Long wait for a win finally over

A second-half recovery built around a platform of 24 unanswered points helped Ashford record a long overdue but deserved win in the bottomtwo London 3 South East clash at Kinneys Field on Saturday.

It may be too late to stop Ashford from dropping into Kent 1 next season but the victory was well worth celebrating as it ended a run of 10 successive defeats spanning five months, since a 41-10 win over Aylesford Bulls on October 22.

Team manager Lloyd Stokes said: “It’s been a long time coming but weeks of commitment on the training field, a positive attitude and squad camaraderie were worth something. They toiled early on before showing their class in the second half.”

An unchanged pack and the return of Nathan Wood and Oli Finn gave Ashford a more assured look and confidence flowed through the team.

During another positive start to the game, Ashford failed to convert pressure into points.

Eastbourne slowly gained a ASHFORD eAStbOuRne hold, without threatening out wide, thwarted by Ashford’s disciplined and aggressive defence.

Steve Tanner kicked Ashford 3-0 ahead with a penalty and could have doubled the lead from the tee but his long-range effort dropped short.

The hosts dominated the opening 25 minutes before fatigue showed and their intensity dropped, allowing the Sussex visitors to score two tries for a 12-3 half-time lead.

Wood was forced out of the game early, together with Mason Pilcher but replacements Matt Richards and. in particular, Shane Redman, revived the pack immediately.

The second half was tense, Ashford refusing to be provoked by the tough Eastbourne pack, and letting their rugby do the talking. The home scrum proved a powerful and dominant force, with consistent pressure paying off.

Jack Weaver capped a return to form, going over for a try, only for Tanner to miss the conversion from out wide.

Three minutes later, good hands and lines by Andy Ticehurst among others, set up Tanner in space to power in, although he missed out again with his kick.

Now in front, Ashford went looking for more points. Weaver fed Ben Gray who found skipper Rhys Fussell to complete the try.

With the conversion successfully kicked, Ashford moved 20-12 ahead.

Ben King burst through again, with his momentum carrying him to a deserved score.

The try secured a bonus point, with Tanner’s conversion proving the final points of the game.

Eastbourne showed some late resistance but Ashford’s aggressive defence wasn’t going to let this one slip away.

PW D L F A Ps Pulborough ... 19 16 0 3 607 330 79 Haywrds Hth . 19 16 1 2 483 201 75 Thanet Wdr ... 19 14 0 5 587 304 71 Folkestone .... 19 13 0 6 529 388 66 Lewes........... 19 12 0 7 502 393 63 Sheppey ....... 19 6 1 12 416 573 38 Old Dunston .. 19 8 1 10 465 523 33 Gill Anchs ..... 19 6 0 13 415 518 31 Park House ... 19 6 0 13 314 506 31 Aylesfrd Bull . 19 5 1 13 324 529 29 Eastbourne ... 19 6 0 13 329 443 27 Ashford ......... 19 4 0 15 294 557 13

Ashford 27 Eastbourne 12, Folkestone 26 Gillingham Anchorians 8, Lewes 22 Haywards Heath 43, Old Dunstonians 36 Sheppey 24, Park House 25 Aylesford Bulls 20, Thanet Wanderers 22 Pulborough 32. No fixtures this weekend

Picture: John Feakins Ashford (red, yellow and black) concede one of two tries in the first half against Eastbourne in the London 3 South East basement battle at Kinneys Field