ASHBY IVANHOE 2-0 COTTESMORE AMATEURS
LEICESTERSHIRE SENIOR LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
SATURDAY 22ND OCTOBER 2011

Second half goals from Dan Stevenson and Luke Thorogood gave Ashby Ivanhoe a comfortable 2-0 victory over second bottom Cottesmore Amateurs who made the home side work hard for their victory.

The first half saw Ashby dominate proceedings although they just couldn’t find a way past the opposition defence and any balls into the area were quickly dealt with and with Cottesmore offering very little up front the opening 30 minutes went by without incident.

The only chance of an uneventful first half came just after the half hour when Mitch Jordan’s cross from the left found Phil Gibson and his shot was well saved by the keeper’s foot leaving the match goalless at the break.

Ashby stormed out of the blocks in the second half as they looked to take control of the match and within three minutes of the restart they broke the deadlock with a brilliantly struck free-kick 20 yards from goal which Dan Stevenson curled towards goal and despite the keeper managing to get a slight touch to the ball it didn’t stop it finding the top corner.

Just two minutes passed before Ashby had a chance to double their advantage when a free kick from the right touchline was played into the area from Mark Smalley but the keeper produced a fine save to turn away Gibson’s headed effort.

On the hour mark Ashby were awarded another free kick in shooting distance and Stevenson again stepped up to send another accurate kick towards the top corner but with the ball looking destined for the net the keeper managed to tip the ball round the post to keep the score at 1-0.

Ashby’s second half pressure was always going to bring a second goal and it came in the 73rd minute when Luke Thorogood received the ball just outside the area and despite under pressure from the Cottesmore defence he managed to turn before sending his shot beyond the keeper just inside the post.

Inside the final few minutes Ashby had a chance to add a third but Jack Willars saw his shot go narrowly past the far post before Ashby’s ever reliable keeper John Noon produced a fine double save to earn a first clean sheet of the season and the 2-0 victory lifts Ashby into eighth place in the Leicestershire Senior League.