Arlesey made to pay for missed chances

The Blues were missing Henry Musay but Luke Abraham and Arti Krasniqi returned. On another bitterly cold day Arlesey started brightly with Tony Williams putting in a great cross that the keeper took two attempts to gather, and Krasniqi putting in a cross/shot that skimmed the bar.

But on Ashford’s first attack on six minutes Max Webb picked up a loose ball on the edge of the box, hit it first time and beat Lewis Elsom low by the foot of his post.

Rafe Goodman fired a shot straight at the keeper before Ashford struck again. Awarded a penalty, Elsom saved James Cottee’s spot kick but Ashford were quicker to respond and put the ball back into the box for Cottee to tap in.

Krasniqi had a shot saved and a penalty appeal turned down before a clearance upfield on 42 minutes found ex-Arlesey player Kam English and he drove home for a 3-0 interval lead.

For much of the second half Arlesey were camped in the Ashford half but the visitors were happy to ‘park the bus’.

Arlesey finally broke through - Taylor Rhiney’s shot found ‘super sub’ Nathanial Fowler who blasted into the roof of the net from close in.

Arlesey need to change things fast. They visit Marlow on Saturday and host Barton on Boxing Day.