Player Profile – Ash Dexter

Here is the 16th in our weekly series profiling players across the region. Each week a different player will reveal their best (and worst) moments. This week it is the turn of inspirational Hall Road Rangers captain Ash Dexter.

Name: Ash Dexter

Age: 30 

Current Club: Hall Road Rangers

Position: Centre Half

Previous Clubs: Bridlington Town and Barton Town Old Boys.

Day Job: Progress Leader and P.E Teacher at Hornsea School and Language Collage. 

Best mate in football: It would be too hard to pick one as i have met so many good people on-and off-the-pitch through football. Mike Gibson was a brilliant centre half to play alongside and is still someone who I class as a mate. Danny Brunton who is now Brid Town’s physio is somebody who I have always got on with. All of lads at Hall Road are great lads and i have car shared with Sam Belcher and Gaz Owen during my time at Barton and Hall Road so i must say them. Ryan Cooper who is at high flying Pickering will be in touch if i do not put him in so there you go mate. The other lad I must mention is Alex Sherwood who is one of my best pals off the pitch, but he has recently decided to have some time away from the game which in my opinion is a huge waste of talent. 

Description of Career Highlight: Winning the NCEL Prem at Bridlington Town (in 2010) was a fantastic achievement. We managed to get 94 points from 38 games scoring 123 goals whilst only conceding 36 goals. We had an amazing squad and even now I look back and think it is a real shame the club didn’t take the promotion as I am sure if all of the players had stayed together we would have been more than competitive in the league above. I also have to mention my time at Barton as skippering the side when we came 2nd in the NCEL Prem in 2013-14 was a brilliant year.  

Lowest moment in football: It was probably as a fan and not playing, I think it was 2000-01 season when Hull City found themselves in a right mess, they were in the 4th tier of English football and locked out of their own ground for a short time due to financial problems. I recall one game when fans were walking around the perimeter of the pitch with bed sheets collecting money from supporters in an attempt to raise funds to keep the club going. Saying that even though they are now in the Premier League the club is again in the wrong hands in my opinion and in a desperate need of a takeover.

Description of most memorable match: My most memorable match was probably when I was about 18, I had just signed for Bridlington Town from playing local football for Hornsea Town and one of my first games was against FC United of Manchester, at the time they played at Gigg Lane and there was around 2400 people there and they quickly turned their attention to the fact I had ginger hair. We got well beaten on the day, but it was a great experience playing in front of that many fans.

First semi professional manager: Was Ash Berry and Paul Stoneman. This was after Pete Smurthwaite (Bridlington Town’s chairman) had called me to invite me along to pre season training after hearing good things about me playing in the Humber Premier League. I am very grateful they saw something in me and gave me the opportunity to play at a better level. 

First red card at semi professional level: I have done very well and only managed to be sent off twice in over 10 years and one of those was earlier on this season. My first one was playing for Barton at home against Lincoln Moorlands. We were 2-0 up with 10 mins to go and a lad was clean through, lets just say i took one for the team. 

Description of my first goal at semi professional level: I am sure everyone that knows me will be shocked to hear it was a header at the back post! I think it was against Curzon Ashton in a 3-3 draw. 

Description of favourite goal at semi professional level: I have scored a few headers late on in 1-0 wins, but my favoured goals would be either a chest and half volley against Staveley a few seasons back or a very similar goal against Ponte this season as it came at a crucial time in the game when we were under the cosh against a strong side. 

What do i want to achieve in football in the future: I have my heart and head set on promotion this year at Hall Road, we have a great squad and a chance if we apply ourselves in each and every game. We have had some very good results recently apart from the loss at Yorkshire Amateur, but we need to keep taking each game as it comes and picking up as many points as possible as it is a very competitive league. 

Favourite Non League Ground to play at (barring your own club): I always like going to Parkgate as the pitch is a carpet and whoever I have played for we have always seemed to do well there. I remember coming on as a striker there in my time at Brid with 15 mins to go, I managed to net a brace and miss a sitter which would have been my only ever hat-trick in adult football. 

If you want to take part in our weekly Player Profile, get in touch via social media, either on Facebook or Twitter.

Take a look at our previous Player Profiles

Worsbrough Bridge midfielder Connor Rollinson

Hemsworth Miners Welfare midfielder Lee Swift

Brighouse Town goalkeeper Tom Taylor

Farsley Celtic midfielder Chris Howarth

Then Shaw Lane AFC attacker Joe Thornton

Selby Town utility man Mick Jones

AFC Emley defender Liam Schofield

Garforth Town defender Luke McCrum

Yorkshire Amateur striker Joel Hughes

Nostell Miners Welfare full-back Eddy Busfield

Goole AFC goalkeeper Jody Barford

Hemsworth Miners Welfare defender Harry Viggars

Ossett Town striker Danny Frost

Stocksbridge Park Steels midfielder Corey Gregory

Bridlington Town goalkeeper James Hitchcock