Having visited Uxbridge, Burnham, Thatcham and Godalming in recent weeks, the Purple Army set off down the M40, for yet another central fixture, just outside the perimeter fencing of Heathrow airport, at the Robert Parker Stadium, home of Ashford Town of, Middlesex, not Kent!
Playing on yet another uneven pitch, Daventry Town started the game brightly, some good work by midfielder Josh Blake, produced an opportunity for former Woodford United player Nat Liburd to cross the ball into the penalty area, the Ashford goal keeper Paul McCarthy left the cross, thinking it was going out, but it dropped sharply and hit the post, only to bounce away, much to the relief of the keeper McCarthy.
Ashford took the lead after only nine minutes, Town keeper Richard Morris dropped the ball at the feet of striker Jack Mullan, who thinking it was an early Christmas present, smashed the ball high in to the Daventry net, past a disappointed Morris. Daventry had plenty of possession, but created very few clear cut chances on goal in the first half, apart from a Michael Bryan free kick, which was palmed over the bar by Paul McCarthy.
Daventry captain Guy Sanders, also came close with another free kick, which was deflected narrowly past the post for a corner. Daventry were beginning to look very dangerous coming forward, but for the final ball! Just after half time, Nat Liburd was once again at the centre of the action, managing to find some room to turn and fire a shot into the roof of the net, to put Daventry Town level.
Until recent games, Daventry Town had one of the best defensive records in their division, but just six minutes after Town had equalised, Daventry conceded yet another goal, their fourth in two games, right winger Joe Bennett was allowed time to run down the right side of the field and run unchallenged into the penalty box, hitting a shot into the far corner of the net, to give Ashford the lead for the second time in the game.
Three minutes later, Daventry appeared to have given the game away, when Jack Mullan scored his second goal of the game and Ashford’s third, giving Ashford a comfortable two goal lead, but the game was going from end to end, and in the fifty ninth minute, Daventry Town were awarded a penalty.
Midfielder Ross Oulton, running in to the Ashford penalty area, was bought down by two desperate Ashford defenders, and Jamie Gould stepped up and easily converted, giving Daventry renewed hope of rescuing at least a point from the match.
In the seventy ninth minute, Daventry Town manager Darran Foster substituted Michael Bryan for striker Danny Edmunds,and on came Scott Cross for Nat Liburd, in a final attempt at salvaging a point, to no avail!
Team Manager Darran Foster summed up his feelings after the game, ‘What was most disappointing was the way we conceded goals, for weeks we have looked so strong in defence, today we looked totally disjointed and out of shape. Missing Kyle Cartwright proved to have a massive effect on us, we had to shuffle the back four and something was just not right as a result.
We looked wide open on many occasions and the lack of communication led to school boy errors, which you will get punished for in any game and against anyone.
We are around six to eight points off the top of the table and three to five points off the play offs, so the panic button is not yet being pushed, everyone is capable of taking points of everyone in this league and I’m sure that will continue, so we just need to capitalize when we can and put a run together of good results.

A hugely disappointing result for Town, Ashford had lost their last game at home to our promotion rivals Godalming Town, by five goals to one! Daventry Town must get all three points from their next game at Communications Park on Saturday, to third placed rivals Guildford City, if hopes of a play – off place next April, are to be realised.

Jim Davis
Daventry Correspondent