For the second time this season the Ants and Ashfield shared the points with a 1-1 draw, having shared the same scoreline in the reverse fixture at McKenna Park the week before the winter shutdown. The pitch at the Peugeot Ashfield Stadium looked good before the start of the game but as the match went on the rain soaked park cut up badly leaving both teams struggling to play their normal games and a draw was on balance a fair result.
Both teams were looking for back to back victories with Ashfield having run out 1-0 winners at home to Newmains the week before, whereas the Ants hadn’t played a competitive match in three weeks following their 3-1 victory at Gartcairn. Ashfield started the brighter of the two sides, the lack of playing time showing as the Ants players shook off the rust and it was the home side who almost took the lead after 7 minutes when the ball fizzed across the Ants six yard box, ex-Ants forward Stevenson was inches away from getting on the end of it but couldn’t quite reach it. He then had another couple of chances but his first saw McDonald block his effort onto the outside of the post and he headed over from the resultant corner.
The Ants slowly found their feet and began to come into the match as an attacking force, pushing the Ashfield defence back without really threatening. That all changed in the 22nd minute when they looked to have opened the scoring, McKay played a 1-2 with Maxwell from a corner then whipped in a cross that Storey in the ‘Field Goal appeared to fumble, Grant Kelly was first to react to poke the ball home only for his joy to be short lived as Mr MacDermaid blew up for a foul and the goal was disallowed. The Ants did eventually take the lead in the 29th minute when a pinpoint cross from McKay found KIERON MAXWELL who headed home from six yards to put the Ants infront. Maxwell almost then found Kelly in the box but his pass was intercepted by an Ashfield defender. Kelly then tried his luck from a free kick but his effort lacked enough dip and went over the bar. Ashfield equalised in the 41st minute when that man BILLY STEVENSON equalised after a great through ball from Murphy, Stevenson beat the offside flag, although it looked close, and slotted past Campbell in the Ants goal and the teams went in at the break level at 1-1.
The start of the second half saw the Ants almost open the scoring within the first two minutes but McKay’s shot was well saved by Storey then five minutes later Ants captain Miller’s flicked header at goal from a Crawford free kick went inches wide of the post. Despite the conditions play went from end to end and Moulangou’s cross was deflected goalward’s by O’Brien’s tackle, but Miller cleared off the line, the Ants defence could only half clear the danger though and Campell had to get down low to save from Giblin’s effort. Foggin then saw Campbell save well with his legs from a short corner that the full back latched onto, this time not only did the Ants defence clear the danger but they helped launch a counter attack with possibly the best move of the match, O’Brien cleared to Kelly, who played a 1-2 with Neossi which set the forward scampering down the right wing, his cross field pass found Kane who charged forward with the ball, McKay had made a clever run from right to left which opened up space for Kane to run into, himself playing a 1-2 with but his shot was well saved by Storey. Giblin then put his own defence under pressure when his attempted clearance went straight up in the air and Crawford found Kelly at the back post but the hitman fired wide.
Both teams were putting in some shift and still the game could have went either way, Murphy found Dymock for the home side but the veteran striker couldn’t keep his half volley down and it sailed over the cross bar. With 5 minutes to go came the best 3 chances of the half, first Ants sub Brown almost netted minutes after coming on but he was stretching and the ball shot off his leg and over the bar, then for Ashfield Giblin found himself with only Campbell to beat but his shot lacked power and Campbell got down well to save, then with almost the last kick of the ball Ants sub Brown found himself bearing down on goal but like Giblin for the home side he couldn’t generate enough power and Storey saved well.
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