The Ammers’ night at Campion ended in a 1-0 defeat on Wednesday evening, exiting them from the league cup in the second round.
Michael O’Brien dug out a 20-yard effort past Luke Mitchell at The Players Cars Stadium, the ‘keeper’s dive to his left apparently injuring the stopper in the process, being replaced by centre-half Gervas Chipasha shortly after.
Reggie Waud hit the post for the Ammers in a goalless first-half.
New signing Ras Diamond Jnr made his dull debut alongside fellow debutant Jai Curran Nicholls.
Keanan Mannings, Jake Boyd, Ben Henderson, Reggie Waud and Mitchell Fox all returned to complete seven changes to the starting eleven.
Ammers set-up base successfully around Campion’s box in the opening period through their direct balls into target man Waud.
Campion took the opportunity to break down the hosts’ right before Spencer was carded for a professional foul, the free-kick to the far post hit ahead of Patrick Sykes’ run.
A host corner from their right was almost turned into his own goal by Keanan Mannings, on 14 minutes, poked back across goal and wide.
A fifty-fifty in midfield went Campion’s way, Mark Ferguson able to run to the edge of the box before asking Luke Mitchell to save low at his near left-hand post.
O’Brien was found at the back post from the corner, his shot dragged along the floor but into Robbie Graham who reacted quick to poke into the side-netting.
Campion’s number of consecutive passes through midfield created a cross from the right into a first-time volley from Sykes, side-on on the edge of the box, who appeared to connect too clean, hooking the ball over the bar, closing in on the half-hour mark.
Waud was the target once again but this time from Spencer’s cross from the left.
The forward diverted the ball to goal but it had too far to travel from the edge of the box.
Campion’s immediate counter saw Joseph Colley’s low effort to the near post equalled by Mitchell, saving with his feet.
Another Campion corner from the right, landed at the far post, the shot at goal blocked.
Waud’s success with his back to goal continued, chesting the ball before hooking it over his left shoulder into the run of Diamond Jnr.
The right-winger met the ball level with the Campion center-half, deflecting the ball out for an Ammers corner.
Mannings collected the dropping ball following a Campion clearance, aiming for the near, top right-hand corner but Bradley Emmerson got both hands to the ball to deny.
Waud’s next hold-up play, following a Spencer cross from the left, chested the ball infront of himself, side on to goal, before he curled a right-footed shot across goal and against the post.
Daniel Keane almost opened the scoring instead, for Campion, heading across goal, wide of the left-hand post, keeping the score goalless at the break.
Ethan Crossley was immediately behind Spencer inside the first minute after the restart, asking too much of a stretch from Keane with a cross.
Waud’s head did connect to a cross from the Ammers right, glancing wide of the far post.
Campion enjoyed a lead through O’Brien’s long-distance shot from 20-yards out which wasn’t reached by Mitchell’s low dive to his left.
Graham received the ball centrally, just outside the box following an Ammers’ clearance following a corner from the hosts’ right.
The recipient shot through the crowd which remained in the Ammers box and Mitchell’s dive was short, failing to deny the hosts taking the lead.
Mitchell’s inability to reach the shot was explained when he remained grounded followng the opener, appearing to injure himself when diving for the goal.
He was replaced by central defender Gervas Chipasha who wore the green ‘keeper jersey on his introduction. Ben Henderson also replaced Diamond Jnr.
Jai Curran-Nicholls was beaten in the air by the advancing Mark Ferguson who pushed the ball down the right-hand edge of the Ammers box.
His first-time drilled cross was too far ahead of any team-mate.
Jake Boyd won his header from a Campion ball towards the Ammers box but failed to clear, heading into opposing forward Keane.
The forward laid the ball back to substitute Marcus Day but Spencer’s sliding interception on the cover poked possession back to the Ammers.
Wilkinson’s shot from the half-way line, having spotted Emmerson off his line, teased an equaliser for an initial few moments before landing wide as we edged towards the final ten minutes.
Converted ‘keeper Chipasha’s impressive low dive to tip round his right-hand post denied Day to double the lead, shooting across goal from the edge of the box.
Again defender/goalkeeper Chipasha denied Day’s shot from inside the right of the box, tipping over the centre of his goal, just minutes before the end of the ninety.
Henderson’s cut inside from the left before shooting saw his effort deflected wide of the far post in added-time.
The resulting corner was initially cleared but shot back at goal which led to claims of hand-ball from Ammers players, neglected by the ref who pointed for a` second set-piece.
That delivery landed at Boyd at the far post before the ball was cleared into Wilkinson on the edge of the box for a first-time volley.
The shot curled away from the far right-hand post and with it, Ammers away from the league cup at full-time.
Thackley visit the Southerns Stadium on Saturday 8th October in a return to NCEL Premier action, kick-off 3pm.