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Sam Jones – @samuellejones

Sam looks at Brad Ash’s goals from the 2023/2024 season

Brad Ash joined United in the summer of 2023 to much fanfare. Coming off a fantastic season at Weymouth, it looked like we had got a man who would score bags of goals for us and be the perfect partner for Aaron Jarvis up front. I think it’s fair to say Ash didn’t quite live up to the hype but still managed 14 goals and 9 assists across all competitions, finishing as our top scorer in the process. I’ve taken a look back at all 14 goals he scored last season to see what kind of goals he scored, and how we can play to his strengths next season.

GOAL 1 AND 2: SLOUGH (A) – 26/08/23

It took Ash a while to get going, but he opened his account with two goals in a dramatic 2-1 win at Slough in the 5th game of the season. The two goals were very different, and were a fantastic demonstration of the ability he does have. The first was arguably the best he scored for all season as he picked up a flick-on to the left of the box, and drove towards goal and fired a beauty past the keeper into the far corner. The finish was fantastic, but the desire he showed to get the ball and make something happen was great to see. The second was pure strikers instinct, as he found space at the back post and planted a perfect header past the home keeper to give United the lead. Granted, the defending was poor but you still have to take them.

GOAL 3: AVELEY (A) – 02/09/23

His next goal came only a few games later, as he got a late consolation in the defeat at Aveley. The goal was one of the scrappiest you will ever see, as Tomlinson’s header from a corner was saved by the home keeper and Ash was there to put it in the net. It was probably the easiest goal he will score, but he was in the right place to head it home. How much of it was luck rather than judgement we’ll never know.

GOAL 4: FARNBOROUGH (H) – 05/09/23

His first home goal came on a Tuesday night under the lights in a resounding 3-0 win against Farnborough. After Jarvis opened the scoring in the first half, Ash doubled the lead after some great work from his strike partner to keep the ball in play. Jarvis found him about 6 yards out, he then took a touch and placed it in the far corner past a despairing defender. This was once again a demonstration of his natural strikers instinct, as he was able to find the space and be in the right place for the pass.

GOAL 5: HUNGERFORD (H) – 30/09/23

Goal 5 was in an FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round demolition of Hungerford at Plainmoor. The Gulls were well on top when United won the ball in midfield. Ash was already on his bike when McGavin played a perfect through ball to him. He timed his run perfectly to stay onside, sprinted away from the defenders, sat the keeper down with his eyes and rolled it home. Another wonderful display of the ability he does have and how clinical he can be.

GOAL 6: HAVANT AND WATERLOOVILLE (A) – 11/11/23

It took him till November to get his next goal, which was the second in a 2-0 win at lowly Havant. His goal was in the 94th minute to ensure the three points came back to Devon with them. Similar to his goal at Slough, he showed great awareness to get ahead of the defender at the back post and put the ball away with an acrobatic finish. To be fair, the cross from Stobbs was exceptional, so he could hardly miss.

GOAL 7: EASTBOURNE (A) – 28/11/23

In a game with a couple of screamers, Ash put the icing on the cake with the 4th in a 4-1 win at Eastbourne. He picked up the ball about 25 yards out, took a couple of touches and fired one past the home keeper. It might have taken a slight nick off the defender, but it was a clean strike of the ball. This goal started a little run, as he scored in the next two games.

GOAL 8: TONBRIDGE (H) – 02/12/23

His second goal in as many games was another lovely poachers finish. The winner in the game against Angels, he showed great anticipation to get ahead of his defender and side-foot Crowe’s cross past the keeper. Another example of the ability he does have, if given the right service.

GOAL 9: WEYMOUTH (H) – 05/12/23

After two in two, his confidence was high with this fantastic first time finish against Weymouth. As the ball broke to him on the edge of the box, he guided it home with a lovely side-foot finish that left the keeper with no chance. Unfortunately this would be his last goal until February, as the team’s form collapsed off a cliff.

GOAL 10: AVELEY (H) – 24/02/24

A lot happened between his 9th and 10th goals for the club. Well, a lot happened in the week leading up to the game as the Gulls were put into administration and the football world showed an outpouring of love for the Yellows. His goal put the Yellows 2-0 up, as he found a yard of space in the box and fired a rebound home after Ronny Nelson’s shot was cleared off the line. There may have been a stroke of luck in the ball falling to him, but he still found space and kept his composure to keep the ball on target.

GOAL 11: DARTFORD (H) – 09/03/24

In the pouring rain at Plainmoor, Ash scored the 3rd in a 4-1 demolition of Dartford. This will probably be the easiest goal he will ever score for the club, as the Dartford keeper spilt the ball and Ash was there to poke home the rebound. The keeping was utterly dreadful, but Ash still showed great anticipation to get to the ball and poke it home. To be fair, this game was probably more famous for Duane actually scoring rather than anything else.

GOAL 12: TONBRIDGE (A) – 16/03/24

This was an afternoon to forget for Downes’s Yellows, as they got thrashed 4-1 in Kent. Ash scored a late consolation to make the score line a bit more respectable, but to be fair was a pretty good goal. He received the ball on the half way line and drove into the box, putting a defender on his arse (not sure how much he meant too) and kept his composure to place the ball between the keepers legs and into the back of the net.

GOAL 13: TRURO (A) – 08/04/24

Number 13 might be unlucky for some, but for Ash it was the biggest goal he scored this season. In a must win game at Truro in Gloucestershire, Ash scored what turned out to be the game winner after converting Moxey’s cross. The star of the show was Moxey rolling back the years to get to the cross in, but once again Ash showed great anticipation to get to the goal side of the defender.

GOAL 14: HAVANT AND WATERLOOVILLE (H) – 20/04/24

His final goal of the season was in the final day demolition of Havant and Waterlooville, which will be remembered mainly for Booth’s wonder goal from 35 odd yards. Ash opened the scoring after the Havant defender failed to clear a cross from Stobbs. It was a nice way to finish what must have been a very frustrating season for him.

CONCLUSION

I was very excited when Ash signed, I think a lot of us were. It looked like the exact sort of signing we needed and the perfect partner for Jarvis. If you look at the numbers he put up it doesn’t look like a bad season, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. There were a number of big chances he missed a long the way which a striker of his ability should be finishing, as well as a feeling that he ran around a lot but without much end product.

Re-watching his goals this season made me realise there is a really good player in there, if he gets the right service. He can find space in the box really easily, and can finish with aplomb. When his confidence is high he can produce some delightful finishes, such as the Weymouth game. There were a lot of time last season where we were leaving him on his own up top, and expecting him to win header against much bigger men. If we can give him the right service, and provide him with the right partner, he could be a deadly player for us next season. Let’s hope Wotton can get the best out of him.