Ashford United stayed in touch with the South-East division leaders with a single goal victory over a rugged Sittingbourne side in a true Kentish battle at Homelands.
The game’s only goal arrived just before half time when Josh Wisson powered home a fine header past Harry Brooks in the Brickies goal. His opposite number – Tyler McCarthy – was also beaten just the once, but sadly for the visitors Tyler Fisher’s late pile driver hammered off the underside of the Ashford cross bar and away to safety as the Nuts and Bolts edged an increasingly tetchy second half which saw Tommy Fagg shown two yellow cards by the referee.
In truth Ashford would have been disappointed not to have won after bossing the opening twenty minutes as they forced the Brickies back. But with new central defensive duo of skipper Kane Rowland and Eman Dasho in outstanding form, the Sittingbourne goal remained intact, and the home side would have been disappointed not to have tested Brooks more.
Indeed, the game’s first real chance fell to the debut making Brickie’s striker Duane Ofori-Acheampong who shot at McCarthy after a great ball from Harry Stannard, before Johan Ter Horst dragged wide of Brooks’ right post when well placed.
Acheampong was proving lively, and the home defence knew that they had their hands full and when he was pulled down on the edge of the box by Liam Friend, Toby Ajala’s free kick was only blocked by McCarthy, with the ball ricocheting behind Acheampong, who was deemed offside.
Sittingbourne were into their stride and were unlucky not to lead but the unfortunate Stannard nipped onto a poor back pass, rounded the keeper but just ran out of room to get the shot in on the empty net.
Ashford should have taken the lead when a free kick fell in the box and the ball disappeared towards the Romney Marsh with a very snatched shot before Wisson struck as a pinpoint free kick found the late arriving defender and his powerful header registered his third goal of the season.
Half time arrived with many questioning whether the visitors should have had a spot kick as Johan Caney-Bryan was baulked as he ran onto Ahmed Abdulla’s ball, but referee Collins waved away the claims.
Fagg then almost doubled the home side’s advantage with another header – this one a looping effort over the stranded Brooks – before just before the hour, the man behind Ashford’s domination in the early stages was shown a second yellow card for a late clip-on Tyler Christian-Law and his day was done. If there were questions about his first caution, there can surely be no complaints about the second.
The successful sides in this League are often those who can grind out results when things appear against them and that is exactly what Ashford did as the Marsh mizzle began to soak the Homelands crowd as evening drew in.
The visitors just couldn’t conjure the chances they needed to level the scores – Stannard and Ajala combined for Abdulla to send McCarthy into a sprawling save before Fisher thundered his effort off the underside of the bar as he was so close to being the Brickies hero two weeks running after his late leveller against Three Bridges seven days before.
But on such small margins are points won or not, and the relief on Ashford faces at the final whistle showed just how deep Tommy Warrilow’s side had to dig as they kept on the coattails of leaders Cray Valley PM.
ASHFORD UNITED – McCarthy, Simms, Diallo, Wisson, Friend, Hull, Steventon, Fagg, May (Lockyer), Ter Horst (Burdon), Ratti.
Subs – Kwayie, Burdon, Lockyer, Ossai, Hook.
SITTINGBOURNE – Brooks, Okoye, Fisher, Christian-Law, Rowland, Acheampong, Rowland, Ajala, Caney-Bryan, Abdulla, Dasho.
Subs – Smith, Flisher, Hawkins, Bancroft, Monger.
REFEREE – Mr Collins
Pictures supplied by Ken Medwyn.