Kentish Express Ashford & District
‘Let’s keep ahead of pack’
Danny Lye has challenged his Ashford United team to be six points clear at the top of the Southern Counties East League, Premier Division, by the end of next month.
They regained top spot following the 4-2 win over Whitstable at Homelands on Tuesday night and player-boss Lye wants to stay there, while acknowledging their rivals will continue jostling to replace them.
Lye said: “It’s tight and Sevenoaks and Crowborough could be our main dangers. Sevenoaks will go top if they win their games in hand, while Crowborough are on a great run at the moment but are still in the Vase (due at Bedfont Sports in their third round replay last night (Wednesday), which as we know from last season, can lead to fixture congestion and their pitch isn’t the best either.
“What I am saying to my boys is – let’s win all our games and be ahead of the rest at the end of January.”
Lye admitted Tuesday’s game against Scott Porter’s Whitstable was a battle, adding: “We knew he would have them fired up and put us under pressure and they did it well.
“We controlled the first half hour and then gave away a sloppy goal just before half-time.
“We made a couple of errors in the game and George Kamurasi had a couple of wobbly moments in goal.
“We had to change things when George Savage went off with a back problem early in the second half. We had to put Fraser Walker at right-back and Dave Botterill went to left-back but we didn’t lose our shape.
“Fraser held his hand up for Whitstable’s second goal but he has settled in well – big and strong and a confident boy as well.”
Meanwhile, Tom Michelson has left the club, to re-join his former Hollands & Blair boss Paul Piggott at Ryman League, Division 1 South strugglers Chatham.
Lye said: “Tom was great for us and my type of player but decided to leave and we wish him all the best.”
Savage should recover in time for the home game against Cray Valley on Saturday (3pm).
Skipper Stuart West faces another ban after his latest booking, against Whitstable, but defender Ryan James is due to resume training after being out since damaging his ankle in the Vase defeat at Eastbourne last month.
Whitstable match report, page 61.