Honours even in Surrey

On Tuesday night, we travelled across the county border to face Ash United in our rearranged league match.

The 100 mile round trip was initially scheduled for Saturday 10 September but was cancelled alongside the rest of the football across the nation that weekend.

It was just our second trip to Ash in recent memory, with the side having transferred across from the Combined Counties League in the summer of 2021. Indeed there were still some CCL match balls in use.

Last year, we ran out 5-1 winners but Tuesday night's game proved to be a much tighter affair.

After a cagey opening, Geoff Dunn opened the scoring giving us the lead in the 20th minute when he pounced on a loose ball in the box to fire home.

We then lost centre back Kieran Hancock to injury on the half hour mark.

Three minutes later, the hosts equalised and the match was turned on its head as they took the lead on the 42nd minute.

On the stroke of half time however, top scorer Jack Odam levelled the game. After pressuring the Ash defender into a mistake, his initial shot was blocked but he struck a delicate chip on the rebound to send the match into half time at 2-2.

We were behind once more ten minutes into the second half when a deflected long range effort looped into the net.

We made several changes but were frustrated in our attempts to get an equaliser. That was until Nick Watts whipped a pinpoint cross into the box that was met by the head of Brad Strickland who nodded in his first of the season.

After an action packed evening, the referee called time on a 3-3 draw.

Next match

We now begin a run of three home matches in a row, starting with Folland Sports. The Hamble based side lost 4-1 to Whitchurch United last night but had won four of their opening six league games. The match is at 3pm at the AEC Protection Ground this Saturday.

Development action

Our under-23 side have a match tonight away to Laverstock & Ford, that's a 7:45pm kick off in Wiltshire. The development squad are then also away on Saturday as they travel to Alton, 3pm kick off.