Ashford Town chalks up vital victory in battle against drop

Mar 18 2009 By Terry Ryan, Staines News

RYMAN PREMIER Ashford Town...........................2 Sutton United...........................1

ASHFORD'S new-boys combined to boost their Ryman Premier survival hopes with victory over high-flying Sutton on Saturday.

AFC Wimbledon loanee Luke Pigden fired them in front, and despite being pegged back after the interval, the returning Anthony Joseph bagged a precious winner six minutes later.

Mark Butler rung the changes after the shock midweek Middlesex Senior Cup defeat to AFC Hayes, with Pigden and Michael Peacock thrown in at the deep end after signing on loan from Blue Square South outfit AFC Wimbledon.

Burgess was busy early on to twice deny Gavin McCallum, but it was the Tangerines who drew first blood just before the half-hour mark. Joseph, who re-signed at Short Lane following spells at Bromley and Kingstonian, sent over a right-wing cross that Pigden crashed home from 20 yards.

However, Sutton hit back, and Burgess had to be alert again to thwart Darren Ebsworth.

At the other end, Harrison had a shot blocked by visiting keeper Paul Nicholls and Ricky Wellard sent the rebound agonisingly wide.

Sutton came out guns blazing after the break, scoring a deserved equaliser in the 57th minute.

David Hughes latched on to a ball down the right and squeezed his shot inside the near post.

However, Butler's boys got their noses in front again.

Man-of-the-match Joseph managed to get his head to a curling Wellard cross to bag the decisive goal despite Oscar Lubwama's best efforts to keep it out.

Harrison almost added another late on, but his effort bounced back off the post to safety.