Kentish Express Ashford & District
Runners-up are set to have to go again next season
Ashford men’s 1sts clinched second place in their final game of the South East Division 1 East season - but promotion looks unlikely.
They beat Marden Russets
1sts 2-0 on Saturday to finish runners-up but, with only one team promoted, a league reshuffle is their only hope of going up.
Marden mounted early pressure, with goalkeeper Rob Austen and his defence putting in sterling performances to keep out short corners. Ashford grew into the game towards the end of the first half and Rob Playford’s penalty stroke, following a foul on Oli Kent, gave them the lead.
Austen blocked multiple shortcorner flicks in the second half, before Kent beat the keeper at the left post from the top of the circle to complete Ashford’s victory.
The in-form men’s 4ths finished their SE Division 4 Invicta campaign with a 1-0 victory over Sutton Valence 2nds.
Hill’s deflected shot fell to Archer at the back post as Ashford took the lead on 20 minutes and it remained 1-0 at half-time after a Valence penalty flick was saved. Ashford, down to nine men at one point, dug deep in the second half with Tim Woodhouse clearing a deflected short corner off the line.
They played with great heart, defending well, and creating a couple of chances on the counter-attack.
Ashford ladies’ 1sts ended their SE Division 1 East season with a 3-0 home win over Gore Court 1sts.
After multiple close misses Ashford led at the break via an own goal, and they had too much for a combative Court side after the interval. Relentless pressure allowed a fast-paced attack, Kim Cameron applying the finishing touch with a strong reverse sweep past the keeper, and it was 3-0 from a short corner, with Emma Bozeat pushing the ball perfectly into the net at the back post. Player-of-the-match was Sienna Mobbs as Ashford finished the campaign in 10th place.