Villa Second Best In Shropshire
It was a bad night for Villa in Market Drayton
Ashville were brought back down to earth with a thump in Shropshire on Tuesday night as they fell 4-0 at the hands of Market Drayton Town.
4 goals and 5 yellow cards went against Ashville's record on a night that the Villa will want to forget in a hurry. The hosts took the lead on 24 minutes when a long ball over the top caught the Villa defence at sixes and sevens, allowing a Market Drayton attacker in on goal. He tried to sneak the ball under Mikey Dixon, who tried his best but the ball deflected back off the attacker and towards the goal where the Market Drayton left winger was on hand to scramble the ball over the line.
From that point on the Gingerbread Men were in full control until the half hour mark when Ashville tried to beat the hosts at their own game. A long ball into Parrington was headed into the path of Ben Greenop, who unfortunately couldn't continue his hot scoring streak as his half volley was excellently saved by the feet of the hosts goalkeeper. It would of been in vain anyway as the linesman had his flag up for offside but it was a glimmer of hope for Villa.
That hope soon dissipated however as 2 minutes before half time another long ball caught Villa out. The Market Drayton right winger getting the better of Tom Hartley with a brilliant turn before driving into the box and firing a cross cum shot across goal where a Market Drayton striker stayed alert and tapped the ball over the line.
Two goals down at half time, Villa we're hoping for a better performance in the second half and they nearly found a route back into the game as some brilliant work down the right from substitute and shining light of the night, Joe Dulson, saw a low cross fund Greenop in the middle. Greenop was under pressure from the centre half and that pressure was enough to see Greenop's effort go wide of the post from 6 yards out.
A bad night for Villa got worse in the 75th minute as yet another long ball found it's way over the defence and Tom Hartley was left chasing the shadow of the attacker before he took him down unceremoniously inside the area. The referee gave the penalty and it was telling that there were no appeals from the Ashville players or bench.
Nicky Parker converted from the spot for the hosts with a powerful penalty straight down the middle.
That would be Hartley's last involvement in the game as he was subbed off for Louis White as Villa looked to chase the game and an improbable 3 goal comeback with less than 15 minutes to go.
Just 5 minutes later and it was a long ball which exposed the Villa back line once more as it had done all evening, landing at the feet of the Market Drayton attacker who lashed the ball back across goal into the bottom corner to compound a miserable night for Villa.
Gary Jones didn't hold back in his post match interview with the clubs media. Describing the performance, Gary had this to say; "Not good enough, second best all over the pitch". The gaffer continued "After all the plaudits last week, rightly so, that's just one game. You've got to be consistent". "If you're not at 100%, if you're at 99% you get beat. You've got to be on it all the time".
Ashville look to get back to winning ways this weekend at home to Alsager. Tickets for that game can be purchased online at ashvillefc.com/tickets
Online tickets go off sale at 23:59 on Friday August 11th.
If you want to secure your seat for every home game, season tickets can be purchased for £72 for adults and £25 for concessions on the website or in person at any home game.
