Kentish Express Ashford & District
Owen’s free-kick stunner claims exciting win
Ashford & District Sunday League
Midfielder Charlie Owen scored from a stunning late free-kick to help Premier Division leaders AFC Locomotive snatch all three points in their hugely entertaining 4-3 victory against Ashford Genclik. First-half goals from Luke Burdon and Carlum Macleod had given the Loco’ a 2-0 lead, and the home side could have been even further in front had defender Jamie Hurst converted from the penalty spot.
Genclik hit back at the start of the second half and pulled a goal back through the excellent Dion Orris before Emin Yalcin levelled up the scores with an excellent strike from 30 yards. Burdon headed Locomotive back in front midway though the second half with his second goal, but again Genclik replied, this time defender Adam Phillips sliding in to fire the ball past home goalkeeper Louis Burton to make it 3-3.
There was still time for Gary Gibbs’ side to find a late winner as Owen’s dipping free-kick from 25 yards flew into the top left-hand corner, getting the better of debutant Genclik keeper Stefan Lawrence to grab the victory. Ten-man Brewmaster maintained their winning start by returning from their trip to Aldington 2-0 winners. Former Market Hotel forward Ben Charlesworth gave the Brews the lead when he fired the visitors in front after Aldington failed to clear from a set piece.
The visitors had to soak up pressure from the home side as both Ryan Petto and Stuart Taylor went close for Paul Guest’s side. Piers Fuchter doubled Brewmaster’s lead in the second half, scoring his fourth goal of the season, but the former Bethersden and Mersham striker was soon sent for an early bath as he received a red card.
Billy Somerville scored four times as Sandgate SaintGermain moved up to third in the league standings beating Red Heathens 6-2 at the Charing Heath Sports Ground. Somerville was on top form to help guide the league newcomers to a second successive victory as his four goals and additional strikes by Craig Maxwell and Michael Yianni ensured Jamie Pickering’s side returned home with all three points.
Red Heathens continue their search for their first points following four straight defeats, scoring through
Barry Chambers and former Wales under-21 striker Gareth Williams, his fourth goal of the season.
Liam Middleton netted a hattrick for Division 1 Sellindge as they recovered from trailing 2-1 at the break to beat South Willesborough 4-2 at Swan Lane.
Middleton’s treble and a further strike from Shaun Carey helped the Swans continue their unbeaten start to their league campaign to move level on points with Charing at the top of the table thanks to a brilliant secondhalf performance where they scored three unanswered goals to claim maximum points. First-half goals from Lewis O’Leary and Michael Norris had put the Frogs ahead at half-time but they were unable to hang on to their lead. Cheriton AFC moved up to fourth thanks to a 2-0 home victory against Folkestone United at the Stadium. Recent signing Adam Ghidaoui scored his third goal of the season to put Cheriton ahead before Ryan Hall fired home a stunning effort from long range to seal the win.
James Carlton’s late winner sealed victory for Troggs who moved to the top of Division 2 with a fantastic 4-3 away victory at previously unbeaten Park Farm Rangers.
Carlton’s late strike ensured that Troggs returned home with all three points and three consecutive league victories as two goals by the prolific Ben
Allen and one from Declan Burden cancelled out a brace from Daniel Marshall and one by Rangers top scorer Mark Potten, whose seventh goal of the campaign was not enough to salvage a point.
Hythe Athletic look a good bet for an immediate return to Division 1 following relegation last term as they recorded their third successive victory of the season, beating Biddenden 3-1 away.
Tommy Moon headed Athletic in front from a corner before Jason Brazier flicked the ball on for Jace Dempster to double the lead before the break. Michael Bowman pulled a goal back for Biddenden midway through the second period, but Hythe restored their two-goal advantage and thanks to Sam Ewins’ late headed effort. Player-manager Andy Crouch netted the ‘perfect’ hat-trick, scoring a total of four times in the first half to help Burton Grove defeat winless AFC Guildhall winning 7-4 at South Road in Hythe.
Burton raced into a 5-0 first-half lead as Crouch’s four goals and a strike from former Kennington striker Dale Horton saw them power ahead. Guildhall brilliantly pulled the score back to 5-4 in the second period through two goals from Steven Masters, James Walton and a Francis Walker own goal.
But Burton found the legs to finish off the job as Horton bagged his second before Matt Johnson smashed home an unstoppable 25-yard halfvolley.
FC Folkestone and Egerton played out an entertaining
5-5 draw at the Stadium with Folkestone’s Connor Hills netting four times for the hosts. Hills has now scored nine goals this season from his two appearances for the league newcomers as his haul of goals and a strike by Kyle Allman earned his side a share of the points.
Egerton got off the mark for the season with their first ever league point thanks to two goals by Bradley Freund and individual strikes from Tyrone Calverley, Charlie Page and Justin Howard.
Lydd Town stormed to the top of Division 3 by thrashing Charing Reserves 11-1 at the Lindsey Ground. Strike pair Josh Mills and Kai Harris both scored hat-tricks to fight it out over the match ball. Two goals from Jordan Spann and one apiece from Michael Lindsay, Sam Crisford and Stefan Dougal completed the scoring to cancel out Michael Adams’ goal for the visitors who drop down to ninth place following this heavy defeat.
Finally, goals from Tom Etherington and Ben Parker helped Folkestone United Reserves to all three points as they saw off Singleton Barn
2-1 at Swan Lane.
The victory for United lifts them up to third, level on points with Lydd Town and Lolzors, while Ricky Harden’s strike for the Barn couldn’t prevent them from a second defeat of the season, already one more than they suffered in the whole of last term.