A wounded 10-man Ammers side conceded a further four times without retaliation following the red-card at the Fairfax Plant Hire Stadium, Selby Town 6-0 winners in the NCEL Division One on Saturday afternoon.
Friend-turned-foe Tawheed Ahmed, formerly of the academy system under the management of the current Yorkshire Amateur structure, struck twice, outdone only by Harry Clapham’s hat-trick, compounded by Kyle Fish’s solo blow.
With Craig Maynard suspended, Cyrus Rowe & Wilfred Frimpong were drafted into this week’s starting line-up, Rio Korbel the only other absentee from the starters against Armthorpe. Wilfred Frimpong was handed the captaincy.
Selby designed a lead within 5 minutes. A corner delivery from The Robins’ left landed onto Clapham’s head at the near post, directed central into goal.
Had Amari Smith’s two chances to find a pass been better, Ammers were advanced within Selby’s half to threaten. 30-yards out. Smith not just once found a red shirt with his attempted through ball but the ball rebounded to him, behind his front three, aiming for Frimpong wide left but the lofted attempt was instead guided back to his own ‘keeper by Alex Marsh.
Kaiden Cheetham nestled his back into Fabian Bailey to keep hold of possession well after a direct ball but had no blue shirt in range once he’d lifted his head.
Viles reacted well to palm the ball over from Marsh’s direct free-kick, albeit looking like it would receive a touch just infront of the Ammers ‘keeper on 16 minutes. The stopper re-straightened his body having expected to protect the area low beside his right.
Ammers’ own delivery from the same side Selby created the opener from teed-up Diallo, infield from his left full-back base, a half-volley from beyond the edge of the box, continually lifting over the bar.
Pre-consensus was fulfilled as Selby seeked space high and/or wide, given former Ammers’ academy forward Tawheed Ahmed’s expected inclusion amongst Selby’s front four.
Cheetham, fighting solo at the opposite side, used his physicality to win a foul, 20-yards out only slightly to left-of-centre and then took rank over Frimpong on free-kick duty. The distance called for delicacy but the forward went too far, half-chipping, with a hint of curl, over the bar.
Frimpong wouldn’t turn down the chance a moment later, cutting inside for to see his laced effort blocked. A corner from the right ended at Frimpong’s quick-feet, immediately looking to put the ball onto his right-foot, away from pressure to shoot.
Ammers’ number nine was able to face goal after altering his starting position further wide left and beating his marker to enter the box. The cut back was weak, allowing Selby to clear before both Frimpong and Amari Smith could reach it.
Ahmed made no such mistake against his former club to put some breathing space between the two sides before the half-time bell. A cross from the right had two Selby forwards waiting centrally, inside the box to hit the second blow to Ammers.
Ahmed looked comfortable as the half edged towards the break, cutting inside to shoot hard at Viles’ near post, the ‘keeper securing the ball with his full body behind the save low to his right.
TJ Kongolo set himself up on just inside the box through his chested control, only to half-volley over.
Within three minutes of the second-half, alongside the two-goal deficit, Ammers were one less in personnel. Kongolo was shown red due to an altercation in-between play.
Ammers, now conceding the majority of possession, came under repeated fire against a team strong on the outside and able to reach their wingers quickly around the compacted Ammers block.
Selby’s third strike prefaced the pattern of the game following the red-card, Clapham meeting left ful-back Liam Love’s cross. The intent to spread the ball wide came from early, Love already advanced infront of Ammers’ two blocks. The full-back attacked the byline and weighted his cross beyond Boyd’s aerial challenge and into Clapham’s path to power past Viles.
The Ammers keeper’s inability to collect a cross was surprising given his impressive form despite results, a shock only ‘til a second glance saw the ‘keeper floored from Clapham’s challenge. The referee denied Selby’s fourth for the foul.
Clapham’s hat-trick added the fourth shortly after. Another cross, this occasion from the right, was matched by Clapham’s first-touch to kill the ball dead, allowing the second touch to put the ball across Viles and into the bottom left-hand corner.
When Viles lets slip a low cross, through his arms, leading to Selby’s fifth, Ammers are bound to struggle to get any hold of a game. The ball fortunately rolled away from the goalline, past the far post but was retrieved by a red shirt, cut-back to Kyle Fish at close-range when power is enough to do the job.
The visiting ‘keeper returned to his reliable self with Ammers camped in their own half, Ahmed running onto the ball following an increase of pace from Selby around the edge of the box. Ahmed gathered power on his shot despite using the outside of his right boot from the left channel inside the box, Viles parrying wide of his near post.
Again, Viles denied, this time with his foot. Caden McGrath received the ball from wide on the right, turned to goal inside the box, to be stopped by Viles with the ball headed towards the far bottom corner.
Ahmed had time remaining to strike again, his second similar to his first, hit hard from close-range to make Viles irrelevant in goal.
The referee called time on the bout shortly after with Ammers well short of their opposition.
Clay Cross Town’s visit to The Southerns Stadium, next Saturday 10th February is yet another opportunity for The Ammers to restore the deficit to the teams clear of the drop.
Ticket prices for Clay Cross Town: Adults – £6, Concessions – £4, U16s – £2.50