Kentish Express Ashford & District
Leaders battle for late winner
Ashford men’s 1sts maintained their position at the top of KentSussex Regional 2 with a 3-2 victory over Canterbury Pilgrims at Ball Lane on Saturday.
The hosts started the brighter of the two teams and took a deserved lead through Sam Handley, who expertly rounded the Canterbury keeper to slot home.
Simon Cowling had an opportunity to extend the lead moments later, after some excellent play from the midfield, but he pushed his shot wide of the post.
However, Canterbury levelled on the stroke of half-time, the ball squared across the D to be neatly finished off by a Pilgrims striker.
After some stern words by coach Diccon Stubbins during the break, Ashford were rejuvenated and could have pulled ahead through the trickery of Chris Spain. However, his reverse stick shot was propelled high over the bar.
In fact it was Canterbury who struck next. Some lacklustre defending on Ashford’s part, allowed a Canterbury striker to find enough room to squeeze his shot home to give the visitors the lead.
With the pressure on, Ashford flooded forward. Andrew Hill came the closest with a trademark short corner that was turned around the post.
Ashford found a way back into the game, through good work from Allan Dawson and Kiagh Bridges combining on the right. The ball broke across the D and was bundled into the goal by Andrew Hill.
The hosts continued to press for the winner which came with four minutes to spare. Ben Dawson was industrious down the right hand side, working hard to win and retain the ball against some
MEN’S HOCKEY Kent/Sussex Regional 2
P W D L F A Ps Ashford ......... 15 12 2 1 54 24 38 South Saxons 16 12 2 2 58 35 38 Marden ......... 15 12 1 2 57 25 37 G’ham Anch.. 14 9 0 5 40 32 27 C’bury Pilgrim15 7 3 5 46 30 24 Hailsham ...... 16 5 2 9 35 43 17 Southwick ..... 16 5 1 10 32 45 16 Mid-Sussex .. 15 5 0 10 32 52 15 BBHC ............ 15 3 2 10 23 42 11 Holcombe 2 .. 15 3 1 11 20 45 10 Folkestone2.14 3 0 11 18 42 9
Results: Ashford 3 Canterbury Pilgrims 2, Hailsham 5 Mid-Sussex 1, Holcombe 2nds 0 Marden Russets 2, South Saxons 4 Gillingham Anchorians 2, Southwick 4 BBHC 1.
Fixtures: BBHC v Ashford, Canterbury Pilgrims v Marden Russets, Folkestone 2nds v South Saxons, Gillingham Anchorians v Hailsham, Mid-Sussex v Southwick.
Kent Area Division 1
B’heath & E 2 16 13 0 3 54 19 39 Canterbury 3. 17 11 3 3 56 31 36 Herne Bay ..... 16 11 1 4 73 30 34 Ashford 2 ...... 16 8 0 8 52 46 24 Holcombe 2 .. 16 8 0 8 41 45 24 Cliftonville ..... 16 7 1 8 47 48 22 Gore Court 2 . 17 6 4 7 49 51 22 Maidstone 2.. 17 6 4 7 49 66 22 Burnt Ash 2... 16 6 3 7 52 45 21 O Bordenian 217 5 5 7 40 44 20 Sevenoaks3.16 5 2 9 40 36 17 Uni of Kent .... 16 0 1 15 14106 1
Results: Blackheath & Elthamians
2nds 2 Herne Bay 1, Burnt Ash 2nds 5 Ashford 2nds 3, Canterbury 3rds 2 Maidstone 2nds 2, Cliftonville 11 Holcombe 2nds 3, Sevenoaks 3rds 5 Old Bordenians 2nds 0, University of Kent 2 Gore Court 2nds 2. intense Canterbury pressure. He squared to Allan Dawson who forced the ball home.
In the closest of title races, the top three teams are separated by just a point. Ashford travel to Bromley & Beckenham on Saturday needing another win to ensure their top position.
Ashford men’s 2nds were beaten 5-3 at Burnt Ash 2nds in Kent Division 1, but the 3rds had a much better day against the Bexley-based club, winning 6-3 against Burnt Ash 3rds in Kent Open Premier A.
Second-placed Ashford 4ths kept up their challenge in with a 4-1 win over Tunbridge Wells 4ths in Kent Open Premier C.
Ashford ladies’ 1sts remain rooted to the bottom of East League Division1 South following their 2-0 home defeat by Chelmsford 2nds.
In Kent Division2, leaders Ashford ladies ‘2nds beat Bexleyheath & Belvedere 4-0, while second-placed Ashford 3rds.
The ladies’ 3rds and 4ths were without a game. Fixtures: Ashford 2nds v Canterbury 3rds, Burnt Ash 2nds v Cliftonville, Gore Court 2nds v Holcombe 2a, Herne Bay v Sevenoaks 3rds, Maidstone 2nds v Blackheath & Elthamians 2nds, Old Bordenians 2nds v University of Kent.
Kent Open Premier A
Sutton Valence16 14 1 1 64 28 43 New B’hamian17 13 1 3 59 27 40 K Sports ........ 16 10 3 3 67 34 33 Marden Russ 217 9 3 5 52 38 30 O Bordenian 317 9 3 5 47 46 30 Burnt Ash 3... 16 7 2 7 31 42 23 Ashford 3 ...... 17 6 3 8 54 47 21 Folk Opt 4 ..... 17 5 3 9 38 56 18 G’ham Anch 216 4 2 10 28 33 14 Folk Opt 3 ..... 17 3 3 11 35 56 12 Grave/Well .... 17 2 5 10 34 52 11 Sevenoaks5.17 2 3 12 26 76 9
Results: Gillingham Anchorians 2nds 2 Gravesham & Wellcome 1, Folkestone Optimist 3rds 0 Sutton Valence 1, Sevenoaks 5ths 1 New Beccehamian 10, Marden Russets 2nds 4 K Sports 3, Ashford 3rds 6 Burnt Ash 3rds 0, Old Bordenian 3rds 3 Folkestone Optimist 4ths 2.
Fixtures: Burnt Ash 3rds v Old Bordenian 3rds, Folkestone Optimist 4ths v Gillingham Anchorians 2nds, K Sports v Ashford 3rds, New Beccehamians v Sutton Valence, Marden Russets 2nds v Folkestone Optimist 3rds, Gravesham & Wellcome v Sevenoaks 5ths.
Premier C
Gore Court 4 . 17 10 5 2 45 30 35 Ashford 4 ...... 16 10 3 3 37 20 33 S’oaks Acorns16 9 3 4 26 26 30 Burnt Ash 5... 16 8 4 4 50 43 28 Sutton Vale 2 16 8 2 6 41 28 26 Sevenoaks7.16 7 3 6 39 41 24 Marden Russ 317 6 2 9 40 42 20 Grave/Well2.16 6 0 10 45 45 18 Tun Wells 4... 16 5 3 8 40 40 18 Holcombe 4 .. 16 4 5 7 24 28 17 Brom/Beck 6 17 3 6 8 38 55 15 Deal 2 ........... 17 4 0 13 25 52 12
Results: Sutton Valence 2nds 2 Bromley and Beckenham 6ths 2, Holcombe 4ths 1 Deal 2nds 2,
Gore Court 4ths 5 Burnt Ash 5ths 3, Gravesham & Wellcombe 2nds 2 Sevenoaks 7ths 3, Sevenoaks Acorns 2 Marden Russets 3rds 1, Tunbridge Wells 4ths 1 Ashford 4ths 4.
Fixtures: Burnt Ash 5ths v Tunbridge Wells 4ths, Deal 2nds v Sutton Valence 2nds, Holcombe 4A v Sevenoaks Acorns, Sevenoaks 7ths v Gore Court 4ths, Ashford 4ths v Marden Russets 3rds, Bromley & Beckenham 6ths v Gravesham & Wellcome 2nds.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
East League Division 1 South
P W D L F A Ps E London ...... 18 14 3 1 60 10 45 Upminster ..... 18 13 4 1 50 12 43 Maidstone ..... 18 12 2 4 72 32 38 Chelmsford 2 18 11 2 5 35 29 35 Bishop’s St ... 18 8 5 5 39 30 29 Blueharts ...... 17 8 4 5 35 24 28 Old Loughts .. 18 6 3 9 28 36 21 Crostyx ......... 18 5 4 9 16 32 19 Canterbury 2. 18 4 3 11 23 51 15 Tun Wells ...... 18 3 3 12 21 50 12 Colchester .... 18 4 0 14 27 57 12 Ashford ......... 17 2 1 14 23 66 7
Results: Bishops Stortford 2 Maidstone 1, East London 3 Tunbridge Wells 0, Crostyx 0 Blueharts 0, Canterbury
2nds 1 Old Loughts 2, Upminster 8 Colchester 0, Ashford 0 Chelmsford 2nds 3. Kent Division 2
Ashford 2 ...... 17 16 1 0 77 9 49 Ashford 3 ...... 17 11 3 3 48 29 36 Tun Wells 3... 17 10 1 6 48 20 31 B’heath/Belv 217 8 5 4 40 26 26 Deal .............. 17 7 3 7 21 19 24 Holcombe 3 .. 17 6 4 7 30 21 22 N B’hamian 2 17 6 2 9 30 41 19 Gore Court 2 . 17 5 3 9 20 48 18 Dartford ........ 17 4 3 10 21 34 15 Canterbury 3. 17 4 4 9 15 36 15 Burnt Ash 3... 17 3 5 9 13 42 14 Old W’sonian 217 4 2 11 21 59 14 Results: Old Williamsonians 2nds 1 Dartford 0, Deal 0 Burnt Ash 3rds 0, Gore Court 2nds 1 Tunbridge Wells
3rds 5, Ashford 2nds 4 Bexleyheath & Belvedere 2nds 0.
Fixtures: Ashford 2nds v Tunbridge Wells 3rds, Deal v Holcombe 3rds,
New Beccehamians 2nds v Gore Court 2nds, Bexleyheath & Belvedere 2nds v Dartford, Old Williamsonians 2nds v Burnt Ash 3rds, Canterbury 3A v Ashford 3rds.
Division 5
Ashford 4 ...... 17 17 0 0 87 6 51 K Sports 2 ..... 17 16 0 1 72 11 48 Sevenoaks 7.17 10 1 6 43 24 31 B’heath & Elt 417 8 2 7 43 28 26 Brom/Beck 5 16 8 0 8 31 35 24 Marden Russ 317 6 4 7 33 40 22 Remnants ..... 17 6 3 8 26 40 21 Meopham 2 .. 16 5 3 8 30 50 18 Burnt Ash 6... 17 6 0 11 29 55 18 Faversham .... 17 5 2 10 20 42 17 Nw B’hamian 317 4 2 11 24 46 14 Dartford3 ..... 17 1 1 15 8 69 4
Results: Burnt Ash 6ths 2 Remnants 3, Dartford 3rds 0 Marden Russets 3rds 5, K Sports 2nds 5 Sevenoaks 7ths 1.
Fixtures: Faversham v Sevenoaks
7ths, Burnt Ash 6ths v Meopham 2nds, Dartford 3rds v Remnants, Blackheath & Elthamians 4ths v Bromley & Beckenham 5ths, New Beccehamian 3rds v Ashford 4ths, K Sports 2nds v Marden Russets 3rds.