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Ffion is following in father’s footsteps
Ffion Ashman has quickly made a name for herself as a goalkeeper in girl’s football, having already represented Pembrokeshire and earning a call-up to the Welsh Academy squad before earning a recent trial for Wales at under 16 level where she kept a clean sheet in a 4-0 win for South Wales against their counterparts from North Wales.
She has recently taken up playing cricket for Burton Ladies and made a pretty good start but it is football which still occupies her spare time as she puts in her fair share of training.
She is only 14 years of age but is already a regular member of the Manorbier under 16 team, following in the considerable footsteps of dad Mark, who is still rightly regarded as one of the best footballing custodians ever to come out of the county.
Watched dad – but played football with the boys
And that is how Ffion started her own involvement because she used to watch ‘Ashy’ play in the twilight of a long and distinguished career: at least she travelled with him to Lawrenny but then spent all her time playing football behind the goal with the young boys, quite willing to stand in between two coats and save their shots.
At eight years of age Ffion was playing in goal for Helen Matthews’ under 10 team at Pembroke Borough, turning out in the indoor league and coming runners-up to Goodwick United. She was well looked after at London Road until she joined Kilgetty, where Gail Thomas looked after her well in the under 12 and under 15 teams.
Panthers star at Aber and in Bruges
Since she was ten years old Ffion had also been in the Pembrokeshire Academy side, coached by Gerry Rigby and Carrie Slack, which as the Pembrokeshire Panthers enjoyed real success in winning the Aberystwyth tournament and earning entry to a top girls’ tournament at Bruges, in Belgium. Ask Ffion about both tournaments and she says,
“We won 2-1 in the final at Aber after giving away an own goal, and the only goal that we had against us in Belgium was also an own goal in our section as we won two and drew one of our matches to reach the final.”
Mark was thrilled by that match:
“Their performance was outstanding, with wonderful passages of play.
All the parents were thrilled and a 3-0 win over FC Bruges was no more than they deserved.”
Welsh Development squad call-up
Ffion was called into the Welsh Development squad afterwards as one of a group of Pembrokeshire lasses which also included Angharad James, Molly Doran, Hannah Lewis, Marie Griffiths and Angharad Jenkins who were ear-marked for consideration in the Welsh under 15/16 set-up in the future. That was why she was invited, with Helen Lewis and Angharad James, to play for South Wales against North Wales at TNS’s ground in Oswestry recently.
Other sports – including cricket at Burton!
Not content with her football, Ffion has also taken up hockey and netball since she started comprehensive school, with mum Julie taking her to play for Pembroke Ladies under 15 team, playing anywhere (except in goal!) and for the school’s netball team as a goal shooter, scoring goals instead of saving them!
She marked her debut for Burton Ladies in cricket with a wicket and was not out, as she was in her next two games where she scored 10 and 15, as well as grabbing two and four wicket hauls. But just when Ffion was thinking that cricket was easy she was out for a duck and bowled 10 wides before she was quickly removed from the action!
Great fan of Nadine
But football is still her favourite sport and when Wales Ladies took on their counterparts from Germany in the World Cup she acted as a ball girl. It was a real treat to watch the eventual world champs and an even bigger thrill afterwards when German keeper Nadine Angerer gave Ffion her gloves, suitably signed. Nadine later saved a penalty in the World Cup final against Brazil and Ffion admits,
“Nadine was brilliant and my ambition would be to play for Wales in the final and also save a penalty in a Welsh win.”
Moved a step closer
Ffion has moved a step closer to that aim as she has gained so much experience for Manorbier this season, a club whose ladies’ team has just been granted National League status and will allow talented youngsters like Ffion to have something to aim for in their own area. The Manorbier under 16s came second in the league after losing narrowly to Landore in their final match and reached the cup final but GCSE commitments forced them out of the competition as league officials refused to change the date. They beat Llanelli 1-0 in the West Wales Final at Stebonheath and were eagerly anticipating another match which would have seen them play in the National Finals at Bolton Wanderers’ pitch, only to be withdrawn since Ffion, Hannah Lewis and Rachel Hughes were deemed too young to enter!
Final seconds
Ffion and the rest of the Manorbier team are now anticipating their next challenge since they have been invited to play in the 25th Aberystwyth Tournament where they will take on teams like Bristol City and an American team. It starts on 25th July and lasts a week so it will be interesting to see how they get on.
We at PembrokeShiresport.co.uk wish Ffion and the girls every success – as we do with her aim to achieve a Welsh Cap at some time!
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