Hythe Town 1-2 Ashford United - We know there's a lot more to come from us, insists title-chasing Ashford United boss Tommy Warrilow

Hythe Town 1 – 2 Ashford United
Location	Reachfields Stadium, off Fort Road, Hythe, Kent CT21 6JS
Kickoff	05/03/2022 15:00

HYTHE TOWN  1-2  ASHFORD UNITED
Isthmian League South East Division
Saturday 5 March 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Reachfields Stadium

ASHFORD UNITED manager Tommy Warrilow insists there is still a lot more to come from his side and that they are still challenging Hastings United for the Isthmian League South East Division title in their last nine league games.

 

Warrilow’s men returned to second-place in the table with 58 points from their 29 games and are 10 points behind Gary Elphick’s side and their game in hand will be eaten up by their trip to East Grinstead Town on Tuesday night.

The Nuts & Bolts grounded out a victory at a muddy Reachfields Stadium against a Hythe Town side that are dangerously close to the relegation zone, having suffered back-to-back defeats, having lost 3-0 at Burgess Hill Town last time out.

James Rogers’ fifteenth-placed side have picked up 30 points from as many games and are only three points clear of Sevenoaks Town, who won today, and are battling to get out of the points-per-game zone, while Phoenix Sports have 23 points, a point clear of bottom-of-the-table side Whitstable Town.

Ashford United took the lead with a drilled free-kick from Frannie Collin, 34, who now plays in a three-man midfield, scoring his sixth goal of the season, four of them coming for Hythe Town during his time at Reachfields Stadium before his departure in December.

Luke Burdon buried home a header, to score his sixth goal of the season to put Ashford United in a commanding position going into half-time.

Hythe Town pulled a goal back through substitute striker Riley Alford, who has jumped up four levels, having scored 16 goals in 15 games for Kent County League Division One Central & East Division tenants Ashford and this was his eighth goal for The Cannons.

“Listen, the main thing at this time of the season is to keep getting results,” said Warrilow, after his side’s fifth win on the bounce in all competitions.

“Anyone who walks across the pitch might appreciate how difficult conditions were out there.

“We didn’t start particularly well.  This team (Hythe) causes problems and they’ve had a change with Rogo (Rogers) coming in and fair play they’ve brought a few in. They’ve got some results and they’re sort of up and down, up and down but it’s a difficult place to come. It’s a local derby and the form guide can go out of the window and we just had to make sure that we came away with three points.

“We made it difficult because I think if we get the third goal it kills the game off completely and we had more than enough chances to get the third goal and all the time you don’t get it, I’ve been in football long enough to know they get one back and it’s edge of your seat stuff.

“The most important thing was to get the win and keep the momentum going and the positivity around the ground. It wasn’t a pretty game and fair play to Hythe, they shouldn’t be going down the way they are, they’re more than capable.

“Listen, it’s a win, it’s great for the fans, brilliant fans again today, bit I’m not disrespecting, we shouldn’t make it that. We should kill teams off and when we get a chance to do it, we just don’t do it and we always make it hard for ourselves.”

Hythe Town’s first-team coach Will Graham said: “I thought collectively we battled really hard. We didn’t give Ashford an easy ride.  We battled from the first minute to the last minute.  We defiantly can’t question our work-rate and desire to try to win a football match against a top team.

“We’re disappointed we didn’t get a draw out of it.  We had a good chance right at the end of the game where I thought Riley Alford could’ve finished that and we might’ve nicked a draw out of it but definitely lots of positives from the performance.”

The pitch cut up during the warm-up and made conditions tough for both sides.

Graham added: “The Whitehawk and Chichester games have not done the pitch any good.  The referee played them and it’s probably sealed the fate of the pitch for the rest of the season but credit to the groundstaff they’ve made it playable but as the game goes on naturally with a bit of rain it starts to deteriorate and it’s a hard slog.”

Hythe Town almost got off to an explosive start, creating their first chance after just 17 seconds.

They kicked off and Tyler Sterling, Jacob Gilbert and Alex Brown were involved in a slick passing move in Ashford United’s half before Luca Woodhouse’s driven shot from 20-yards deflected over the crossbar.

“Everything that we asked from the team was to make sure we were on the front foot and that we played with a bit of urgency and you can’t ask for as much more than a chance that early on to put us 1-0 up,” said Graham.

Hythe Town started the game on the front foot and another chance saw left-winger Sterling cut inside Ashford’s holding midfielder Josh Wisson before dragging his shot wide of the mark from 20-yards, with the visiting goalkeeper picking the ball up.

Ashford United took 10 minutes to create their first chance when they enjoyed a spell of pressure outside the penalty area before Collin teed up Gary Lockyer, who drilled a first-time shot harmlessly high and wide from the edge of the box.

Hythe Town goalkeeper Henry Newcome pulled off a brilliant save to prevent Ashford United taking a 13^th minute lead.

Targetman striker Gary Lockyer – who has taken the one level jump from stadium tenants Kennington like a duck to water - found himself wide on the right and he whipped in a quality delivery into the middle for Burdon to bury his free header towards the centre of the goal from eight-yards, only for the 24-year-old goalkeeper to use a strong right-hand to push the ball away.

“He should really score there! It’s a free header and Luke knows that. He sort of headed it too close to him, it was a good start,” said Warrilow.

Graham added: “Top save, top save.  You definitely can’t argue with the save.  It's a great header, it’s a great save, so that’s what we expect out of Henry.”

Hythe Town were relying on hitting balls over the top as both sides struggled in muddy conditions and players had to put their foot through the ball to get any real distances on their passes.

Sterling’s initial pass forward struck Trespaderne but Sterling had a second bite of the cherry to play the ball into Alex Brown, who slipped the ball forward for Jacob Gilbert.

Gilbert easily cut inside Ashford’s right-back Bradley Simms on the left and strode forward only for the Polish born goalkeeper Damian Niemczycki to rush towards the edge of his penalty area to smother the ball at Gilbert’s feet.

“Jacob Gilbert’s gone through with a great little move on the break and he’s one-on-one with the keeper but we said to Tom Walmsley, who is open for the set to finish an open goal. He’s got to demand the ball! I think he’s left it to Gilbert to finish the shot so in hindsight he squares it to Tom Walmsley and he’s got a tap in but it’s tough again not to go 1-0 up,” said Graham.

Warrilow, who revealed his goalkeeper lives in Ockenden, Essex, added: “He’s made some important saves for us. He’s come out and smothered a good one-v-one. It’s like anything, if you make a mistake as a goalie or a defender people talk about that but he’s come in and done very well for us.”

Hythe Town gave versatile centre-back Ollie Gray, 30, his debut, and the former Whitstable Town man was at fault for Ashford United taking the lead with 20 minutes and 15 seconds on the clock.

Gray stuck out a leg and brought down Tashi-Jay Kwayie on the very edge of his penalty area and referee Kane Dempster awarded Ashford United a free-kick rather than the expectant penalty.

With the ball in the centre of the D, just inches from the penalty box line, Collin drilled a right-footed free-kick past the five-man wall and left Newcombe well-beaten as the ball flew into the right-hand corner of the goal.

“That’s what Fran’s about through his career,” said Warrilow.

“We knew it was too close to the goalkeeper to whip it over the top. Obviously. it’s a great finish. Obviously, they’ll be a little bit disappointed, the goalie point of view but fair play to Fran, it was a great strike. That’s what we all know he’s capable off.

“He had a good time here, no animosity and what’s he got to prove? There’s nothing. Everyone knows each other here, for 90 minutes we’re against each other.”

Graham added: “To be fair you want your defenders to put their body on the line and he’s probably just miss-judged to timing of that one.

“Luckily the referee’s given it as a free-kick because we thought it was a penalty as well but then again constructively we said to Henry did he set his wall up correctly? Did he get himself over in the right hole enough?

“But someone of Frannie’s quality and experience that’s a real chance for them and he’s put it away, as a good as he is.

“Frannie’s a great lad, he’s a model professional, he’s played at this level and higher for many years. He was really respectful with how he celebrated, he was respectful with how he treated all of us before and after the game so can’t argue too much with that.  You give someone like that an opportunity and he’s going to bury them.”

The game then turned into a cagey midfield battle in poor conditions before clinical Ashford United doubled their lead with a well-worked move with 35 minutes and 51 seconds on the clock.

Collin played the ball into Lockyer down the middle and he swept the ball out wide to Kwayie, who charged down the right wing before whipping in a precise cross towards the back post where Burdon dominated Jack Mayhew in the air and buried his powerful header across Newcome into the far corner from six-yards, with Mayhew not jumping or reacting to clear the danger.

“It was a fantastic ball in and Luke arrived where he should and buried it well,” said Warrilow.

“I’m pleased for Luke, to keep scoring and keep working. He’s had to come off at the end because he keeps getting trouble with his hamstring but you can’t that boys work-rate and he’s tapping in with goals now.

“His a local boy, he’s come in and he’s still picking bits up but I’ve got a lot of time for him. It’s no secret that I love him to bits and I’m just trying to praise him up a little bit in certain areas.”

Graham added: “We know what Ashford are like and what their strengths are, it’s a cracking knock.

“From a coaching aspect, have we done enough to stop the cross? But then again, we’ve tried to educate young Jack. He’s only played 16 games at this level and sometimes you learn the hard way. He’s got caught ball watching and Burdon’s come in and attacked it aggressively, a great goal so you can’t argue about the finish, it’s a great finish.

“But from our young right-back, ideally we’d want him to see the ball and the player so he could try to get his body in the way but 2-0 down, it’s tough to take.”

Hythe Town created a couple of openings towards the end of the half, however.

Woodhouse and ineffective isolated striker Tom Walmsley linked up before the ball was played to an overlapping Mayhew, whose cross/shot from the right was spilt by Niemczycki at the near post before he grabbed hold of the loose ball before Sterling could react.

Sterling then unleashed an angled drive from just outside the corner of the penalty area, which was saved by the 19-year-old former Oxford United, Billericay Town, Merstham and VCD Athletic goalkeeper at his near-post and then the referee blew for half-time.

Graham said: “He made a good save for the initial one and we’re just about to get the rebound but somehow he’s flicked his foot at it and he’s cleared it. 

“We were really disappointed we haven’t gone 2-1 at half-time but fair play to the keeper, he’s used his tools to his advantage and he’s made a good save.

“Rogo plays with his heart on his sleeve, he’s out there playing, he’s in and amongst it and he’s very angry that we’re 2-0 down, considering we weren’t over run, we matched them in certain areas.

“My stance on it (at half-time) was just go and get the next goal and see what happens. It’s not been an awful performance and we just wanted to keep going and go and get the next goal and we’ll see how they react. It was definitely the positive that we threw out to the lads.”

Warrilow added: “If you want the truth, we’re 2-0 up and we haven’t started! I think we started a bit flat. We weren’t reading the game as well as we should.  I thought we could’ve looked after it a bit better.  I just said we need to up it and to be fair we came out second half and we started poor again for the first five minutes but then we’ve got in to some really good areas to see the game out and that’s disappointing.”

Trespaderne’s sliding tackle brought a strong challenge on Rogers and Sterling’s drilled right-footed free-kick from 35-yards was well held by Niemczycki, smothering the ball as it dropped into his midriff while getting down low to his left to prevent the ball arrowing into the bottom far corner after eight minutes.

“Tyler will take a free-kick from 30-40 yards and it will fly into the top corner but then on the average he’ll hit one over and it’ll go over the stand, so collectively he's a real threat for us at those dead balls. He’s definitely someone that can nick a goal from his dead-ball ability,” said Graham.

Ashford United went up the other end and were denied a third goal in the 56^th minute by the crossbar.

Another well-worked move involved Burdon driving forward before playing the ball out to an unmarked Collin out on the right wing.  He whipped in an arrowed first-time cross towards the near post where fellow central midfielder Kwayie rose to glance his header against the top of the crossbar and over from 10-yards out.

“It’s a great ball in and that is a great header. That’s what we want more of, arriving in the box,” added Warrilow.

“It’s a fantastic move and I felt for Tash because he’s worked hard today. He’s probably done things that people don’t appreciate but I felt for him for that.”

Graham added: “We’re getting caught high up the field and they’re always going to be a threat on the break and a quality knock in from Frannie and it’s a great header but it’s one of those things. We’re on the front foot and trying to chase the game. We were always going to be susceptible to the break and luckily that didn’t go in.”

Woodhouse fed the ball out to Mayhew, who whipped in a first time cross towards the near post where Ashford centre-half Liam Friend got away with pushing Collin over inside the six-yard box.  The ball came out to Woodhouse but the Tonbridge Angels’ loanee curled his shot over the top of the far post from 25-yards.

Friend launched a deep free-kick from inside the centre-circle towards the left-hand side of the penalty area where Lockyer held off Mayhew and used his strength to crack a left-footed shot on the turn which was comfortably saved by Newcombe at his near-post.

Mayhew darted down the right and fed Woodhouse, who cut inside Ashford’s left-back Mamadou Diallo, before Rogers set up Brown, whose drilled right-footed drive from 30-yards, was comfortably saved by the visiting keeper.

Halfway through the half, a careless Sterling kicked a 10-yard pass straight at Burdon, who had spotted Newcombe was off his line but his poor right-footed attempt from 40-yards was scuffed and the chance went begging.

Hythe Town should have pulled a goal back inside the final 17 minutes through debutant Gray, who was playing his first game since turning out for Whitstable Town in their 3-0 win here on 20 November.

Diallo tripped Mayhew down the right channel and Woodhouse swung in the resulting free-kick with his left-foot and Gray found a pocket of space inside the box and headed straight at Niemczycki.

Graham said: “Anything to the left or right to him and I think that’s in. Ollie’s done well to attack the ball and win in there amongst some big lads that Ashford have got.

“It’s his first game back from a long-term injury, a new signing, maybe a few games under his belt he hits that and it goes in.”

Warrilow added: “Luckily enough, it was straight at him. I think either side it’s in. It was a good ball in. He ain’t put a lot on it but good hands by Damian.”

Ashford United failed to kill the game just 46 seconds later when the ball was worked out to Diallo who floated in a cross towards the back post and substitute Tommie Fagg’s towering downward header brought a fine save out of Newcombe, diving swiftly low down to his right and using a strong hand to push the ball away and a frustrated Lockyer smashed the post in anger after lashing the rebound over the crossbar from three-yards.

“Faggy’s been out a while so we bleed him in today. He got 90 minutes against Corinthian on Tuesday (5-4 win in the Kent Senior Cup) but everyone knows he’s a big player for us,” added Warrilow.

Hythe Town grabbed a lifeline with 35 minutes and a second on the clock, courtesy of their find from the amateur ranks, which proves there are players within the Kent County League set-up who can step up into semi-professional football – you just have to find them.

Mayhew, so often the home side’s defensive weak link, was fed down the right and he whipped in a looping cross towards the back post.  Neither Niemczycki or centre-half Jack Steventon dealt with it and Alford buried his header into the bottom near corner from inside the six-yard box.

Graham said: “Riley’s done amazing for us. He’s come out of County football with our groundshare club Ashford and he’s come in and nobody really didn’t know how he was going to deal with this level but you can’t argue with the boys goal return.

“He’s been a real handful. He was disappointed not to start today but we wanted our flair players out wide so he’s come in and he’s done what he’s done in lots of games this year. He’s come on and made an impact. It was a good header so you can’t argue with the finish and he’s done what he’s done for a lot of times this season for us.”

Warrilow added: “I mean, I’m a little bit disappointed with that because it was a really high ball in, it was like a scooped ball in.

“I don’t know, I need to see it if I’m being a bit unfair on Jack Steventon? I thought Stevo could’ve dealt with it and perhaps Damian? It was in the air a long time and high and I was surprised to see them get on the end of it but again once it goes in it’s panic stations, which takes me back to not taking chances at 2-0.”

Hythe Town then threw caution to the wind and almost grabbed an equaliser with 43:04 on the clock.

Woodhouse looped a cross forward from inside the Hythe Town half and dropped for Alford, whose first-time curler from 20-yards went just past the far post with the goalkeeper well-beaten.

“He’s scored goals like that for us since he’s joined (in November), so he’ll be disappointed that he hasn’t scored that,” said Graham.

“We’re disappointed that he’s not scored that because I think on the balance of a local derby, they are where they are, we are where we are. I definitely think a draw would’ve been a fair result.   Ashford may say different but I think if that goes in, I don’t think anyone is angry about the result.”

Ashford United had the final say, however, as the last chance of the local derby came with 46:51 on the clock.

Substitute Jack Richards played the ball down the line and Lockyer cut in and put it on a plate for Wisson, whose poked shot was blocked by Newcombe’s legs and Fagg slid in to foul the keeper as he bent down to grab hold of the ball.

East Grinstead Town are in sixteenth-place, with 29 points from as many games, and welcome Ashford United to College Lane on Tuesday night.

Drew Cooney’s side lost 3-0 at third-placed Ramsgate today, while Hythe Town welcome fifth-placed Haywards Heath (1-0 winners over Faversham Town) here next Saturday.

The play-off places are currently occupied by Ashford United, Ramsgate (56 points from 29 out of 38 games), Cray Valley (56 points from 30 games) and Haywards Heath Town (52 points from 29 games).

“The most important thing at this stage of the season is to win your games and stay in contention,” said Warrilow.

“We’ve come here today and got a massive three points and some of the teams around us have dropped points (like Cray Valley losing 2-1 at home to Three Bridges).

“We’ve got to play better (at East Grinstead). We’ve got to go there on Tuesday on the back of another win, be confident but not arrogant, keep doing what they’re doing. We always keep the boys firm-footed but we know there’s still a lot more to come from us.”

Warrilow insists he will not throw in the towel and will challenge Hastings United in the title-race, especially as the club have been within the top five during the entire season and in second-place after 11 match days.

“All you’ve got to do is to try to stay on their tails and just looking in front, don’t look behind and just try to chase them.  All you can do is tick your games off and hope they slip up. If they don’t, fair play to them, but if they do we want to be there nipping away at them.

“I think you’d be mad (to give up on the title). We’ve still got nine games to go, we’ve got 27 points to play.  Listen, we could still fall out of the play-offs, if you want me to be all doom and gloom because you can think like that. It can happen but I’m still pushing and pushing and pushing. I don’t look at anything apart from going upwards but I don’t take that for granted.

“Listen, you want to get promoted.  We want to go up. That’s the bottom line but so do another seven other teams who are all fighting for the play-offs and trying to chase.  I think it’s been a successful season so far because I can’t remember when we were out of the top five and we’ve had a horrendous time with injuries, not just little injuries.”

Hythe Town face a tough game against promotion-chasing Haywards Heath Town and their trips to struggling Whitstable Town and Phoenix Sports could be potential six-pointers before playing Ashford United here again in the Kent Senior Cup Quarter-Finals on 29 March.

“Every point matters at the moment for the run-in, so we always knew it was going to be tough,” said Graham, who also praised the fans who attracted cash-strapped Hythe Town’s largest crowd of the season.

“Haywards Heath turn up here, we’re going to roll our sleeves up. We’re not going to accept defeat so they will have to be at their very best to beat us.

“Results have gone in our favour last week and this week but we’re under no illusions that we’ve got to pick points up and performances like today, I definitely feel like we take those performances in our last eight games then we’ll be alright, we’ll be absolutely fine.

“I think if we can get another six to nine points, I think that will be enough for us.  We get two or three wins out of our last eight games I think that will be enough but this league is a tough league and anyone can beat anyone on their day.

“It’s one of those leagues where we know what we want to try and achieve and we’re definitely under no illusions, that we’re not going to think that 30 points is enough.”

Graham added: “We need (the large crowds). It’s been no secret that the club lost a bit of investment and there’s been budget cuts so thank you to everyone for coming down here today because every sale, every ticket means that the club can get a little bit easier to the bank.”

Hythe Town: Henry Newcombe, Jack Mayhew, Nico Cotton, James Rogers, Liam Smith, Ollie Gray, Tyler Sterling (Jordan Sarfo 69), Alex Brown (George Sibley 87), Tom Walmsley (Riley Alford 63), Jacob Gilbert, Luca Woodhouse.
Subs: Connor Cheek, Tom Wynter

Goal: Riley Alford 81

Booked: Alex Brown 25

Ashford United: Damian Niemczycki, Bradley Simms, Mamadou Diallo, Josh Wisson, Liam Friend, Jack Steventon, Jarred Trespaderne, Tashi-Jay Kwayie (Daniel Hull 90), Gary Lockyer, Luke Burdon (Tommie Fagg 69), Frannie Collin (Jack Richards 82).
Subs: Lee Hook, Jack Hanson

Goals: Frannie Collin 21, Luke Burdon 36

Booked: Jarred Trespaderne 52, Damian Niemczycki 90

Attendance: 446
Referee: Mr Kane Dempster
Assistants: Mr Michael Butcher & Mr Simon Cutler