ASHFORD CHIPSTEAD

signings Andy Irvine (hamstring) and James Everitt – who broke a bone in his foot against Canterbury City on Bank Holiday Monday – were both ruled out.

The game was full of entertaining football – Gary Mickelborough setting the tone early on with a well-hit shot that was saved, while Turl headed wide at the other end.

Tom Scorer went close twice, while Ashford keeper Joe Mant kept his side level, following defender Luke Cuthbert’s miscued clearance.

However, Mant was beaten three minutes after the restart, Sussex referee Grant Hamilton pointing to the spot following Ollie Finch’s clash with Chipstead’s Dan Llacer inside the area. Turl sent Mant the wrong way to give Chipstead the lead. Finch earned his fourth yellow card of the season and was replaced by Smissen. The striker decided to take a break from football at the end of last season but answered Chambers’ call last week and was inches away from levelling the tie 15 minutes from the end.

Kieran Byrne’s perfect ball into the area saw Smissen lose his marker, only for his header to loop over the bar.

Four minutes later, Ashford had the ball in the net, only for the effort to be ruled out for a foul against goalkeeper Scott Millar.

Scorer’s cross caused Millar problems, the keeper going to ground with the ball bouncing over the line but United’s celebrations were cut short. Scorer fired over and substitute Jordan Hill – another player involved for the first time this season – sent a dipping effort over the bar on the stroke of stoppage-time.