Kentish Express Ashford & District
Powered by quickfire treble
Danny Parish scored a hat-trick in nine minutes as Ashford stormed to a big win at VCD Athletic on Saturday.
The Nuts & Bolts led 1-0 at halftime but it was game over once Parish had destroyed the Vickers with his quickfire treble.
Parish has now scored 11 goals in 10 matches since joining Ashford from the now defunct Thamesmead.
Ashford boss Tommy Warrilow said: “Dan works hard but he’s not had the rub of the green lately.
“I had him at Thamesmead so I know what he’s capable of. We’re just trying to improve other aspects of his game but the boy is a goalscorer. If you look at his games-to-goals ratio, it’s going to be up there.
“We’re demanding more from him but he’s a young lad who’s filling out and if he carries on doing what he’s doing, hopefully he’ll get a chance.
“At the moment, all he’s got to do is get his head down and carry on scoring and doing the right things. I’m sure everything else will come.”
Ashford made the breakthrough a minute before half-time with a goal from recent signing Theo Fairweather-Johnson.
Parish scored his first goal on 57 minutes, doubled his tally almost immediately and completed his treble in the 66th minute.
It was the perfect response from Ashford had lost 2-0 at home to Hastings four days earlier.
Warrilow said: “We weren’t at the races on New Year’s Day but it was the polar opposite on Saturday. We started well, got in some good areas and we got a goal at an important time.
“In the second half there was only one side in it. We got two goals in quick succession, which helped, but overall a 4-0 result was really pleasing and it was good to keep a clean sheet as well. Last week we conceded after three minutes of the second half against Hastings and it does take the wind our of your sails.
“To get that one before halftime (was good but) I was more pleased with the reaction in the second half because we seemed to get our shape better.”
It was Warrilow who signed Parish when he was in charge at Thamesmead.
“He came to us from Concord Rangers,” Warrilow said. “When we were going into receivership, Gary (Alexander) was looking for centre-forwards (at Ashford) so we spoke and he went down there. It’s nice to team up with him again.
“We’ve got Theo in and Usman Adeniji, who got a hat-trick on his debut. But we might have to get some friendlies in because we’re going Saturday to Saturday at the moment and it’s hard for these lads to get a run-out and prove their worth.” Ashford: Mott, Aboagye, Carlse, Dawson (Woodcock 83mins), Coker (Kamara 80mins), Wisson, Corne, Anidugbe, Parish, Fairweather-Johnson (Adeniji 61mins), Ajala. Sub not used: Wealands. Att: 109.