United surrender top spot

VCD ATHLETIC 3 ASHFORD UTD 1

Ashford’s hopes of finishing first in Isthmian South East took a big hit at VCD Athletic on Saturday.

Despite winning 11 of their previous 15 on the road this season, Tommy Warrilow’s side slipped to second place in the table following a weekend which saw victories for all of their rivals.

Midfielder Tom O’Connor, who made his 25th appearance for the club in the defeat, acknowledged United didn’t perform as well as they could have done.

“It wasn’t a good day for us really, defensively,” he said.

“We weren’t very compact and as sharp as we normally are, and we made a few mistakes which cost us. We created chances, but we can’t keep thinking we’re going to outscore teams because we know that won’t happen every week.”

Just four days after leaving

Chichester with a hard-fought three points, the Nuts & Bolts would have hoped to continue that momentum against another of their play-off hunting opponents.

However, they found themselves on the back foot almost instantly when the Crayford side took an early lead.

Ainsley Everett fired home past Ashford captain and goalkeeper Sam Mott on 23 minutes, before strike partner Charlie MacDonald quickly doubled the Vickers’ advantage just five minutes later to net his 14th of the campaign.

Yet United were given a lifeline four minutes before the break when they halved the hosts’ deficit from the penalty spot.

Raphe Brown was adjudged to have handled in the area – the defender giving George Purcell an invitation he couldn’t decline from the resulting spot-kick to score for the third match in a row.

Although the league leaders went into half-time as the team in the ascendancy, their hopes of a comeback were quickly destroyed just five minutes into the second period.

Midfielder Alex Gaggin restored the home side’s twogoal lead when a MacDonald effort was deflected in off the VCD No.7, leaving United a mountain too high to climb for the remainder of the match – the visitors spurning too many chances to come away with at least a point.

Ashford: Mott, Ossai, Bourne, McIntyre, Wilson, Prescott, Fagg, O’Connor, Condon, Purcell, Stone. Subs: Smith, Kwayie.

Attendance: 120.