Ashford United extended the best away record in Bet-Victor South East as Lee Prescott kept his feet brilliantly on a treacherous Belmont pitch to condemn Whitstable Town to a Boxing Day defeat and send United into third place in the table – just four points off table toppers Hastings United.

A Christmas clash between two sides who are more than capable of challenging for the post season, played in front of a bumper Bank Holiday crowd in cold and testing conditions kept the patrons interested throughout if not completely warming them on a bitter Boxing Day lunchtime.

After a tight start, Josh Wisson was on hand to give Ashford the lead at the break.  That said Oystermen boss Lloyd Blackman will be thrilled at the way his charges responded – especially at the way Harry Stannard brilliantly curled home a Christmas cracker just after the break to level things up. 

Ashford though – with the best away record in the division – bounced back and the points were sealed when Prescott picked his way through the mud to fire home what was to prove to be the winner.

But it could have been so different had Ashford keeper Sam Mott not produced a near miraculous early save to deny Stannard’s header.  Stannard then curled a free kick wide with pace that had Mott rooted to the spot.

Ashford it was though who opened the scoring shortly afterward as Wisson reacted quickest as a free kick from Aaron Condron dropped to him in the penalty box.  Wisson whipped the ball from under his feet and fired home to give Tommy Warrilow’s side the lead.

Jay May and Condron then combined in the visitors next attack which saw home keeper Dan Eason flying across his goal as the shot was deflected.

Stannard thought he’d levelled the scores just before the break only to be denied by Mott again, and as the ball squirmed away, Jerald Aboagye was on hand to deny John Ufuah.

Stannard though was not to be denied and just moments after the break, he cut in from the right and curled an absolute beauty up and beyond Mott and into the top corner.

The scores though were level for just moments as in increasingly treacherous conditions, Prescott was played into the box superbly and did incredibly well to keep his feet before beating Eason.

May had the chance to cement the win but was as surprised as anyone when a Condron corner arrived at his feet – but to be fair, May did very well to still be on the pitch as after making his return from injury in this game looked as though the comeback would last for seconds. 

But after treatment he continued and, in the end, played his part in Ashford’s sixth away win of the campaign, but almost at the end Blackman’s men could have grabbed a point but defender Connor Sanders header beat a motionless Mott and the post.

WHITSTABLE TOWN – Eason, MacKenzie, Brown (Elliott), Girt (Mazzone), Sanders, Bryant, Ufuah, Jadama, Millbank, Standard, Wratten

Subs not used – Cham, Gillies

ASHFORD UNITED – Matt, Osinfouarin, Aboagye, Wisson, Bourne, Kamara, Ossai, Prescott, May (Gold), Smith, Condon

Subs not used – Hook, Kwayie, O’Connor

REFEREE – Mr Stokes

ASSISTANTS – Mr Chantrill-Smith & Mr Hill