After last weeks 3-3 draw with Folkestone at home Burnt Ash 1s travelled to Sevenoaks on one of the wettest days of the year.
Burnt Ash were slightly unprepared due to someone not waking up in time for the meet at the club this was of course dealt with heavily in a fine session that will pay for the whole 1st teams day out at the end of the season.
This game started at a fast pace and with both teams creating some sublime attacking hockey the home team broke the stalemate with a well executed short corner past the helpless Ash no.1. This did not deter the Ash style of hockey and once again chances were made but unfortunately with no end result. Sevenoaks once again won a short corner which lead to another goal after the corner had broken down and a fine save fortunately found a Sevenoaks forward on the back post to flick into the net. 2-0 down and once again the Bexley side had it all to do to secure 3 points. Burnt Ash didn't change the style of play and some fine passing around the back from Cryer,Wilson, Slater and Brine lead to the goal of the game with patience the Ash took the chance to apply some pressure to the Sevenoaks team and after 7 or 8 passes around the back found Farmer on the left who turned two of the helpless Oaks midfielders and looked up to strike the ball into the D where a late running Flannery shrugged of his defender and deflected perfectly into the bottom right of the home teams goal.
Ash headed into half time 2-1 down with all to play for and they came out all guns blazing in the 2nd half and secured a penalty stroke after some robust defending from the Oaks centre half lead to Dom Flannery looking like Per Mertesacker had been taken out. Moore stepped up and drew the teams level and with 25 mins to play all was left on the pitch by both teams, what I mean by left on the pitch is other players limbs and sticks as this is when the cards started being branded like it was already December 25th. At no point from then on was there 22 players on the pitch with Ash down to 9 at one point and Oaks receiving yellows as well. Burnt Ash received another stroke after another big clout on Flannery and once again Moore scored a trademark penalty stroke down the middle. 3-2 to Ash and still more drama was on the cards with 3 mins to go Sevenoaks countered vs the 10 men of Ash and the favour was returned a high stick tackle on the Oaks forward lead to an Oaks stroke and was duly dispatched, 3-3 and the whistle was blown for full time.
The disappointment on the first team of yet another game slipping to a draw was able to be seen as soon as the whistle had blown for full time. Next week Ash welcome Holcombe to Hurstmere knowing that a win is surely only just around the corner with the style of hockey being played from the Ash.

Iain Brine