Kentish Express Ashford & District
Thwarted late goals
YOUNGSTERS STEP UP AS WHITMORE RESTS SOME SENIOR PLAYERS
ASHFORD GREENWICH Two late goals knocked Ashford out of the Velocity Trophy on Monday night.
Nuts & Bolts boss Jason Whitmore gave some of his senior players the night off with Saturday’s crunch league game against Guernsey in mind.
Visitors Greenwich Borough posed a greater threat but a young Ashford side gave as good as they got for most of the evening.
“It was always going to a tough game against Greenwich,” Whitmore said. “We rested some players because the cup isn’t our priority. We put a team out there to compete and for 74 minutes, they did.
“Greenwich were a stronger team but they weren’t carving us open or creating too many chances.
“The boys did really well and we still had 18-year-olds out there including Aaron Lee-Wharton in goal.”
Greenwich finally broke the deadlock 16 minutes from time when Conner Hunte curled a leftfooted shot past Lee-Wharton.
Four minutes later, it was 2-0. Ashford were guilty of some slapstick defending and when the ball was returned into the middle, Sam Corne had a tap-in.
Lee-Wharton, Kirby, Williams, Difford (Lavender 46mins), Phillips, Kingwell, Watters, Davisson, Eldridge, Humber (Westney 46mins), Richardson-Brown (Day 75mins). Sub not used: Sharp. Attendance: 142.
‘We rested some players because the cup isn’t our priority. We put a team out there to compete and for 74 minutes they did’