Winless Ashford in last chance saloon

Rugby

PW D L F A Ps Sevenoaks .... 15 14 0 1 577 144 67 Tun Wells...... 14 14 0 0 515 146 65 Dartfordians.. 15 10 0 5 372 241 48 Horsham ....... 15 8 0 7 405 325 45 Deal/Bettes ... 15 10 0 5 249 219 44 Beckenham .. 15 9 0 6 286 211 43 O Colfeians ... 15 6 0 9 235 310 30 O Alleynians.. 15 5 0 10 242 376 26 Hove ............. 14 4 1 9 245 408 25 Crowboro ...... 13 3 1 9 151 265 18 Thanet Wdrs . 15 4 0 11 166 386 17 Ashford ......... 15 0 0 15 107 519 5 Ashford v Crowborough, Dartfordians v Old Alleynians, Hove v Deal & Betteshanger, Old Colfeians v Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks v Horsham, Thanet Wanderers v Beckenham. Skipper Rhys Fussell has admitted it’s a must-win game against Crowborough on Saturday if Ashford are to avoid a return to london South East 3 next season.

The winless Kinneys Field team had hoped to use Saturday’s Kent Plate tie at Canterbury 2nds as a springboard to build confidence and momentum ahead of hosting the third-bottom side from East Sussex this weekend.

But it was not to be, with three players injured inside the opening half-hour, then Shane Redman sent off in a 43-7 defeat at Marine Travel Ground, Merton lane.

Ashford start Saturday’s game 13 points adrift of their opponents and Fussell said: “It’s a huge game, we won’t be mathematically down if we lose but all know the harsh reality is that nothing less than a win will do.”

“We are holding a vice-presidents’ lunch before the match, so will have great support as usual and want to make sure they go away with a smile on their faces.”

Try scorer Dan Brown suffered a dislocated elbow against Canterbury, Andy Ticehurst was forced off with a back injury, while Dan leach went off early after a recurrence of a leg injury.

Brown and Henry Hall’s conversion put Ashford 7-5 up but that is a good as it got, with Redman’s dismissal only adding to their problems.

The injuries and a lack of replacement forwards meant uncontested scrums were the order of the day, with Ashford trailing 33-7 at half-time.

Redman was dismissed in the second half but Fussell described it as a “very harsh” decision.

He said: “There was a little fracas and the referee deemed Shane’s involvement to be worthy of a red card. It was pure frustration for us, with nothing going our way.”

Redman now faces a Kent RFU disciplinary hearing to learn his fate.

Grant Burdon and Josh Sherin are set to return against Crowborough on Saturday.

Burdon has been out of action for three months with a stomach injury but had a run-out for the 2nds recently. South African Sherin’s availability has been hampered by work commitments, since being one of coach Darren Hall’s first signings when he arrived at the club. Kennington ......... 3 Hamstreet B........ 3 L Chart Posties ... 3 Challock E........... 3 Ruckinge D ......... 3 Ruckinge E ......... 2 Ashford TT E ....... 2 Ashford TT F ....... 1 3 19 8 19 2 16 11 16 1 15 12 15 2 15 12 15 1 14 13 14 1 5 13 5 0 3 15 3 0 3 6 3