Early penalty does the damage

Ashford were beaten by an early penalty at Hythe on Saturday and they had keeper George Kamurasi to thank for keeping the score down.

It was Kamurasi who gave away the spot-kick after just four minutes, fouling Hythe debutant Jerson dos Santos.

Ryan Johnson stepped up to score from 12 yards.

Former Ashford player Ryan Palmer tested Kamurasi from a free-kick and Dean Grant fired just over before Matt Day sent a lob HYTHE ASHFORD wide at the other end.

Mitchell Chapman shot over for Hythe and Dave Cook then missed a sitter, heading wide of an open goal from just two yards out.

Hythe had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half when Mitchell Dickenson nodded home from a Ben Wilson cross.

Dos Santos drilled a shot wide and then came Ashford’s best chance of the game, Connor Westney forcing a save from Will Godmon after good build-up involving Day and Max Watters.

Kamurasi remained busy at the other end, saving from Wilson, Dos Santos and Jerald Aboagye before the Nuts & Bolts went close late on through Ben Davisson and Pat Kingwell.

Kamurasi, Seaman, Williams, Difford, Perkins (Phillips 64mins), Kingwell, Westney (Bingham 69mins), Davisson, Watters (Woodcock 75mins), Day, Richardson-Brown. Subs not used: Lavender, Afoke. 351.

Picture: Gary Browne FM4923185 Ashford’s Tyrell Richardson-Brown closed down by former United player Ryan Palmer during Saturday’s match at Hythe