Kentish Express Ashford & District
Difficult away test dealt with
Hockey
Ashford ladies maintained their push for promotion from EHL Division 2 SE with a 2-1 victory at Havering on Saturday.
The east London side are traditionally combative opponents with a good home record so this was always likely to be a test for Ashford on their return to action.
Creative play from Kim Cameron led to Caroline Morris opening the scoring, with a shot from the edge of the area, which took a deflection off a defender.
Despite it being only her second appearance for the first team, goalkeeper and playerof-the-match Alice Bussey kept the Havering attack out and in making a succession of good saves, gave confidence to the defensive unit.
On a counter attack, Sophie Hunt beat the last Havering defender before crossing for Amy Thomas to double the lead.
Havering rallied and grabbed a consolation after intercepting a cross-field pass.
Ashford remain second, three points behind leaders Canterbury 2As, with a game K Alleyns....... 12 8 1 3 29 17 25 Ashford ......... 12 6 3 3 41 27 21 Sth Saxons ... 12 6 3 3 40 34 21 BBHC ............ 12 6 3 3 38 39 21 Old Willis ...... 12 5 5 2 29 23 20 Marden Rus .. 12 6 1 5 36 31 19 Southwick..... 12 4 3 5 25 31 15 Folkestone 2 . 12 4 2 6 34 39 14 Holcs 2 ......... 11 4 1 6 20 24 13 Crawley ........ 11 2 4 5 27 31 10 Cant Pilg ....... 12 3 1 8 18 30 10 Horsham 2 .... 12 2 3 7 24 35 9
BBHC 3 Crawley 1, Folkestone 2nds 7 Ashford 2, Holcombe 2nds 4 Canterbury Pilgrims 2, Horsham 2nds 2 South Saxons 4, Marden Russets 0 Southwick 2, Old Williamsonians 3 Kings & Alleyns 3. in hand. They host Tunbridge Wells 2nds on Saturday.
A goal in the opening minutes put Ashford ladies’ 2nds on the way to a 5-1 win over Herne Bay 1st in Kent Division 1.
Millie Rimmer’s short corner strike was followed by a second when captain Abi Bingham scored from another set piece.
Sarah Andrews made it 3-0 with a penalty flick and by half-time Ashford had all but wrapped up their first win of the campaign as Lucy Grayson slipped home a fourth.
Bay pulled a goal back midway through the second half from a short corner but Ashford were quick to respond when an excellent cross from Emma Bains found Abbie Bean in the centre of the D and she scored with a powerful LBZ.
The win moved Ashford off the foot of the table at the expense of Burnt Ash 2nds. Ashford ladies’ 3rds came from 2-0 down to earn a last-gasp draw against Tunbridge Wells 3rds who are pushing hard for promotion
Ashford v Horsham 2nds, Canterbury Pilgrims v BBHC, Crawley v Marden Russets, Kings & Alleyns v Folkestone 2nds, South Saxons v Holcombe 2nds, Southwick v Old Williamsonians. Ashford 2 ...... 11 10 0 1 57 18 30 Gore Court 2 . 12 9 1 2 56 27 28 Cant 4........... 12 8 1 3 53 28 25 Gore Court 3 . 12 7 1 4 27 24 22 Holcs 3 ......... 12 6 1 5 30 34 19 Old Willis 2 ... 11 3 5 3 26 23 14 Tun Wells 2... 12 4 2 6 33 33 14 Cant Mill ....... 12 4 2 6 20 29 14 BBHC 2 ......... 12 3 4 5 23 53 13 Blackhth 3 .... 12 2 4 6 24 31 10 BromBeck 5.. 12 2 3 7 18 37 9 Deal .............. 12 1 0 11 23 53 3
Ashford 2nds 4 Tunbridge from Kent Division 2.
The hosts launched several promising attacks but were unable to capitalise and it was Wells who took a first-half lead.
The defensive trio of Bulgin, Ellis and Bozeat worked well as a unit to keep the score at one until a defensive error gifted the ball to the Wells striker at the top of the circle and she Wells 2nds 2, Blackheath & Elthamians 3rds 4 BBHC 2nds 1, Bromley & Beckenham 5ths 1 Old Williamsonians 2nds 3, Canterbury Millers 5 Canterbury 4ths 1, Gore Court 2nds 3 Gore Court 3rds 2, Holcombe 3rds 6 Deal 2.
BBHC 2nds v Holcombe 3rds, Canterbury 4ths v Ashford 2nds, Deal v Canterbury Millers, Gore Court 3rds v Blackheath & Elthamians 3rds, Old Williamsonians 2nds v Gore Court 2nds, Tunbridge Wells 2nds v Bromley & Beckenham 5ths. Herne Bay 2 .. 12 10 0 2 64 12 30 Sevenoaks 4 . 12 7 2 3 43 23 23 Marden R 2... 11 7 2 2 43 25 23 Gravesham ... 11 7 1 3 27 16 22 Sutton Val 2 .. 11 6 3 2 36 20 21 F’stone Op 3 . 12 7 0 5 35 33 21 Ashford 3 ...... 12 6 0 6 35 33 18 Gill Anchs 2 .. 12 5 1 6 39 39 16 Sevenoaks 5 . 12 3 2 7 23 46 11 New Becc 2 .. 12 3 0 9 12 40 9 F’stone Op 4 . 12 1 2 9 10 37 5 Uni Kent 2..... 11 1 1 9 13 56 4
Herne Bay 2nds 12 Gillingham Anchorians 2nds 0, Gravesham & Wellcome 1 Sevenoaks 4ths 2, Folkestone Optimist 4ths 2 Folkestone Optimist 3rds 0, Sevenoaks 5ths 1 Sutton Valence 2nds 2, Ashford 3rds 6 New Beccehamian 2nds 0.
Sutton Valence 2nds v Herne Bay 2nds, New Beccehamian 2nds v Folkestone Optimist 4ths, Gillingham Anchorians 2nds v Marden Russets 2nds, University of Kent 2nds v Ashford 3rds, Sevenoaks 4ths v Sevenoaks Kent/Sussex Regional 2 when Ben Sheppard they lost 7-2 to Folkestone 2nds, Lightfoot were a side they had beaten 5-1 on the Ashford scorers. season’s opening day. Captain Matt Carter struck
The defeat was their third in twice to take his goal tally to the last five matches after they five in three games as Ashford had started the campaign by 3rds beat New Beccehamian going seven undefeated. 2nds 6-0 in Kent Open Premier A.WillSpainledthewayfor Ops with four goals, while Will Ashford took the lead from Mead struck twice. Finn Smith a short corner routine when completed the tally. Carter found Will Clayson on
Ashford remain second but the back post and the youngster they are only there now on goal deflected the ball past the difference from South Saxons keeper. and BBHC, both of whom won The roles were reversed for at the weekend. the second goal as Clayson fired
They host bottom club the ball into Carter who fooled Horsham 2nds on Saturday. his marker before shooting into The sides drew 2-2 earlier in the the bottom corner. season. Roger Lightfoot struck a short
Two goals from man-of-thecorner perfectly into the bottom match Allan Dawson helped corner to make it 3-0. Ashford 2nds consolidate their Ashford came under pressure position at the head of Kent at the start of the second half Area Division 2 with a 4-2 win but the defence held from and over Tunbridge Wells 2nds. Clayson claimed his second
The leaders controlled the from a cross from Lightfoot who early part of the game, scoring then set up the fifth for Carter. three quick counter attacking Ben Smitherman scored the goals, but Wells fought back fifth goal. with two second-half strikes Ashford 4ths went down 4-1 before a fourth Ashford goal put away to Deal 2nds in Kent in the game to bed. Kent Open Premier C. slotted the ball home.
Ashford regrouped and with skipper Kate Horton leading the way, they scored a deserved goal through Tess Palmer. In the dying seconds, player-ofthe-match Amanda Ellis scored with a great strike from a penalty corner.
Ashford’s men suffered a chastening return to action in
Burnt Ash (Bex) 5ths 4 Herne Bay 3rds 3, Deal 2nds 4 Ashford 4ths 1, Cliftonville 2nds 2 Maidstone 3rds 6, Canterbury Griffins 6 Sutton Valence 3rds 1, Sevenoaks Acorns 0 Sevenoaks 7ths 3, Tunbridge Wells 4 (Monarchs) 4 Holcombe 4A 1.
Maidstone 3rds v Burnt Ash (Bexley) 5ths, Sutton Valence 3rds v Sevenoaks Acorns, Holcombe 4As v Canterbury Griffins, Sevenoaks 7ths v Deal 2nds, Herne Bay 3rds v Tunbridge Wells 4ths (Monarchs), Ashford 4ths v Cliftonville 2nds. Ashford ......... 13 10 0 3 39 19 30 Sevenoaks 3 . 14 9 2 3 32 17 29 Tun Wells 2... 14 7 2 5 24 17 23 Basildon ....... 13 6 3 4 20 13 21 Walt Forest ... 12 4 4 4 10 14 16 Havering ....... 14 4 4 6 26 33 16 Redbridge ..... 13 4 1 8 20 34 13 Southend ...... 13 4 1 8 25 41 13 Brentwood .... 11 3 2 6 20 21 11 BromBeck 2.. 12 2 3 7 21 34 9 Gore Court .... 13 3 0 10 12 35 9
Havering 1 Ashford 2, Tunbridge Wells 2nds 4 Gore Court 0, Southend & Benfleet 0 Canterbury 2A 9, Waltham Forest 0 Sevenoaks 3rds 1, Redbridge & Ilford 1 Basildon 0.
Basildon v Brentwood, Sevenoaks 3rds v Brom & Becks 2nds, Redbridge & Ilford v Havering, Ashford v Tunbridge Wells 2nds, Gore Court v S’oak Acorn .. 12 7 2 3 33 17 23 Blackhth 2 .... 12 6 3 3 25 18 21 Meopham ..... 11 6 2 3 19 16 20 Holcombe 2 .. 11 5 4 2 22 16 19 K Alleyns 2.... 11 5 3 3 22 16 18 Gill Anchs ..... 12 5 3 4 23 20 18 Gravesend .... 11 5 2 4 20 29 17 Herne Bay ..... 11 4 1 6 28 26 13 Sevenoaks 5 . 12 2 4 6 14 28 10 Ashford 2 ...... 11 1 4 6 15 23 7 B Ash (Bex)2 . 12 1 4 7 9 21 7
Meopham 3 Burnt Ash (Bexley) 2nds 1, Sevenoaks 5ths 1 Gravesend 2, Blackheath & Elthamians 2nds 1 Kings Alleyns 2nds 0, Gillingham Anchorians 0 Sevenoaks Acorns 2, Herne Bay 1 Ashford 2nds 5. and Tom the other
Ashford 2nds v Gravesend, Burnt Ash (Bexley) 2nds v Herne Bay, Gillingham Anchorians v Sevenoaks 5ths, Sevenoaks Acorns v Kings Alleyns 2nds, Blackheath & Elthamians 2nds v Holcombe 2nds. Dartford 3 Holcombe 3rds 0, Burnt Ash (Bexley) 3rds 0 Deal 3, Ashford 3rds 2 T Wells 3rds 2, Cliftonville 2nds 0 New Beccehamians 11, BBHC 2nds 0 Edenbridge 2, Canterbury 3As 6 O Wills 2nds 1.
Deal v Dartford, Tunbridge Wells 3rds v Burnt Ash (Bexley) 3rds, Holcombe 3rds v Cliftonville 2nds, Bexleyheath & Belvedere 2nds v Canterbury 3As, New Beccehamians v Old Williamsonians 2nds, Edenbridge v Ashford 3rds.