Sutton Valence hosted their second home game of the season at their temporary home location of Holcombe park. Pushback was a late 17:00 affair, with the temperature dropping and the threat of heavy rain, which luckily didn’t materialise. Normally the Ashford fixture is one with a lot of action, but a low score line, this year’s first game between the two teams had the normal high paced action, but this time it was an 8-goal thriller.
The game started at a very high tempo set by both teams and continued for the remaining 70 minutes. Valence took early possession and created opportunities during the first 10 minutes, but were unable to convert it into goals. As Ashford clawed the possession statistics back in their favour, they also opened up a lead, scoring from open play. One goal shortly turned into two, as Ashford fired the ball into the D, and a defensive stop dropped to one of the opposition’s forwards who doubled their lead going into half time. Not out of the game and certainly not out gunned, Valence knew they could get back in the game.
The second half continued at the same pace as the first, with both sides having chances, but not being able to convert them, until Ashford were awarded a short corner and Valence found themselves 3 – 0 down. They rallied and playing with great heart were awarded their own short corners with Ben Tragett slotting one of them away, hitting it through the Ashford keeper in the middle of the goal. The goal unsettled Ashford, who looked uncertain for the next few minutes, but they settled their nerves when they scored their fourth from another short corner. With the game now getting stretched and both teams feeling the pace, Alex Hodges went on one of his signature runs down the right side of the pitch to the baseline. After the sound of defensive sticks clashing against his own, Alex slotted the ball in the back of the net as the umpire whistled for a short corner, but the ball was judged to have crossed the line before the whistle.
At 4 – 2 Valence knew another goal would not only get them closer to an equaliser, but momentum would be on their side. With only 10 minutes left in the half, they pushed more men forward looking for another goal, but inevitably got caught on the break as they took more risks and conceded another goal and at 5 – 2 they knew it would be a step too far. Not prepared to give up they rallied one last time, and Chris Sheldon scored their third and final goal making the final result 5-3 in Ashford’s favour.
Valence came off the pitch knowing they had played with real heart to fight their way back into the game. The work rate of the team couldn’t be questioned, especially that of Alex Hodges, who was awarded Man of the Match. Valence travel to Canterbury next week where they look to return to winning ways.

MoM: Alex Hodges

Goal scorers: Ben Tragett ; Alex Hodges; Chris Sheldon

Team: Finlay Wishart, Mark Whitmill, Louis Robinson, Andy Barr, Chris Sheldon, Chris Stille, Alex Hodges, James Willmott, Ben Tragett, Steve Parker, Tom Willson, Richard Turnill.
Umpire: Iain Simmons

Next week Sutton Valence 2nd XI are away against Canterbury 5th Xl.

Match report by Mark Whitmill.