HOCKEY: VICTORY LEAVES MEN ONE WIN FROM TITLE

Ashford men’s 1sts can win the Kent/Sussex Regional 2 title if they defeat Folkestone 2nds on Saturday.

They achieved promotion – provided two teams go up – following their 6-2 win against Gillingham Anchorians at the weekend.

The game started with a midfield battle, both teams unable to keep great possession.

Slowly Ashford got a stranglehold, the midfield creating spaces to play into. Simon Cowling went close before Sam Handley put the visitors ahead.

Sam Hunt doubled the lead but Anchorians got back in the game with a well-taken goal against the run of play. Ashford continued to press and made it 4-1 by half-time with Chris Spain scoring a goal from the top of the D after some excellent individual skill turning his man inside out and Hunt bagged his second, from a short corner rebound with a reverse stick lob over the stranded keeper.

The second half saw Ashford lose their keeper Rob Allan to the sin bin and Anchorians took advantage to get the score back to 4-2 with the resulting penalty stroke.

However, Handley put Ashford 5-2 ahead and then completed the scoring with his hat-trick goal.

Ashford men’s 2nds were edged 3-2 by Sevenoaks 3rds in Kent Area Division 1.

Despite early pressure from the visitors it was Ashford who took the lead through Matt Goodwin, firing home over the shoulder of the oncoming goalkeeper after a great pass from Tom Shephard.

Sevenoaks equalised but Ashford again took the lead with Goodwin involved in the build-up, sending a strong ball across the circle to find Tom Clayson who calmly slotted home. Sevenoaks equalised and scored the winner with 12 minutes left.

Ashford ladies’ 3rds have been promoted from Kent League Division 2, alongside the club’s 2nds – the runaway champions. The 3rds endured a tense finish before getting past Bexelyheath & Belvedere 3-2.

The visitors didn’t get off to the best of starts after conceding the first goal. Fighting back hard, Ashford put pressure on the opposition’s defence which resulted in captain Kate Horton scoring from a short corner.

Shortly before half-time, Kate Laurie secured the first of her two goals with a drag-flick into the corner.

In the sceond half, great runs from Bella Bowden, Becky Reynolds and Ameila Lall enabled the ball to get up to Laurie who hit it on the reverse to make it 3-1.

The hosts pulled a goal back but Ashford saw the game out.

MEN’S HOCKEY Kent/Sussex Regional 2

P W D L F A Ps Ashford ......... 18 15 2 1 74 28 47 Marden R ...... 18 14 1 3 68 30 43 South Sax ..... 18 12 3 3 63 41 39 Gill Anchs ...... 17 10 0 7 45 41 30 Cant Pilgrim.. 18 8 4 6 53 35 28 Southwick ..... 19 7 2 10 37 48 23 Hailsham ...... 18 5 3 10 38 47 18 Mid-Sussex .. 18 5 1 12 35 61 16 BBHC ............ 18 4 2 12 25 58 14 Folkestone 2 . 17 4 1 12 25 49 13 Holcombe 2 .. 17 3 3 11 25 50 12

Results: BBHC 2 Canterbury Pilgrims 1, Folkestone 2nds 2 Southwick 3, Gillingham Anchorians 2 Ashford 6, Mid-Sussex 1 Marden Russets 4, South Saxons 3 Holcombe 2nds 3.

Fixtures: Ashford v Folkestone 2nds, Canterbury Pilgrims v Mid-Sussex, Hailsham v South Saxons, Holcombe 2nds v BBHC, Marden Russets v Gillingham Anchorians.

Kent Area Division 1 Blckheath 2 .. 20 16 1 3 73 22 49 Canterbury 3. 20 14 3 3 69 38 45 Herne Bay ..... 19 13 1 5 81 35 40 Holcmbe 2a .. 19 10 0 9 52 51 30 Sevenoaks 3 . 19 8 2 9 49 40 26 O Bordens 2.. 20 7 5 8 50 49 26 Maidstone 2.. 20 7 5 8 57 72 26 Burnt Ash 2... 19 7 3 9 58 55 24 Ashford 2 ...... 19 8 0 11 57 61 24 Cliftonville ..... 19 7 2 10 54 59 23 Gore Court 2 . 20 6 5 9 57 65 23 Uni of Kent .... 20 0 1 19 16126 1

Results: Ashford 2nds 2 Sevenoaks 3rds 3, Burnt Ash 2nds 1 Blackheath & Elthamians 2nds 4, Canterbury 3rds 4 Cliftonville 3, Herne Bay 2 Holcombe 2a 1, Maidstone 2nds 5 University of Kent 0, Old Bordenians 2nds 4 Gore Court 2nds 2.

Fixtures: Blackheath & Elthamians 2nds v Canterbury 3rds, Cliftonville v Old Bordenians 2nds, Gore Court 2nds v Herne Bay, Holcombe 2a v Maidstone 2nds, Sevenoaks 3rds v Burnt Ash

2nds, University of Kent v Ashford 2nds.

Kent Open Premier A

Results: Gravesham & Wellcome 0

New Beccehamians 3, K Sports 2 Gillingham Anchorians 2nds 1, Ashford 3rds 5 Folkestone Optimist 3rds 0, Burnt Ash 3rds 4 Sevenoaks 5ths 2, Marden Russets 2nds 6 Old Bordenians 3rds 1, Folkestone Optimist 4ths 2 Sutton Valence 2.

Fixtures: Sutton Valence v Burnt Ash 3rds, New Beccehamians v Folkestone Optimist 4ths, Folkestone Optimist 3rds v Gravesham & Wellcome, Gillingham Anchorians 2nds v Marden Russets 2nds, Sevenoaks 5ths v K Sports, Old Bordenians 3rds v Ashford 3rds.

Kent Open Premier C

Gore Court 4 . 20 12 6 2 53 35 42 Ashford 4 ...... 19 11 3 5 41 27 36 Burnt Ash 5... 19 10 4 5 61 48 34 Sutton Val 2 .. 19 10 3 6 53 35 33 S’oaks A ....... 19 10 3 6 31 34 33 Sevenoaks 7 . 19 9 3 7 46 46 30 Marden 3 ...... 20 7 2 11 45 48 23 BromBeck 6.. 20 5 7 8 47 62 22 G’sham 2 ...... 19 7 0 12 49 51 21 Holcmbe 4A .. 19 5 5 9 29 35 20 Tun Wells 4 ... 19 5 3 11 45 52 18 Deal 2 ........... 20 5 1 14 31 58 16

Results: Burnt Ash 5ths 4 Ashford 4ths 1, Sutton Valence 2nds 5 Sevenoaks Acorns 2, Sevenoaks 7ths 2 Marden Russets 3rds 1, Deal 2nds 0 Gore Court 4ths 2, Holcombe 4A 1 Gravesham & Wellcome 2nds 2, Brom & Becks 6ths 2 Tunbridge Wells 4ths 1.

Fixtures: Sevenoaks Acorns v Burnt

Ash 5ths, Marden Russets 3rds v Brom & Becks 6ths, Gravesham & Wellcome 2nds v Sutton Valence 2nds, Tunbridge Wells 4ths v Deal 2nds, Gore Court

4ths v Holcombe 4As, Ashford 4ths v Sevenoaks 7ths.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

East League Division 1 South

East London.. 20 16 3 1 73 10 51 Upminster ..... 20 15 4 1 60 14 49 Maidstone ..... 20 12 3 5 75 37 39 C’ford 2 ........ 20 12 2 6 40 35 38 Blueharts ...... 20 10 5 5 44 25 35 B Stortford .... 20 8 5 7 43 38 29 Old Loughts .. 20 7 4 9 32 39 25 Crostyx ......... 20 5 6 9 20 36 21 C’bury 2A ..... 20 4 3 13 25 60 15 Colchester .... 20 5 0 15 31 70 15 Tun Wells ...... 20 3 4 13 22 57 13 Ashford ......... 20 3 1 16 28 72 10

Results: Crostyx 3 Maidstone 3, Blueharts 6 Tunbridge Wells 0, Ashford 2 Old Loughts 3, East London 11 Colchester 0, Bishops Stortford 2 Chelmsford 2nds 4, Upminster 6 Canterbury 2A 1.

Fixtures: Old Loughts v Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone v Blueharts, Colchester v Crostyx, Chelmsford

2nds v East London, Canterbury 2A v Bishops Stortford, Ashford v Upminster.

East League Division 2 South East Burnt Ash ...... 18 14 2 2 52 16 44 Basildon ....... 18 13 4 1 62 24 43 Holcmbe 1A .. 17 11 4 2 51 16 37 Folkestone .... 17 10 2 5 48 25 32 Kings Alleyn .. 19 9 3 7 42 29 30 Sevenoaks 3 . 19 8 3 8 44 35 27 Southend ...... 18 7 2 9 41 42 23 BromBeck 2.. 18 7 1 10 38 45 22 Southend ...... 18 3 3 12 33 61 12 Havering ....... 18 3 2 13 46 79 11 Redbridge ..... 18 1 0 17 10 95 3

Results: Folkestone 3 Basildon 3,

Burnt Ash 6 Havering 1, Holcombe 1A 12 Redbridge & Ilford 0, Sevenoaks 3rds 4 Southend 2, Kings and Alleyns 4 Southend & Benfleet 1.

Fixtures: Brom & Becks 2nds v Havering, Basildon v Burnt Ash, Redbridge & Ilford v Folkestone,