Ellistown FC v Ashby Ivanhoe Knights

Our previous games v knights had Ellistown leading 3-0 before losing 3-4 and leading 2-0 before scrambling a 2-2 draw, so we knew the opening game of the season had history that was not in our favour.

What we was not expecting was to score after 10 secs then after nicking possession from the kick-off, Haydn Brown lobbed the Ashby keeper from 30 yards.

EFC 1-0 AIK 10 secs!!!

We were in dreamland but aware of the history. Credit to the knights, they dusted themselves down and got on with it and while they caused a couple of concerns, we were in control.

We doubled our lead on 30 mins when a twice taken penalty from Niall Dawkins put us 2-0 up after missing the 1st pen as the goalkeeper moved of his line.

EFC 2-0 AIK 30 mins

We went into cruise mode which based on the history of game is a bad move as Ashby startled to control the game and should have pulled one back either through missing a guilt edge chance or award of a pen that was not given.

Half-time whistle went with Ellistown in control but Ashby not out of it.

EFC 2-0 AIK HT

2nd half should have been about game management but with a disjointed pre-season, fatigue kicked in as we started to play on memory but should have put the game to bed before history took over.

Ashby got back into it on 77 mins when poor defending from a freekick give Cameron Sellors a free header that he took full advantage of.

EFC 2-1 AIK 77 mins

Now things got nervy but we were in control. Ashby's tails were up and released we had a soft defensive centre and were tiring, started to put more and more balls in the box and pull us over the park. But we were playing some great attacking football on the break so 3-1 was looking more likely then 2-2.

With the clock moving into the 95 min and Ellistown have a corner, surly no danger, play keep ball and 3pts in the bag.

That's not the Ellistown way, yes we tried to play keep ball but we lost it and within 5 seconds, Ashby had a freekick 25 yards out.

Up came the Ashby Goalkeeper, Lewis Ward who somehow managed to find the freedom of the penalty box to put a bullet header into the back of our net. Quiet rightly, Ashby went mental and our boys looked beaten.

EFC 2-2 AIK 95 mins

There was no time to kick-off and a stunned Ellistown walked off the pitch knowing history had repeated it's self.

EFC 2-2 AIK FT

Match Summary

A great game of football and the draw was the fair result but we know we blew 3pts again against the knights.