Kentish Express Ashford & District
Victory enough for top spot
Ashford
Ashford regained top spot in KentSussex Regional 2 with a 5-1 win at Southwick on Saturday.
They made one change to their starting line up, with Ben Shepard coming into midfield to replace the injured Ben Davis.
Southwick started strongly and pressurised the Ashford backline early in the game. The visitors were slow to settle and conceded an early short corner which was saved by Rob Allen, who had another strong performance in goal.
Some last-ditch defending from Ricky Johnson and Ben Dawson kept the score level as the half progressed.
Ashford started to grow into the game and took the lead through Sam Handley who finished well under pressure.
The West Sussex side levelled from a short corner which squeezed under the stick of post-man Steve Barratt.
However, as the half drew to a close, Ashford won a short corner which was despatched by Andrew Hill to give the A’s the lead going into half-time.
In the second half Ashford looked to up the tempo, Robin Miller finished off an excellent team move and Handley then doubled his tally, finishing off a pass from Hill to make it 4-1.
Matt Reeve then added a fifth when he found himself with space in the D to turn and shoot into the bottom corner.
A flurry of cards nullified the game in terms of a contest in the last 10 minutes as both teams were reduced to 10 men.
The win sees Ashford in top spot, two points ahead of King’s & Alleyn’s who they face at Ball Lane on Saturday.
Ashford men’s 2nds had a 5-0 walkover win against Bromley & Beckenham 5ths in Kent Area Division 2, while the 3rds lost 3-2 at home to Sutton Valence 2nds in Kent Open Premier A.
The men’s 4ths were beaten 2-1 by Tunbridge Wells Crusaders in Kent Open Premier C.
Ashford ladies lost 3-1 at East League Division 2 South East leaders Canterbury 2A. The home side started strongly and goalkeeper and player-of-the-match Mollie Smith made several excellent saves before Canterbury eventually scored.
A series of penalty corners then followed with a solid Ashford defence doing a fantastic job.
A dubious decision outside of the D led to yet another penalty corner and Canterbury found the backboard.
A better second half for Ashford saw them keep possession more and play the ball around with confidence.
A lapse in concentration Canterbury a third goal.
However, Ashford were finally rewarded with a superb goal from Amy Thomas on the back post, the result of a well-executed penalty corner routine.
With plenty to take from the game, the team will be back at the Ball Lane to take on Gore Court on Saturday (10am).
The ladies’ 2nds were beaten 1-0 at King’s & Alleyn’s 2nds in Kent Division 1.
In Division 2, Ashford ladies’ 3rds found leaders New Beccehamian too strong and were beaten 5-1.
The New Beccs strikers had great pace and worked in pairs to get the ball past the Ashford defence to go 1-0 up.
Ashford came back well, gaining a short corner which resulted in a perfect strike from Linda Charlton at the top of the D.
The home side added two more goals before the break and another two in the second half.
Linda Charlton gained numerous short corners for Ashford in the second half but the visitors failed to capitalise on them.
Jo Thompson was Ashford’s player of the match. gifted Ashford men’s 3rds (dark blue) take on Sutton Valence 2nds in Kent Open Premier A at Ball Lane on Saturday. The visitors edged the match 3-2 Ashford............ 9. 6. 2. 1. 35. 15. 20 Kings.Alleyns... 9. 6. 0. 3. 19. 11. 18 Sth.Saxons...... 9. 5. 2. 2. 31. 26. 17 Marden.Russ... 9. 5. 0. 4. 31. 25. 15 Old.Willis......... 9. 4. 3. 2. 20. 15. 15 BBHC............... 9. 4. 2. 3. 28. 32. 14 Southwick....... 9. 3. 3. 3. 19. 23. 12 Holcs.2............ 9. 3. 1. 5. 15. 20. 10 Folkestone.2.... 9. 3. 1. 5. 23. 32. 10 Crawley........... 9. 1. 4. 4. 23. 27. 7 Cant.Pilg.......... 9. 2. 1. 6. 12. 22. 7 Horsham.2....... 9. 1. 3. 5. 19. 27. 6
Folkestone.2nds.2.Crawley. 1,.Holcombe.2nds.2.BBHC.5,.Horsham. 2nds.6.Marden.Russets.4,.Kings. &.Alleyns.1.South.Saxons.2,.Old. Williamsonians.1.Canterbury.Pilgrims. 1,.Southwick.1.Ashford.5.
Ashford.v.Kings.&.Alleyns,. BBHC.v.Southwick,.Canterbury. Pilgrims.v.Folkestone.2nds,.Crawley. v.Horsham.2nds,.Marden.Russets.v. Holcombe.2nds,.South.Saxons.v.Old. Williamsonians. Ashford.2......... 9. 9. 0. 0. 53. 10. 27 Cant.4............. 9. 7. 1. 1. 46. 18. 22 Gore.Court.2.... 9. 6. 1. 2. 42. 25. 19 Gore.Court.3.... 9. 5. 1. 3. 17. 17. 16 Holc.3.............. 9. 4. 1. 4. 21. 25. 13 Old.Willis.2...... 9. 2. 4. 3. 22. 21. 10 Cant.Miller....... 9. 3. 1. 5. 13. 23. 10 BBHC.2............ 9. 2. 4. 3. 17. 42. 10 BromBeck.5..... 9. 2. 3. 4. 15. 26. 9 Tun.Wells.2...... 9. 2. 2. 5. 21. 28. 8 Blackheath.3... 9. 1. 4. 4. 15. 20. 7 Deal................. 9. 0. 0. 9. 14. 41. 0
Ashford.2nds.5.Bromley. &.Beckenham.5ths.0,.BBHC.2nds.2. Canterbury.4ths.12,.Blackheath.&. Elthamians.3rds.4.Tunbridge.Wells. 2nds.3,.Canterbury.Millers.0.Gore. Court.2nds.4,.Gore.Court.3rds.4.Deal.1,. Holcombe.3rds.3.v.Old.Williamsonians. 2nds.1. Herne.Bay.2..... 9. 8. 0. 1. 49. 10. 24 Gravesham...... 9. 7. 1. 1. 26. 12. 22 Marden.Rus.2.. 9. 6. 2. 1. 36. 22. 20 Sutton.Val.2..... 9. 4. 3. 2. 24. 17. 15 Ashford.3......... 9. 5. 0. 4. 27. 24. 15 F’stone.Op.3.... 9. 5. 0. 4. 28. 28. 15 Sevenoaks.4.... 9. 4. 2. 3. 30. 21. 14 Gill.Anchs.2..... 9. 3. 1. 5. 23. 24. 10 Sevenoaks.5.... 9. 2. 2. 5. 17. 38. 8 New.Beccs.2... 9. 2. 0. 7. 7. 28. 6 Uni.of.Kent.2.... 9. 1. 1. 7. 13. 40. 4 F’stone.Op.4.... 9. 0. 2. 7. 5. 21. 2
Folkestone.Optimist.4ths. 2.Herne.Bay.2nds.3,.Gillingham. Anchorians.2nds.7.New.Beccehamian. 2nds.0,.Marden.Russets.2nds.4. Sevenoaks.4ths.3,.University.of.Kent. 2nds.2.Folkestone.Optimist.3rds.5,. Gravesham.&.Wellcome.2.Sevenoaks. 5ths.1,.Ashford.3rds.2.Sutton.Valence. 2nds.3. Maidstone.3..... 9. 7. 1. 1. 35. 15. 22 Cant.Griffins..... 9. 6. 3. 0. 25. 9. 21 Herne.Bay.3..... 9. 6. 1. 2. 26. 13. 19 T.Wells.4.(M).... 9. 5. 1. 3. 17. 12. 16 Sevenoaks.7.... 9. 4. 3. 2. 27. 23. 15 Ashford.4......... 9. 5. 0. 4. 20. 17. 15 S’oaks.Acorn... 9. 3. 2. 4. 16. 16. 11 Holcombe.4A... 9. 3. 1. 5. 18. 23. 10 Sutton.Val.3..... 9. 3. 1. 5. 21. 28. 10 Deal.2.............. 9. 1. 3. 5. 18. 16. 6 Cliftonville.2..... 9. 1. 1. 7. 4. 40. 4 B.Ash.(Bex).5... 9. 0. 3. 6. 15. 30. 3
Herne.Bay.3rds.6.Sutton. Valence.3rds.1,.Holcombe.4As.1. Sevenoaks.7ths.4,.Deal.2nds.9. Cliftonville.2nds.0,.Sevenoaks.Acorns. 3.Burnt.Ash.(Bexley).5ths.2,.Tunbridge. Wells.4ths.(Monarchs).2.Ashford.4ths. 1,.Canterbury.Griffins.2.Maidstone. 3rds.2. . P. W. D. L. F. A. Ps Cant.2A......... 10. 9. 0. 1. 31. 10. 27 Sevenoak.3.... 10. 7. 1. 2. 25. 12. 22 Ashford.......... 10. 7. 0. 3. 28. 16. 21 Basildon........ 10. 6. 1. 3. 20. 12. 19 Tun.Wells.2.... 10. 4. 2. 4. 16. 15. 14 Walt.Forest...... 9. 4. 2. 3. 9. 12. 14 Havering.......... 9. 3. 2. 4. 20. 26. 11 Redbridge...... 10. 3. 1. 6. 15. 26. 10 Southend......... 9. 3. 0. 6. 17. 23. 9 BromBeck.2... 10. 2. 2. 6. 17. 29. 8 Brentwood....... 9. 2. 1. 6. 17. 19. 7 Gore.Court..... 10. 2. 0. 8. 9. 24. 6
Gore.Court.0.Basildon.2,. Canterbury.2A.3.Ashford.1,.Sevenoaks. 3rds.1.Redbridge.&.Ilford.0,.Brom.&. Becks.2nds.1.Tunbridge.Wells.2nds.1.
Ashford.v.Gore.Court,. Basildon.v.Waltham.Forest,.Redbridge. &.Ilford.v.Canterbury.2A,.Havering.v. Sevenoaks.3rds,.Tunbridge.Wells.2nds. v.Brentwood,.Southend.&.Benfleet.v. Brom.&.Becks.2nds. Gill.Anchs...... 10. 5. 2. 3. 22. 17. 17 Meophams...... 9. 5. 2. 2. 15. 13. 17 S’oaks.Acorn... 9. 5. 1. 3. 22. 13. 16 Blackheath.2... 9. 5. 1. 3. 20. 14. 16 K.Alleyns.2....... 9. 4. 3. 2. 18. 14. 15 Herne.Bay........ 9. 4. 1. 4. 25. 18. 13 Holcombe.2..... 9. 3. 4. 2. 16. 14. 13 Gravesend....... 9. 3. 2. 4. 16. 27. 11 Bt.Ash(Bex).2... 9. 1. 4. 4. 6. 12. 7 Sevenoak.5...... 9. 1. 4. 4. 9. 18. 7 Ashford.2......... 9. 0. 4. 5. 9. 18. 4
Meopham.3.Herne.Bay. 0,.Gillingham.Anchorians.3.Burnt. Ash.(Bexley).2nds.0,.Blackheath.&. Elthamians.2nds.3.Sevenoaks.5ths.1,. Holcombe.2nds.1.Gravesend.1,.Kings. Alleyns.2nds.1.Ashford.2nds.0.
Ashford.2nds.v.Holcombe. 2nds,.Sevenoaks.5ths.v.Herne.Bay,. Blackheath.&.Elthamians.2nds.v. Sevenoaks.Acorns,.Gravesend.v. Meopham,.Burnt.Ash.(Bexley).2nds.v. Kings.Alleyns.2nds. New.Beccs.... 10. 9. 1. 0. 52. 4. 27 Tun.Wells.3.... 10. 8. 1. 1. 34. 11. 25 Edenbridge...... 9. 7. 0. 2. 29. 12. 21 Dartford......... 10. 5. 0. 5. 31. 27. 15 B.Ash(Bex).3.. 10. 4. 2. 4. 18. 18. 14 Old.Willis.2.... 10. 4. 1. 5. 19. 24. 13 Holcombe.3... 10. 3. 2. 5. 7. 12. 13 Ashford.3....... 10. 3. 3. 4. 31. 22. 12 Cant.3A......... 10. 3. 2. 5. 16. 21. 11 Deal................. 9. 3. 1. 5. 13. 16. 10 BBHC.2.......... 10. 3. 1. 6. 22. 28. 10 Cliftonville.2... 10. 0. 0. 10. 3. 80. 0
Dartford.15.Cliftonville.2nds.1,. Tunbridge.Wells.3rds.2.Canterbury.3As. 1,.Ashford.3rds.1.New.Beccehamians. 5,.BBHC.2nds.0.Holcombe.3rds. 1,.Burnt.Ash.(Bexley).3rds.1.Old. Williamsonians.2nds.2.
Deal.v.BBHC.2nds,.New. Beccehamians.v.Burnt.Ash.(Bexley). 3rds,.Tun.Wells.3rds.v.Edenbridge,. Old.Williamsonians.2nds.v.Dartford,. Holcombe.3rds.v.Ashford.3rds,. Canterbury.3As.v.Cliftonville.2nds.