to give the hosts a deserved lead. 1-0

A second wasn’t long in coming with Messitt this time turning provider. Her precision pass picked out the run of Broadhurst, Rowan tried to narrow the angle but Broadhurst took her time and calmly placed the ball into the corner. 2-0

The waves of attacks just kept on coming for the hosts, Daisy Cooke hit a shot from distance which was well saved by Rowan and there were shouts for a penalty which were waved away, Broadhurst picking up the loose ball and jinked past three defenders before seeing her shot well saved at the near post by Rowan.

The visitors were under siege and rarely managed to get out of their own half but did so after a clearance down the line was kept in well by Hailey Paige, flicking the ball on to Rose Kent. She cut inside looking for space for a shot which she found only for her effort to lodge in the midriff of home keeper Kari Mietle.

On 32 minutes Ashridge added a third, Ruby Owen winning the ball midway inside the Wantage half before running on into the area and stroking the ball past the advancing Rowan. 3-0

Five minutes before the break Owen added a fourth, a nice interchange between Messitt and Barton found Owen in space on the right. She hit a first time shot from the corner of the area which seemed to squirm through the hands of Rowan and roll into the net. 4-0

H-T: Ashridge Park 4 Wantage Town 0

The weather suddenly got colder after the break, even the linesman had a cup of tea to hand! I was now regretting deciding not to slip on my heated gilet before I left home today but hey, you live and learn. My hands would still freeze taking notes on the game even with it on!

The second half continued in the same vein with Ashridge on top and pushing for more goals. A lovely diagonal pass from Elena Torroni looked to have picked out Messitt’s run but this time Chelsey Newport was there to cover and shepherd the ball back to her keeper.

On the hour mark, livewire Ruby Owen claimed her first senior hat-trick, latching onto a ball through the middle before firing past Rowan to make it five for the hosts. 5-0

Still the home side looked for more but saw a succession of corners well defended by the visitors defence. Sian Blissett then had a good chance after being played in but Rowan came out quickly and saved excellently on the edge of the area, Blissett picked up the rebound but, off balance, could only find the side netting.

Next, a nice passing move involving Amy Linge and Lucy Thomson picked out Katie Sayer whose first time shot was again saved well, this time down low to her right by Rowan.

Linge’s pinpoint corners were now causing problems for the visitors and, with 75 minutes on the clock, her cross to the far post was headed back across the six yard box by Barton finding the feet of Angelina Gokhool who poked the ball home for her first senior goal. 6-0

Ashridge then won a free kick 25 yards out which was launched goalwards by Elena Torrini only for Rowan to get a strong hand on it to send it onto the crossbar, the rebound inches away from being touched in by Blissett and eventually cleared by Sophie Green.

After a brief foray into the Ashridge half which saw a Rose Kent shot saved by Mietle, the hosts grabbed their seventh from a quick counter attack down the right. Barton played the ball inside to Gokhool and carried on her run down the flank to receive the return pass, she picked out Katie Sayer all alone in the box and she provided a calm finish past the stranded Rowan. 7-0

There was still time for an eighth for the home side. You’ve probably all heard the term backed into a corner, this was more backed in from a corner! Another Linge set piece into a dangerous area saw Scarlett Pratt challenge for the ball, with it seemingly coming off her back and going into the net. 8-0

The referee ended the game soon after to give Ashridge a convincing win and take them into the next round.

F-T: Ashridge Park 8 Wantage Town 0

It was pretty much a complete team performance from Ashridge with everyone playing their part. It was a day of milestones for them too with a first senior hat-trick for Ruby Owen and first goals in senior football for Angelina Gokhool and Scarlett Pratt. Congrats to all three.

For Wantage it was always going to be tough against higher league opposition, especially with only a couple of subs on the bench and picking up injuries during the game, but they battled on well throughout and Bells Rowan was outstanding in between the sticks.

Best of luck to both sides for the rest of the season.


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