DEFENSIVE LAPSES TRAP TIGERS

Tigers will be very frustrated not to have taken anything from this game. It was the first league meeting with the Wokingham club who started the day 11 points and two places above Tigers. Tigers were, as usual, reduced to a bare 11 players, augmented by the Cougars' Tom Earp. Ashridge regularly rotated their 14 players but the casual observer would not have noticed the benefit gained. The defining difference was individual errors which one would have been hard-pressed to attribute to fatigue.
With a strong and gusting wind at their backs, Tigers had the best of the opening exchanges. The visitors struggled to stay onside against Hearts' high defensive line. Alex Carter was dominant in midfield and although Tigers struggled to make clear chances, Ashridge's defence was constantly on its toes. In the 24th minute, a blistering run down the right flank with the ball at his feet saw Gabe Sinclair send over a pin-point cross to find Kobe Sabado who smashed home his 5th goal of the season.
Tigers looked comfortable and were unlucky not to add to their total, frequently thwarted by the Ashridge keeper. On Ashridge's few raids upfield, Rufus Biggs, who had a player of the match performance, thwarted everything on the right. Biggs contribution grew throughout the game and by the second half, Ashridge simply couldn't get past him. Frustratingly, as half time approached, it was on the Tigers' left where two unconvincing challenges allowed Ashridge to level the score.
The second half saw Earp replace Sinclair on the right and he continued in a similar vein, regularly troubling the Ashridge defence. Toby Chilvers, captain in the absence of Frazer Pickrell, had a very solid performance but it was his misjudgement that allowed Ashridge through on goal. Keeper Joe Wallis made a number of outstanding saves in the second half but on this occasion he failed to close down the angles and the Ashridge striker was able to pick his spot and put the visitors ahead 2-1.
It heralded a frantic few minutes. Tigers drove up the left via Carter and Ned Davies. George Lee and Sabado tried unsuccessfully to breach the last line but they did earn a corner. Davies delivered an absolute peach, finding Louis Liddiard in the six yard box who steered the ball home to level the scores.
The joy was short-lived. Ashridge exploited an isolated Alex Rustomji to grab back the lead. Tigers threw everything at Ashridge in search of another equaliser which was the least their overall performance deserved. Biggs and Liddiard worked the ball down the right which eventually saw an Earp cross grasped by the keeper. Sabado went down just outside the box but as the referee played a questionable advantage, he leapt to his feet and saw his effort go wide. Sadoon and Carter controlled the left side of midfield, Ned Davies was pulled back for offside as he breached the visitors' last line and bore down on the goal. George Lee rattled the cross bar and Liddiard had an attempt blocked. It was as close as Tigers would come.
There is a chance of revenge when Tigers go to Ashridge on the last Saturday of Tigers' season. In the meantime, Tigers have two more home games to secure mid-table respectability.