Kentish Express Ashford & District
Toucans pay the penalty late on
A late penalty denied Ashford the chance of toppling London South East 3 unbeaten leaders Pulborough at Kinneys Field on Saturday.
The West Sussex side arrived with a 100% record but Ashford pushed them all the away with the two bonus points enough to lift them off the bottom of the table for the first time this season.
Team manager Lloyd Stokes said: “It was a performance of real intent and purpose and shows a growing maturity in the team.”
The versatile Nathan Wood put in his best display of the season, playing at No.12, forming a combative and skilful centre partnership with Tom Hinckes, who also had a great game.
The consistency of picking the same half-backs on two successive weeks helped the hosts, while Liam Murray was a calming presence and ASHFORD PULBOROUGH the desire to play on the front foot kept Pulborough’s defence always on their toes. Ashford went 7-0 up with Murray’s try converted by Charlie Colman before the visitors scored their first try. The next 20 minutes resembled a boxing match, with both sides trading blows, Ashford winning the physical battle. Charlie Norman, Ben King and Paul Curry, who replaced the injured Danny Leech, were exceptional in work-rate, aggression and execution. 8. 0. 0. 266.135.38 Pulborough..... 8. 6. 0. 2. 272.131.32 Thanet.Wndrs.8. 7. 0. 1. 209. 84.28 Haywards.Hth.8. 5. 0. 3. 257.176.26 Folkestone...... 8. 26 5. 0. 3. 233.205. Lewes............. 8. 3. 0. 5. 167.191.17 Eastbourne...... 8. 3. 0. 5. 189.214.17 G’ham.Anch.... 8. 3. 0. 5. 198.247.17 Sheppey.......... 8. 2. 0. 6. 145.224.12 Park.House..... 8. 6 4. 0. 4. 208.267. O.Dunstonian.. 8. 2 2. 0. 6. 140.244. Ashford........... 8. 2 0. 0. 8. 111.277. Aylesfrd.Bulls.. 8. Ashford.24.Pulborough. Aylesford.Bulls. 25,.Folkestone.48. 28,.Old. 12,.Lewes.50.Sheppey. Park. Eastbourne.29,. Dunstonians.30. Heath.38,.Thanet. House.7.Haywards. Anchorians. Wanderers.30.Gillingham. 12.
King scored Ashford’s second try, again converted by Colman before Dan Brown ran in his eighth in as many games.
Pulborough also added two more tries before the break to leave Ashford 19-17 ahead at half-time.
The game continued to be played at pace in the second half, with the hard running of Will Welsh and Shane Redman prominent.
Murray set-up Oli Finn for his first try of the season but even though Ashford were 24-18 up, they still knew it would be a hard slog with 25 minutes left and with all their replacements used.
Pulborough reduced the arrears to two points with 10 minutes left only for Ashford, who had for the majority of the game kept on the right side of the referee, to give away the penalty that clinched the contest.
Meanwhile, skipper Rhys Fussell has a broken bone in his hand and will be out until the end of the month.
Ashford entertain Sheppey in the Kent Shield on Saturday (2.30pm).