Asfordby FC go AWOL as Desford hit four

Asfordby started poorly, and from their own kick-off, a loose pass in midfield found the feet of the Desford striker who danced past three players and glanced a shot just wide.

Frustratingly for Mann, this set the tone of the game.

“Today, we really struggled to get going,” he said.

“It showed that we missed a week with the weather and just weren’t at the races from the off.

“It was highly frustrating to watch and the lads seemed a yard off the pace all around the pitch.

“When you give the opposition too much time and space you get punished and we did just that – their goals came from our slack marking and that’s the most annoying thing.

“We will put it down to just a bad day at the office, regroup, and go again next week.”

Sloppy defending and mis-placed passing allowed Desford to break the deadlock, when Asfordby failed to clear a corner which broke to an unmarked striker eight yards out.

Asfordby tried to up the tempo, but further sloppy play in the final third rarely troubled the Desford defence, and when the hosts did manage to create some openings, poor composure in the final third wasted them.

But just as Mann was preparing for his half-time team talk, Asfordby got back on level terms.

A long kick from keeper Spencer, evaded the Desford defence and Jack Baker anticipated well, winning a 50/50 with the keeper to slot the loose ball into the net.

This should have given Asfordby the platform to push on following stern words at half-time, but it was Desford who looked the more composed and hungry for the win in a scrappy second half.

All three of their goals came in the last 12 minutes, with Asfordby looking a yard off the pace as the Desford strikers were allowed the freedom of the box to slot two quick goals beyond the helpless Spencer.

Asfordby’s day was typified by the fourth goal when the strikers had three attempts to put the ball in the net after hitting the bar, post and a Spencer save, with no defender close enough to make a challenge.