Ashford's Aces Condemn Weymouth to First Defeat
By Matt Pitman

Thursday 18th August 2005

FORMER Terra Ryan Ashford returned to haunt his former club with a master-class in free-kick taking last night.

The Eastleigh winger, bombed out of the Wessex Stadium in 2003 after just a season, capped a sensational performance with two set- piece crackers at Sparshatts Stadium.

Ashford's stunning strikes condemned Weymouth - who lost defender Trevor Challis to a nasty leg injury to their first Conference South defeat of the season in only their second game of the new campaign.

Boss Garry Hill must be worried after watching the visitors lack any creative spark against the eager division new boys.

But on this showing goal-shy Weymouth won't be the only side coming a cropper against the hungry Hampshire outfit this season.

Things could have been so different had striker Wayne Purser not been denied by at a handful of firstclass saves by Eastleigh keeper Scott Tarr throughout.

Too often the Terras made life easy for the hosts by pumping long balls forward which were gratefully gobbled up by impressive Spitfires defender Rob Marshall and company.

Early on things looked good for the visitors, who made three changes from the previous weekend's starting eleven.

Winger Steve Clark was left out with a foot injury and his absence was sorely missed.

Midfielder Richie Hanlon headed Andy Harris cross just wide, while the latter saw a stinging volley blocked by Marshall.

But after that bright start Paul Doswell's troops took the game by the scruff of the neck - Steve Forbes crashed a shot from range against the bar and Ashford's dipping corner had keeper Aaron Lee Barrett scrambling.

The home side had a let off midway through the half when a mix up could have seen keeper Tarr red-carded.

The gloveman carried the ball outside his area after an assistant referee flagged for offside but was over-ruled by referee Andrew Laver.

The man in black decided however to look leniently on Tarr's offence and only awarded Weymouth a free-kick from which Purser drew a good save from the keeper.

Purser and Tarr continued their duel on 38 minutes when the former Peterborough star's feint flick was brilliantly turned away by the goalie.

Eastleigh immediately went down the other end and showed the visitors how it is done in front of goal.

Roy Q'Brien fouled Danny Smith on the edge of the area and up stepped Ashford to curl over a fiveman wall and nestle his shot into the back of the net.

Ashford nearly grabbed another with a cheeky 40-yard effort after the break as Weymouth, still having no joy with their direct play, became increasingly frustrated.

Any hopes the Dorset side had of getting back into it were ended after a disastrous couple of minutes midway through the second period.

The Terras first lost defender Challis to a leg injury when he stretched and fouled Andy Forbes on the edge of his own area.

Then to rub salt in the wounds, Ashford planted the resulting free kick past Lee- Barrett aided by a big deflection.

Hill threw on frontmen Chukki Eribenne and Dan Webb from the bench to try and salvage an unlikely draw, and Webb was denied by the sprawling Tarr twice in the closing moments.

But it was that man Ashford who could and probably should have earned more glory, blazing over from close range, just before he was substituted to a standing ovation from the home crowd.

Weymouth : Lee-Barrett, Tully, Challis (Wilde 73 mins), O'Brien, Bound, Harris, Carey (Webb 73 mins), Hanlon, Jackson (Eribenne 73 mins), Purser, Wheeler

Unused Subs : Dutton, Matthews

Eastleigh : Tarr, Thomas, Marshall, Smith, Collins, Burton (Oliver 45 mins) , Hughes, A Forbes, Roach (Taylor 81 mins), S Forbes, Ashford (Bowers 89 mins)

Unused Subs : Wilson, Bowers

Bookings :

Weymouth : Harris, Bound

Eastleigh : None