Hotel chase title treble

Ashford Sun League

Defending Premier Division champions Market Hotel started the season with a 4-2 win against Mersham Sports. Liam Smith’s side, looking for a third successive title, scored through Ryan Smith, Craig Calvert, Kyle Anderson and new signing Alastair Griggs. Stuart Taylor and Dan Wanstall were on target for Mersham. AFC Locomotive were 8-2 winners at Troggs. Steve Harris hit four goals, with Liam Whiting, Danny Taylor, James Thomas and Dan Scorer, who joined from Hamstreet, also on target. Troggs scored through Ben Forbes and Jason Burton. Hamstreet won 4-0 at Brewmaster with goals from Paul Burt (2), Dave Bass and Aaron White. Promoted Prince Albert won 5-0 in Division 1 against Cheriton AFC. Their goals came from Shqipron Ahmetaj (2), Tom Brown, Danny Bell-Hughes and Darren Sutton. Kennington Sunday and Shepway Spartans played out a 2-2 draw. Strikes for Kennington from Steve Rice and Jason Simms were cancelled out by Shepway’s Ben Kesby and Dan Hawkes. The other fixture in Division 1 also finished in a draw, as Lolzors held Iden Park to a 0-0 stalemate. Two of this season’s Division 2 title favourites met at the Goldwyn School but it was a new-look Ashford Cavaliers who came out on top beating Lydd Grasshoppers 6-1. Steve Ward scored twice on his club debut, while Matt Moon, Jack Cossey, Mark Hughes and Adam Purse also found the net for Cavaliers, while Tom Morgans netted for Lydd. Appledore returned from their trip to New Romney 3-2 winners. Goals from Rhys Hodges, PJ Wright and Josh Andrews were just enough to take maximum points, despite New Romney having Bailey Pearson and John Simpson on target. Burton Grove (Andy Neal) were held to a 1-1 draw by newly promoted Mersham Reserves, who levelled through Luke Goddard. Division 3 title favourites Aldington made light work of Ashford Spartans at Pitchside running out 7-0 winners. New manager Alex Hoyle will have enjoyed his first competitive match in charge as he watched Alex Williams net a hat-trick for the villagers. Ryan Strand added two more, while Steve Cowell and Danny Rose completed the tally. Simon Head also scored three times, for Kingsnorth Pilgrims in their 6-4 win at Stour Valley. Matt Jackson’s double and a strike from Jack Bushell made sure of the victory. Stour Valley netted through Jordan Horne (2), Lewis Cook and Brad Horne. Bromley Green, returning to the league after a year’s absence, came back from going behind twice to earn a point in their 2-2 home draw against Fox Sunday. Fox took the lead through Ross Struthers but were pegged back when Matt Wedge equalised for the hosts. Fox striker Tom Wilmshurst fired the visitors ahead for a second time, only for Levii Loyza to score Green’s second. League newcomers White Horse also got off the mark earning a point from their 4-4 draw at Ashstone Galacticos. Dane Bond scored twice for the Folkestone side, while both Josh Keeling and Ryan Power opened their goal accounts for the season. Galacticos, hit back through two Josh Knight penalties, a Sam Wilson strike and Sam Howard’s deflected effort.