Kentish Express Ashford & District
Clinical United show no mercy
Ashford United stormed to a club record win to go top of the Southern Counties East League, Premier Division at Strood on Saturday.
They had won the same fixture 7-0 last season, a scoreline achieved on three other occasions – at Lordswood this season and Lingfield and Hassocks in 2014-5.
The win against Rochester extended Ashford’s unbeaten away record to 18 games, United having not lost on the road since early October last year.
They made light of being without suspended top scorer Shaun Welford and Paul Booth, who announced his retirement the day before, but Ashford still had far too much firepower on the day.
Even beaten manager Matt Hume admitted it was a rout, as United stormed into a 3-0 lead after only 11 minutes, before adding five more in the second half.
Rory Hill and Tom Michelson both scored twice, with Luke Miller, Luke Eldridge, Brett Ince and Ryan James all adding one each.
Miller started the goal rush after only seven minutes, with his fifth in ROCHESTER UTD ASHFORD UTD seven games, before James doubled the lead when home keeper Michael Elder failed to claim the ball in his area. Hill then got his first as United broke after Rochester lost possession.
The home side’s task became even more difficult four minutes from half-time when they had striker Sam Parish sent off following a clash.
Hill made it 4-0 just past the hour, netting from the tightest of angles, before United exploited tired legs and home heads dropping, to score four in the final 20 minutes.
Michelson added the fifth and eighth, book-ending two in the same minute by Brett Ince and Luke Eldridge as United showed no signs of easing up, moving into pole position on goal difference from AFC Croydon Athletic.
Kamurasi, Savage, Botterill, Michelson, West, Kingwell, Palmer, Davisson (Ince 70mins), James, Miller, Hill (Ince 65mins). Subs not used: Lye, McCleod, Phillips
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