Favourites fall in quarter-final

Andreas Carter Kent County League

Favourites Ashford crashed out of the Les Leckie Cup at the quarter-final stage after suffering a disappointing defeat on penalties to Southborough on Saturday.

The teams could not be separated after two hours of football as Riley Alford’s late equaliser for Ashford sent the tie to extra-time as Mike Jessop’s first-half penalty kick for the visitors was cancelled out.

Southborough went on to hold their nerve in the penalty shootout to go through to the last-four.

Ashford started brightly with young forward James Haylock running at the away defence whenever he was in possession, although the first chance of the game fell to striker Riley Alford who did well to get a touch on goalkeeper Wayne Everest’s huge drop kick but could only look on as his effort whistled just over the crossbar.

Southborough took the lead when they were awarded a spot kick after a quarter of an hour when defender Kieran Shrimpton was adjudged to have fouled in the box and Mike Jessop stepped up to coolly slot his penalty past Everest.

The visitors’ patient approach saw them create a couple of decent chances before half-time but Everest was quick to come off of his line to punch clear whenever the ball was crossed into the penalty area to keep his side in the game.

At the other end Ashford became sloppy, failing to beat the first man for the majority of their crosses and when it was delivered Southborough defender Stuart Wells was always first to the ball to clear away to safety. Alford thought he had grabbed the equaliser three minutes before the break, but despite finishing well he was flagged for offside as the hosts took a narrow lead into the halftime interval.

It was a similar story in the second-half as Ashford’s direct approach was soaked up by the Southborough defence but the hosts did come more into the game with both Steve Cowell and substitute Ryan Prior getting shots away but missing the target.

Then came a 60-second spell when both teams hit the post, first Southborough forward Jack Parrot slid his shot across the face of the goal only to see it bounce back off the upright, then at the other end of the pitch Matt Forster beat his marker before seeing an effort also hit the woodwork.

Ashford pushed numbers forward for the final 10 minutes and got their reward in the 89th minute when, at the second attempt, Alford stretched to poke the ball under the away goalkeeper to make it 1-1 and send the game to 30 minutes of extra-time.

While Ashford continued to press they failed to grab a winner in extra-time despite Stuart Taylor going close with a header from six-yards.With three consecutive misses by Ashford in the penalty shootout, Southborough joined Rochester City, West Farleigh and one of either Bearsted or Sturry in the semi-finals.

Ashford: Everest, Wilkes, Scobie (Floyd 37), Shrimpton, Hunt (Prior 59), Haynes, S. Ahmetaj (Taylor 59), Cowell, Forster, Alford, Haylock (Griffin 59).

Tristan Belsey scored the goal that gave New Romney their 11th victory of the league campaign, a 1-0 success at Tudor Sports in the Premier Division.

Lydd Town Reserves were 4-2 winners at Burgess& Hodgson in Division 1 Central & East.

In the Weald of Kent Charity Cup, Tenterden Town were beaten 1-0 at Folkestone Town.

Division 1 Central & East Central & East leaders Sturry showed no mercy on New Romney Reserves, inflicting a 7-0 defeat.