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Another week, another crucial match.  This time, it was a visit to Laurel Park, our main competitor for the runner’s up spot. We had drawn with them in a lively encounter at St Crispin’s earlier in the season, and their abilities were well established illustrated by a run to the semi final of the Cup where they had defeated three First Division teams before finally succumbing to the League’s dominant outfit.Ashridge were slightly under-strength with 2 players missing injured, so the bench had 3 players on it, compared with the five on the home team’s bench.

Another Saturday, another tricky looking away match.  We had been drinking at the fountain on eternal luck when we managed to beat Shinfield 5-4 in our match at Crispins back in December.  Shinfield had subsequently gone on a run of 6 victories and 2 draws since then.

After 2 disappointing defeats we faced a tricky looking encounter with an impressive AFC Caversham team.  With the squad down to its bare bones of the mere starting 11, many of whom were still shaking off the after-effects of a lively Friday evening, and a vast muddy undulating pitch, we were fearing a tough morning.

So, remarkably, we find ourselves hosting our final league match of the season on a deceptively chilly February morning.  There are still 4 tricky looking away fixtures to go, but this is an opportunity to go out in a blaze of glory.
Early portents were good, with Dan’s long ball setting up Alex for a one-one-one with the stand-in keeper, who unfortunately saved the goal-bound effort.

So the moment of truth!  We travelled to table-toppers Reading Rangers, unbeaten all season, with the objective of winning all three points to match their points tally for the season, and throw the championship wide open.  Anything else, and realistically we would be looking at best at a runners up position in this, very successful, season.

We finally returned to League action after a few weeks of rain with the visit of a much improved Elstead Sharks.  We had beaten them by a large margin early in the season, but they had recruited 6 new players and had won 3 of their last 4 games.

Today we welcomed a strong Laurel Park side to St Crispins. Traditionally Laurel Park had been something of a bogey team of ours, and with the visitors already progressing to the quarter final of the Cup after vanquishing  two Division 1 teams as well as a Division 2 team, it was clear that we would be in for a difficult encounter.

Under 17 Park played only their second match in 7 weeks, away against Abbey Rangers. Due to various circumstances we started the match with just 9 players. To the players fantastic spirit the 21 minutes that passed until the 10th player arrived the match was still goalless. We played the rest of the match with 10 men.

On a perfect morning for football, we welcomed Caversham AFC Hurricanes to St Crispins, 3 weeks after the original fixture had been postponed.

Ashridge Park Royals U17’s look set to face local rivals Shinfield