Kentish Express Ashford & District
Last-gasp Hill the hero
Rory Hill crashed home a 95th-minute winner as leaders Ashford United came from behind to beat Croydon 3-2.
The thrilling and controversial Southern Counties East League match at Homelands saw all five goals scored in a second half that also saw United manager Danny Lye ejected from the dug out.
The first half was one-sided with United pinning back their opponents but despite racking up a double-figure corner count, it somehow remained goalless at half-time.
Trams goalkeeper Francis Ameyaw saved his side with several good saves, the pick of the bunch denying Luke Miller when he tipped over a shot from the 17-year-old in the 33rd minute.
David Botterill saw a corner bounce off the bar, a block on the line thwarted Pat Kingwell, while Ameyaw was alert to tip a Hill effort wide as well as denying James with a fine save.
Then just before the break, Hill threaded a great pass through to Miller but Jason Wyatt managed to clear the ball out for another corner.
However, a controversial start to the second half saw Ashford fall behind in the 49th minute.
Croydon’s Andrew Mott raced through and, despite the linesman’s flag being raised causing the Ashford defence to stop, the referee played on allowing Mott to slot past Nic Taylor.
In the aftermath, Hill received a yellow card while boss Lye was sent from the dug out.
Hill then fired narrowly wide, before James saw a decent effort saved again by the overworked Ameyaw.
But as Ashford searched for an ASHFORD UTD CROYDON equaliser, the game became more open, with the visitors starting to show some threat on the break and double their lead with 15 minutes left.
Jeff Duah-Kessie evaded Pat Kingwell, before rounding Taylor and slotting home.
But United hit back less than two minutes later, as substitutes Ryan Palmer and Brett Ince combined to halve the deficit.
The former found Ince with a neat pass and he then guided the ball home with the aid of the right-hand post.
Croydon had no answer to the pace and trickery of Palmer, who was heavily involved in the goal that drew the scores level within four minutes of going two behind.
Having won a free-kick just outside the penalty area, Palmer initially fired into the wall but reacted quickest to pick out James with a pin-point cross and he rose well to head home.
In a pulsating finale, the game became stretched as both sides searched for a winner.
Ashford nearly got caught out at the back but much to amusement of the crowd, the visitors found the net in the 87th minute, only for the effort this time to be ruled out for offside.
Then with the game heading for a draw, Hill reacted quickest to a knock down, to fire home from 12 yards for his eighth goal in five matches, to spark off wild celebrations.
Taylor, Savage, James, Botterill, West, Kingwell, Miller, Davisson, Stone (Ince 58mins), Eldridge (Palmer 59mins), Hill. Subs not used: Lye, Mcleod. 217.
Kevin Hall.