Ashmoor on wrong side of six-goal thriller

ASHMOOR men's 1st XI entertained Division One relegated side Havant at their Totnes base, and despite showing a marked improvement in both individual and team performance, they came out on the wrong side of another 6-goal thriller.

Lewis Hammett and Tom Conway returned to National League action, the former after the safe arrival of his second daughter, Serena. Injury to skipper Jamie Bishop meant that Second team Captain Reuben Stanley received his first EHL call up since 2025.

Ashmoor made the better start and created two circle entries without any successful outcomes. At the other end, Jasper Bubb in goal for Ashmoor snuffed out a 1:1 chance from Havant with good speed off his line.

Early in the second quarter, Theo Bennett was caught in possession, and their South African striker buried his shot to give the keeper no chance. Ashmoor bounced straight back, Rich Fisher not quite getting the accuracy he wanted with his first set piece penalty corner of the match.

Ashmoor won another penalty corner swiftly after, but again Fisher's shot was saved. The ball did fall to Jack Dinnie, but his spin and shot went wide.

At the other end a penalty corner was bravely run down by the player-coach. As halftime approached and just the one error-strewn goal separating the two teams, Ashmoor were gutted to let in a second with 30 seconds left.

It was a carbon copy of the first with the defender caught in possession, and the team getting punished. So, at 2-0, there were a lot of small things to put right at the interval.

Ashmoor needed a concerted second half effort and the whole squad responded superbly to the coach's call. From the first whistle Ashmoor pressed the Havant defence forcing mistakes leading to Ashmoor's third penalty corner.

The Havant keeper saved the initial effort, but when the ball fell to Jack Wetherell, he showed great composure to finish from close range and pull Ashmoor back to 2-1.

However, the reprieve was short-lived. Hammett was harshly adjudged to have deliberately put the ball off the backline, and from the ensuing penalty corner, Havant restored their two-goal buffer.

Minutes later Bubb in Ashmoor's goal made a tidy save off a strong reverse stick effort from the Havant striker. Ashmoor were showing resilience and won two penalty corners of their own but were thwarted on both efforts.

Once again, Ashmoor needed to produce an amazing final quarter, but it didn’t start well when Havant's penalty corner specialist buried a second effort to extend their lead in what was otherwise an even match.

It was then end-to-end stuff with Tom Conway and Fletch Naisbett-Jones going close for Ashmoor, either side of a 1:1 effort by Havant which Bubb saved well.

Ashmoor's efforts were then rewarded when two defenders got forward to combine well. Theo Bennett got in round the back on the right, picked a perfect pass to Wetherell who netted his and Ashmoor's second.

Although disappointed with the final score, there were a lot of positives from much of Ashmoor's play. The Pallex Player of the Match award went to defender Will Maynard who barely put a foot wrong all afternoon.

In other matches, Ashmoor fielded two ladies league sides for the first time, the women's 1sts, missing a few players had a tough 6-1 defeat to Newton ladies, with Zoe Harris getting Ashmoor's goal.

Player of the Match was jointly awarded to Evie Lockett and Ella Hubert. The Women's 2nd team had a great start with a 10-1 win against the University of Plymouth 3rds.

Ashmoor men's 3rd team won a tight match at Plymouth Lions 1-0, skipper John Lilley scoring the winner. 4th team captain James Bromfield also got on the scoresheet as his development team were beaten 7-2 at Tiverton 2s.

This Saturday, the men's 2nd team open their league programme with a trek to Truro, whilst the 3rd and 4th XIs host Torbay and Sidmouth & Ottery respectively.

The women's teams meanwhile both have early starts - the 1st team at Teign, and the 2nd team at Plymouth Lions.

Then, on Sunday, Ashmoor men's 1st team are at home again against unbeaten Fareham in the National League. The game is free-to-see at 1pm at the Keviccs Astro, Totnes. Supporters are welcome!