Champions book place in final

Andreas Carter Kent County League

Ashford showed no signs of any hangover from the previous weekend’s title winning celebrations as they booked their place in the final of the Weald of Kent Charity Cup with a 5-1 win at Folkestone Town.

On a heavy pitch playing and with the wind blowing fiercely, conditions at the Folkestone Academy ground were far from ideal.

However, the Steamers dominated possession for most of the game and scored five times to book a place in the final against either Smarden or South Willesborough in May.

Ashford won the toss and opted to play with the wind behind their backs and it was evident that the majority of the play would be camped in the Folkestone half going by how the game played out in the first 10 minutes.

After some early half chances it wasn’t long until Ashford went ahead, with a stunning opening goal from defender Jamie Hurst from inside his own half.

Hurst launched the ball from distance seeing his effort take a deflection from a Folkestone defender on the edge of the penalty area before looping up and over the home goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

Folkestone levelled with their best move of the match just four minutes later when Laine Yeomans burst clear of the Ashford defence before tucking the ball past teenage keeper Wayne Everest.

Ashford’s lead was quickly restored with another goal from distance, as Shqipron Ahmetaj’s free-kick from 55 yards deceived the home keeper who could only flap a hand and watch on as the ball hit the back of the net.

With the windy conditions and deteriorating playing surface making it hard for Ashford to play their usual passing game, the away side were limited to direct moves and set-pieces, both of which were deployed for two good chances to increase their lead.

First Riece Annand received a long ball on the right before crossing low into the box, only for Riley Alford to fire over the bar under pressure, before Hurst saw his in-swinging corner from the right hit the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.

The third goal did eventually come before half-time when the home keeper could only beat away Craig Haynes’ long-range effort into the path of the waiting Jordan Griffin, and the young forward made no mistake for a 3-1 lead.

Ashford expected Folkestone to throw everything at them in the second-half with the wind now behind the home side, but the visitors enjoyed spells of good possession in the opposition half with Alford proving a real menace for the Folkestone back four.

The fourth goal came courtesy of Alford’s cross from the righthand side on the hour mark, which fell to left-back Ryan Prior who fired home to make it 4-1.

The Steamers added a fifth goal just a few minutes later with Alford once again the provider, this time setting up Haynes who kept his cool before smashing the ball low to the keeper’s left.

Man-of-the-match honours went to Bekim Ahmetaj, who hunted for the ball all game and gave as good as he got in the middle of the pitch.

Ashford: Everest, Annand, S Ahmetaj, Hurst, Prior, Cowell (Wilkes 62), B Ahmetaj, Haynes, Griffin

(Burdon 58), Alford, Forster (Howells 58).

In the Premier Division, Billy Wier-Somerville scored for New Romney drew in a 1-1 draw at home to Hawkinge.