ASHBY IVANHOE RESERVES 1-2 SILEBY TOWN RESERVES
LEICESTERSHIRE COMBINATION DIVISION ONE
SATURDAY 3RD DECEMBER 2011
Ashby Ivanhoe Reserves put in one of their best performances of the season and should have wrapped up all three points before the break but visitors Sileby Town Reserves came from behind to snatch the points.
The match started evenly and the opening ten minutes saw Ashby create a number of chances which were from distance and kept the Sileby keeper busy but the saves were fairly comfortable and the opposition also had a couple of chances to score with one cleared off the line and another going just wide.
Ashby continued to ask all the questions as the first half progressed and on the half hour they deservedly took the lead with a good goal from Josh Hunt who from the edge of the area turned and sent an accurate shot towards the far corner which beat the keepers dive before finding the net just inside the post.
After the goal Ashby went in search of a second goal and they had a number of chances before half time with the first coming in the 35th minute when Michael Ellis tried a speculative effort from the corner of the area but his shot went wide of the far post and then a few minutes later he got on the end of a cross into the area but the ball found the side netting.
Ellis was involved again a minute before the break when he was put through on goal by Sam Kirk and after advancing towards goal he stuck a low powerful shot which forced the keeper into making a good save to keep his side just a goal behind.
On the stroke of half time Sileby were presented with a chance to draw level when they were awarded a penalty after a foul just inside the area and the penalty was dispatched into the net sending Hodge the wrong way to send the teams in at the break all square at 1-1.
The second half again saw Ashby play the better football and they had the best chances and in the 57th minute they went close to retaking the lead and it was Hunt who nearly added to his earlier strike with a curling shot from 20 yards which went the wrong side of the post.
Just after the hour mark Sileby had a rare chance when a cross from the left into the area found a player unmarked but his low shot brought out another good save from Hodge and then Ashby broke forward and when the ball came to Hunt he controlled the ball well before seeing his shot go wide.
In the 70th minute Sileby wasted a great opportunity to take the lead when a ball forward left the player with just Hodge to beat and after he had closed down the player the shot was struck poorly and rolled past the post but just three minutes later they did edge in front when Ashby couldn’t get the ball in a defensive position and Sileby passed the ball around the area and a ball to the back post was put away to give them a 2-1 lead.
Ashby pushed forward throughout the remainder of the match looking to find the equaliser but they couldn’t find their way past the Sileby keeper who produced another couple of fine saves in the final minutes to send Ashby to a defeat they didn’t deserve and if they continue to put in this kind of performance in the next few matches then they will start to pick up points and move away from the bottom end of the table.
