Super sub Horton bags five goals

Kent County League

Dale Horton came off to the bench to score five times in 30 minutes as AFC Ashford Athletic beat Aylesford 14-0 in AS Joma Kent County League, Division 3 Central and East, at Homelands.

The division’s leading scorer opened his account on the hour and added further goals on 70, 80, 85 and 90 minutes to take his season’s tally to 21.

William Webb opened the scoring by netting twice in the first 20 minutes and by half-time Justin Howard and Sam Lancaster had stretched the lead to 4-0.

Within a minute of the restart, Martin Henry had added the fifth and three more goals followed in the next 10 minutes through David Yates (2) and Lewis Bedwell, who claimed his second goal with 15 minutes left.

The win lifted Athletic up to third – three points behind second-placed Deal Sports Reserves – and manager Stuart Kingsnorth said: “The boys put in a professional display. We were never really tested and got the job done.”

Ashford FC battled hard before going down 4-3 to Division 2 Central and East leaders Burgess Hogdson at Canterbury.

Manager Ryan Norman was hampered when two players pulled out ahead of the game but the visitors started brightly and took the lead through midfielder Stuart Taylor’s 10th goal of the campaign.

However, individual errors proved costly and Burgess Hodgson took command, scoring three times before Swarneem Gurung pulled it back to 3-2.

Burgess Hodgson restored their two-goal cushion with 15 minutes to go but Ashford striker Craig Haynes set up a tense finish when he made it 4-3 five minutes later.

Haynes led the line superbly to pick up the man-of-the-match award while Mark Wallis, George Argar and Josh Jones all had good games.

United are now seventh but boss Norman, who took charge in July, remains hopeful of a top four finish.

Kennington’s scheduled home Premier Division game against title rivals Greenways was postponed due to Sandyacres being unplayable. They remain top, three points clear of unbeaten Greenways, who have played a game less.

Rolvenden lost 5-0 away to Hawkinge in Division 1 Central and East and are seventh.

Picture: Paul Amos FM5046971 Charing (yellow) under pressure from New Romney during Saturday’s Ashford Charity Cup match

Picture: Lee Woodcock Ashford FC midfielder Stuart Taylor, left, makes a challenge during Saturday’s 4-3 defeat to leaders Burgess Hodgson