Ruler strike keeps Fisherman’s county cup hopes alive

Express Autocentre Maidstone & Mid Kent Sunday League

Fisherman’s Arms reached the last four of the Kent Sunday Premier Cup with a 3-2 home win over FC Bickley.

Dylan Ruler hit the winner, with Ali Simpson scoring twice, to book a semi-final date against fellow Sunday League side East Malling on March 5.

K Sports cruised into the final of the Challenge Cup after a 5- 0 win over Larkfield Green.

Caine Smith grabbed a double and it was 3- 0 at the break when Josh Brown converted at the far post.

Luke Cooper and Matt Hathway completed the scoring.

Hollingbourne reignited their Premier Division title challenge with a 4-1 win at Langley to move second.

Curtis Buckingham struck twice in the first half and it was 3- 0 at the interval when Joe Terry drove home.

Langley skipper Dan Young pulled a goal back midway through the second half, but Bourne completed the scoring with Sam Harmer’s late header.

The top-of-the-table clash in Division 1 saw Snodland Town run out 3-2 winners at East Malling Reserves, with playerof-the-match Lee Sturgeon scoring twice.

Gary Pontin and Dan Hart made it all-square, but a powerful header from skipper Wayne Watson sealed the points.

Maidstone Kestrels started their Division 2 game against Maidstone International with only 10 men, but were soon ahead when Jack Makepeace cut in from the left and fired past Mark McAllister.

Michael Barham made it 1-1 with a brilliant free-kick, but two goals on the counter from Lincoln Williams and Kaylum Larkin put Kestrels 3-1 up.

Half-time saw a new player arrive, but within 10 minutes they lost one to injury and were back down to 10.

International started to pile on the pressure and Kestrels had Ryan Dissmore sent off as Jordan Thomas struck for 3-2.

Kestrels then had Makepeace dismissed for a second booking and Thomas had the final say when he volleyed home in injury time to make it 3-3.

Jack Gilby scored with the last kick to earn Invicta Sunday a well-deserved point from a 3-3 draw against Cranbrook Town.

Invicta found themselves a goal down within two minutes as Cranbrook’s direct approach saw them surge through the defence and beat Will Cove with a shot from Steve Warren.

Invicta went further behind just 15 minutes later when a long ball found Warren again in space to chip in their second.

However, Invicta restructured and contained Cranbrook’s dangermen as the half wore on.

In the second half, Shaun Dowling’s initial shot was parried by the Cranbrook keeper but Stephen Foster fired in the rebound on 54 minutes.

Invicta were awarded a freekick on the hour but Dowling’s strike was saved, however three minutes later they were level when player-of-the-match Dowling won the ball in his own half and ran 70 yards before producing a delightful finish.

Cranbrook regained the lead two minutes later with a fine shot from Zane Cheeseman but, in the 90th minute, Dowling’s corner was headed back across goal by Adam Weller and Gilby finished through a crowd of players to give Invicta a share of the points.