Kentish Express Ashford & District
Title glory with plenty to spare
Ashford made certain of the Kent 1 league title with two games to spare on Saturday.
They travelled to south London to face third-placed Southwark Lancers in the knowledge that two points would secure the championship and promotion to London 3 South East. This was duly achieved with victory by a margin of 33 points.
Mason Pilcher started in the back row, Rhys Fussell at scrumhalf in place of the injured Ben Gray, Chris Baker moved to centre and Will Alkin started at full-back.
The home side soon tested the mettle of the Ashford defence, but once the visitors had survived the opening salvo they struck the first blow.
Fussell probed the home defence before releasing Danny Bushell on an angled run that breached Lancers’ defence for the opening score. Alkin’s conversion made it 7-0.
Ashford continued to soak up Lancers’ pressure and looked to counter attack. Rory Beech, released by Fussell, sold a dummy that opened the home defence and he touched down for Ashford’s second try, the conversion a formality.
After each Ashford score, Lancers’ response was to surge back into attack, and they were caught again when Fussell anticipated a pass and intercepted, running in from 60 metres to score the first of his three tries. Alkin’s conversion extended the lead to 21-0.
Lancers responded with a converted try of their own but any joy was short-lived as Ashford upped their intensity, and a break by Fussell created space for Farai Myezwa to outpace his opposite winger before passing inside to Fussell to score the bonus-winning point with the team’s fourth try.
Front rowers Marc Huxted and Charlie Norman provided the easiest of run-ins for Fussell that extended the lead to 31-7, but Lancers had the last word in the first half with a second try for 31-12 at half-time.
Ashford drew first blood in the second half, with Beech scoring his second try. Lancers sought to take advantage of Ashford being reduced to 14 players following a yellow card, and ran in a converted try to make it 38-19.
Ashford closed out the game by running in a a further two converted tries through Andy Ticehurst and Chris Baker. The news that Old Gravesendians, opponents in the Kent Cup semi-final due to be played on Saturday, had withdrawn has ensured a place for Ashford in the final at the end of April, opening up the chance of a double.
Team: Alkin, Myezwa, Baker, Bushell, Ticehurst,Beech, Fussell, Stuckey, Pilcher, B Knight, A Knight, Remington, Norman, Sherrin, Huxted. Replacements: Norman, Piper, Bowes.
The 2nds maintained their Late Red 3 title prospects with a 26-7 win against Folkestone 2nds, while the 3rds went down 43-40 to Folkestone 3rds but stay top of Five Grain 4 East.
On Sunday, Ashford Ladies travel to Canterbury for their final league game this season.