History repeats itself with fall at final hurdle

Ashford United 0 Herne Bay 2

Ashford lost out in the Isthmian South East play-off final for the second time in three years on Saturday, going down to a home defeat against Herne Bay.

Winger Kieron Campbell broke the deadlock after a goalless first half before substitute Aaron Millbank won a penalty which he converted to seal a 2-0 victory in front of a 1,865 crowd.

Prior to the Covid pandemic, Ashford had concluded their 2018/19 campaign with a playoff final 2-1 loss to Horsham. Bay made a good start as Rory Smith threatened but couldn’t quite pick out top scorer Zak Ansah on three minutes.

Soon after at the other end Ashford striker Gary Lockyer’s effort was well blocked. Lockyer again troubled the visiting defence in the sixth minute, but Jordan Perrin palmed the ball away.

Referee Abigail Byrne dismissed Bay penalty appeals for handball in the ninth minute, Mike West having directed a Smith corner towards goal before a United player intervened, and with 15 minutes played the home contingent felt they should have been awarded a penalty for Laurence Harvey’s challenge on Tashi-Jay

Kwayie.

Lockyer had another opportunity midway through the first period, heading Bradley Simms’ left-wing cross wide at the back post, and

Bay went closer on 32 minutes when Smith latched onto a clever flick from West and saw his strike crash against Ashford keeper Jordan Carey’s left-hand post.

Ashford’s Jay May was the next to go close two minutes later. He failed to direct Tariq Ossai’s right-wing cross on target, though, with Lockyer forcing a fairly simple save from Perrin not long after. After the interval the hosts made a positive start, May shooting high over the bar and Perrin saving Kwayie’s header. Lockyer then looked to have been fouled by Dan Johnson inside the area but, once again, the home protests were waved away. That call looked all the more crucial when the deadlock was broken seconds later, Campbell bending the ball into the far corner.

With less than 20 minutes to go Lockyer sent a shot over but was booked - presumably for something he’d said - as the ball went out of play.

Millbank came on with 12 minutes left and in the 84th minute he was adjudged to have been fouled by Simms when through on goal. He sent Carey the wrong way from the spot, leaving Ashford’s dreams shattered.

Picture: Ian Scammell Ashford’s Luke Burdon gets ahead of his man