A game to forget for Three Bridges as they lose to Ashford for the third time this season

Ashford, without sparkling throughout, were good value for their victory with a solid defence keeping out the Bridges attack. Goalkeeper Jacob Russell cannot have had many afternoons as peaceful as this.

It started to go bad for Bridges in the 20th minute when a deep long ball by Charlie Dickens caught Leo Anderson off his line and gave Johan Ter Horst the simplest of chances.

Little happened after that until the 52nd minute when the lively Gary Lockyer’s low cross was intercepted at the near post by Joe Tennent and put away for a corner.

Injuries to both Bridges full backs hardly helped, but replacements Camron Lawson and particularly Harvey Woollard did add a little punch to proceedings.

Bridges had even given a couple of glimpses of snatching an unlikely equaliser, but ten minutes from time a swift counter attack by the visitors ended with Lockyer lobbing over Anderson to clinch three precious points towards their promotion bid.

But the game ended badly with a mini brawl resulting in red cards being shown to Curtis Gayler, hardly the way to celebrate a hundredth club appearance, and Ashford’s Cameron Brodie.

Bridges Man of the Match - Tadley Bromage.

Weather permitting, Bridges have three away games in eight days, starting with the local derby at Haywards Heath on Tuesday (7th). On Saturday (11th), they are scheduled to play at Sittingbourne, and next Tuesday (14th) they travel to Corinthian.

Bridges: L.Anderson, B.Irving (H.Woollard, 56), G.Ashley (C.Lawson, h-t), M.Wilson, T.Bromage, J.Tennent, C.Gayler, B.O’Neill, K.Pamment, N.Leighton, B.Villavicencio.Unused Subs. - M.Bromage, D.Ferreria, J.Stone.Booked - O’Neill (64), Leighton (73).Sent Off - Gayler (90).

Ashford: J.Russell, T.Ossai, B.Simms, C.Dickens, L.Friend, B.Gorham, C.Brodie, R.Saunders (R.Ovenden, 73), G.Lockyer, E.Olowasemo (D.Parish, 72), J.Ter Horst (H.Muggeridge, 69).Unused Subs. - L.Azeez, D.Spencer.Booked - Saunders (43).Sent Off - Brodie (90).