Kentish Express Ashford & District
School’s triple success on finals day
Youth football
The Norton Knatchbull School contested three finals on Ashford & Shepway Schools League Cup finals day at Homelands and won all three matches.
There were victories for the school’s Year 8, 9 and 10 sides.
Ben Wilkinson scored the goal which saw Norton Knatchbull Year 8 defeat Harvey GS 1-0.
The game stayed goal less until the winner came from a 30-yard free kick from Ben Wilkinson in the last 10 minutes to ensure this age group from the Ashford school won the trophy for a second successive year.
The outcome of the Year 9 final was decided by a penalty shoot-out after the score between Norton Knatchbull and Harvey GS ended 2-2.
Harvey took a 1-0 lead following a defensive mixup by Knatchbull but the Ashford school responded after half-time with two goals from Ed Milloy, before Harvey equalised with 10 minutes remaining.
In the shoot-out, Knatchbull keeper Lucas Hanley saved one penalty and the final Harvey spot kick was fired over the bar, ensuring Knatchbull were champions for the third year in a row with this age group.
Louis Pacquette scored a hattrick and Josh McCarthy two goals as Knatchbull Year 10 side beat John Wallis Academy 5-2.
In an entertaining final with plenty of end-to-end action, Knatchbull led 2-0 at half-time thanks to a goal each from Pacquette and McCarthy.
After the break, John Wallis pulled it back to 2-2 but Knatchbull retook the lead with Christian Wilson winning the ball and crossing for McCarthy to score.
Two strikes from Pacquette in the last 10 minutes ensured the win for Knatchbull.
Harvey Grammar beat Homewood 5-0 in the Year 7 final, while in the Year 11 final Harvey defeated the The North School 7-1.
Ashford United under-14s came back from south east London without any reward after taking on Central Division top-of-the-table side Danson Sports.
The visitors had most of the possession in the first half which remained goalless.
Play continued in much the same fashion in the second half until Danson broke the deadlock against the run of play and managed to sneak in the only goal of the game.
On Sunday, Ashford Larkfield at Homelands.
In the South Division, after the two previous weeks’ away matches had been postponed, Kennington travelled to Canterbury City.
The home side took the lead in the first half due to a defensive error. After the break, Tallin Cartwright levelled and then Noah Carney put Kennington 2-1 ahead.
A Canterbury effort was disallowed and Kennington held on to take the three points. On Sunday they are at home to second-placed Folkestone Invicta. face