Kentish Express Ashford & District
Keeper Atkins plays key role in shoot-out win
Goalkeeper James Atkins emerged as the hero to help Mersham Sports Club knock out Premier Division rivals Aldington on penalties after the two local rivals could not be separated after 90 minutes in the Bodkin Challenge Cup. Atkins scored his penalty in the shoot-out as well as saving from Aldington’s Stuart Taylor to help Mersham set up a second round tie at home to 2019 winners Market Hotel next month.
Taylor gave Aldington a 75th-minute lead, taking advantage of a defensive mistake by the visitors, but Mersham levelled things up as the game finished 1-1 when Tom Wilson’s deflected free-kick deceived stand-in Aldington keeper Rob Price. That took the fixture to penalties where Atkins saw his team through to set up player-manager Rob Clark to score the winning spot-kick. The Albion are also through as they came away with a 4-1 win at Folkestone United.
The league newcomers got off to a great start when Liam Whiting headed the visitors in front before Steve Johnson doubled the lead.
United got themselves back in the game at the start of the second period when Robbie Westbrook halved the deficit, but Albion went on to seal the victory as Johnson scored his second before Karl Gladwin headed in the fourth from substitute Dan Scorer’s corner. Luke Burdon marked his first appearance for AFC Locomotive by scoring four times as Gary Gibbs’ side returned from their trip to Red Heathens 7-3 winners to go top of the Premier Division table. Burdon was once again prolific in front of goal to steer the Loco to victory, with strike partner Jordan Griffin adding a brace and Kieran Shrimpton also getting on the scoresheet. Red Heathens continue their search for a first victory of the season despite playing some decent football and replied with their goals coming from Gareth Williams, Craig Haynes and Ritchie Davies.
Ashford Genclik marked their first league fixture with an impressive 5-3 away win at Market Hotel. Substitute Alfie Draper scored twice for the Premier Division newcomers with Dion Orris, Matthew Lightfoot and Max Sarigul also getting in on the act to help Bobby Joe Taylor’s side to all three points. Market saw Matt Collins score twice adding to Ryan Smith’s strike.
Charing are emerging as the early pace setters in Division 1 as they claimed a third successive league victory, beating Horsebox Bars 4-1 away from home.
New manager Lee Woods has enjoyed an excellent start and saw his side go 2-0 ahead thanks to goals from Morgan Regardsoe and Joe Sullivan. Ashley Spencer pulled a goal back for Horsebox before the break, but substitute Robbie Burn soon restored the visitors’ two-goal advantage. Man-of-the-match James Fraser sealed victory with a great finish to score Charing’s fourth.
South Willesborough recorded their first league victory since promotion by beating Lydd Grasshoppers 3-1. Goals from Tommy Wadman, Kirk Howard and Gary Blunden were enough to claim all three points and cancel out Shannon Hodson’s fourth goal of the season for Grasshoppers. Recently-appointed Lolzors manager Justin Day guided his new side into the second round of the Sheber Trophy as the Pumas beat his former club Burton Grove 5-3 at the Spearpoint.
Lolzors raced into a 3-0 lead before Burton pulled a goal back before half-time, but Lolzors hit back with two second half goals. Alfie Prior netted a brace for Division 3 side Lolzors adding to individual strikes from Jack
Teehan, Saul Persad and Abib Koke, while Burton Grove had James Ross, Andy Crouch and Dean Spurrell on target.
Rhys Hodges and Gabriel Madalin Anghel both scored twice as Appledore’s forward line proved the difference to see off Division Two rivals Egerton winning 5-2. Tom Draper added a fifth for the Smugglers to cancel out goals from Joshua Jones and Justin Howard for the Eagles. Ashford United 3rds completed a fantastic comeback to beat Division 3 side Mersham
Sports Club Reserves 3-2 at the Homelands Stadium. Mersham went 2-0 ahead thanks to forward Adam Bellman, but United hit back as summer signing Jordan Boorer scored all three goals.
Division 3 side Ashford Dynamo pulled off a cup upset, beating Hythe Athletic 4-3. Goals from Matt Jarvis, Kieran Hawkins, Aaron Negus and Richard Boakes did the damage.
Troggs got the better of Fox Sunday, winning 4-2 as striker Ben Allen netted a hat-trick for the second successive fixture. Goals from Allen and
Ross Breen saw Troggs go 2-0 ahead at half-time, but Denzel Ndoko pulled a goal.
Allen scored his second as Troggs added a third goal on the counter but again Fox came back, this time teenage defender Kai Jones scoring a great set-piece goal to make it 3-2. Troggs made sure of the win when they broke clear after a late Fox corner as Allen completed his hat-trick. Biddenden and AFC Guildhall picked up their first points of the season in a 3-3 Division 2 stalemate. Two goals from the in-form Kieran Funnell and one by Morgan Waite had put Biddenden into a 3-1 lead, but Guildhall recovered thanks Jay Critcher, Steven Masters and player-boss James Walton. Pilgrims are third in Division 3 after a 5-2 win at Singleton Barn. Bradley Humphrey bagged a brace with Brandon Foord-Divers, Phil Herz and Joe Munden also scoring. George Mabb had a debut to remember as he scored four times in Bromley Green’s 7-2 victory at home to Folkestone United Reserves. Matt Wedge (2) and Bradley Taffurelli completed their tally.