Ammers were frustrated to a 3-0 defeat to Athersley Recreation at Bracken Edge on Tuesday evening in the NCEL Division One.
Ammers never recovered from going behind within 3 minutes to Cal Clarke’s powerful finish, compounded by Alfie Bakes and Jordan Good.
Marcel Chigumira returned and started midweek, Birama Diallo’s promotion from the bench only the second change from Saturday’s victory at Louth.
Athersley brought the early pressure on their trip from South Yorkshire, finding their way from back to front to withhold the ball within Ammers’ half.
It took within 3 minutes for them to notch in North-Leeds. Cal Clarke was first to react to a loose ball to smash in from inside the box.
The visitors wanted to get the ball quickly into target Nathan Perks. The central striker was James Woodhouse’s immediate focus having beat Hammad Ali to the ball down the right. Any attempt to put Perks behind Ammers’ defence was read by Richy Bamba in the early period.
Ammers were being forced to counter within the opening 13 minutes but Birama Diallo proved they were well equipped to do so, searching through midfield for Nfonkev, initially with his run and then the pass. Diallo received the ball back from his opposite winger, behind Athersley’s back-line but the first-time cross was blocked.
Ammers’ success at escaping up field moved them into a higher starting position on the pitch, Taylor Ragan at the centre of most things attacking-wise, coming short to receive but Chigumira was yet to see a sight of goal, behind him.
Chigumira’s chance finally came on 29 minutes, with pressure behind him in the box as he attacked the near right-hand post leading to a first-time shot into the side-netting.
He was the target of Birama Diallo’s cross from the right along to the far post but whilst Nial Edge was favoutire in goal, his spill gave Ammers a second chance, both Nfonkev and Chigumira in close proximity, eventually earning Ammers a free-kick in a dangerous area. Chigumira targeted the set-piece across the face of the wall, towards the bottom right-hand corner but Edge’s parry was this time enough to escape the threat.
The ball ran across Ammers’ goalline left-to-right as Athersley went close, again wining a header at the back post, the ball running wide of the goal frame forcing Perks to have to hook the ball back centrally which was cleared by Kaydon Fishley.
Alfie Bakes’ strike at goal needed no touch to give Athersley their second. An effort passing through the box, evading a touch from either side. closer meant Athersley’s second before the break.
Ammers kept up the urgency of their play after the restart, Amari Smith going direct to Chigumira who beat his marker to enter the left-channel of the box. Ragan wasn’t up to speed with the attempted pass, intercepted before the attacking-midfielder could reach it.
Hamza Diallo’s introduction livened up Ammers’ attacking threat and the onlookers on the far side. Twice his quick feet got him round Lewis Fields but typical of Ammers’ night, he lacked the execution in the decisive ball.
His opposite figure, Nfonkev cut inside from the adjacent wing, onto his left and scraped the paint off the outside of the near post. Ammers had fifteen minutes to play with from this point.
He began the next move a minute later by attacking Brad Green, escaping infield and moving the ball across the edge of the box for Chigumira’s turn to run at the opposite full-back. The ball’s eventually rolled into a central position, teeing up Jones on the edge of the box who lines up a placed effort skimming across the turf straight at Edge.
Bamba’s composed both in defence and attack, first controlling the ball deep into his own half, facing his own goal, turning the striker behind him and crossing the half-way line. He again skipped away from trouble just yards from the corner of the Athersley box, winning a free-kick. The delivery was headed clear by the first man but the clearance dropped to Ragan from twenty-five yards who’s effort was as equally off-the-mark.
Athersley countered in added-time to extend their lead to three through Jordan Good. The initial chase was driven wide by Cameron Hairyes for the hosts and the delivery from the right intercepted by Jake Boyd. Recovering possession again on the edge of Ammers’ box, however, Good followed the momentum of the ball into the box for a simple finish one-on-one.
Ammers’ disappointing night in Leeds was brought to a close minutes later.
Another guest from South Yorkshire in Armthorpe Welfare visits Bracken Edge on Saturday in NCEL Division One’s gameweek three.