Kentish Express Ashford & District
Class is permanent
Frannie Collin continues to roll back the years at in-form Ashford United.
Collin, 34, scored for the third successive game as the Nuts & Bolts won 4-0 at East Grinstead on Tuesday night.
He’s helped them to five straight wins in Isthmian South East, their best run of the season.
They’ve closed the gap on leaders Hastings to seven points, with eight games to go, and still harbour title ambitions.
Collin scored his first Nuts & Bolts goal in a 3-1 win over Cray Valley last weekend and struck the opener against former club Hythe in a 2-1 win at Reachfields on Saturday.
He showed his class again in the win at East Grinstead.
“Frannie was unbelievable on Tuesday,” said boss Tommy Warrilow.
“People say about his legs going but I saw him play as a lone striker for Hythe at Faversham earlier in the season and I knew his legs hadn’t gone.
“It was just a case of trying to get him in when he left Hythe.
“He can have a nightmare, he can do whatever he wants, he hasn’t got to prove anything to anyone, let alone anyone at Ashford or myself.
“His delivery from set-pieces is second to none, his work rate is unbelievable, we’ve played him in midfield and up front and he’s been outstanding.
“The most important thing I said to him when he came in was to enjoy it and that’s what he’s doing.”
Luke Burdon added to Collin’s freekick in the win at Hythe, with the hosts replying in the last 10 minutes.
The Nuts & Bolts swept aside struggling East Grinstead, where an own goal, Gary Lockyer and Tommie Fagg completed the visitors’ tally.
“I don’t care what anyone says, that was a tough game on Tuesday night,” said Warrilow, whose side host Phoenix this Saturday.
“Everyone looks at the league table and thinks it’s a formality, but far from it.
“Since we’ve put this run together you can see there’s a bit of confidence about us.
“There’s still bits we need to tidy up on to keep our momentum going, I’ve said about killing games off, but it’s all positive, we’re getting players back from injury and I can’t knock what the boys are doing.
“We need to keep it going. There’s no point winning five in a row - six with the Kent Senior Cup - and then losing the next two or three.”
Ashford have a handy 10-point cushion over sides outside the playoffs but Warrilow still has his eye on the title.
They’ll take the fight to Hastings after closing the gap to seven points through winning their game in hand.
“That’s us played the same number of games now, so we know where we are,” said Warrilow.
“I always considered the gap to be seven, not 10, with our game in hand, because with football you’ve got to be glass half-full.
“That was a massive game at East Grinstead, not because of who we were playing, but because it was our game in hand.
“Four-nil looks a good score but again, me being me, I want to push the boys to the next level and then the next level.
“I’m a laid-back manager but I’m very demanding on the pitch and in the dressing room.”
Tom Scorer and Gary Clarke scored two apiece, with Sami Meziane also on target, as Kennington beat Bearsted 5-2 in Southern Counties East - their fourth straight win. Ton visit Tower Hamlets this Saturday.