Ash welcomed unbeaten Folkestone Optimists to Hurstmere on Saturday and like most games this season for the Men's first eleven it was an entertaining affair.

Going into this encounter the Optimists had won 3 drawn 2 and with in the first 5 mins had decided to come out all guns blazing and were rewarded early doors with a penalty stroke after the Optimists player rounded the goalie but was just caught and brought down up stepped another new signing for Folkestone from Ashford 1-0 to the away side. This pattern continued with Folkestone securing a second goal from a fine strike from a short corner beating Stephenson convincingly with power and dip. With 10 mins to go and 2-0 down Ash decided to wake up and after an audacious tackle from one Folkestone player out side the D were rewarded with a short corner. The corner was converted and Alan Slater celebrated with his Shearer esque salute, this set up the second half to be a real cracker.

After a stern talking to from the coach Burnt Ash played the best hockey of the season so far in the second half with quick passing and some out standing discipline from the men in red a penalty corner was awarded and Farmer duly converted. Back to 2-2 all the boys from Bexley could smell blood and another well worked drive down the right hand side lead to a stroke for the home team. Farmer converted this and for the first time in the game the home side were leading. However not all stories have a happy ending as a lapse in concentration with a minute to go lead to an Optimists equaliser.

The game ended at 3-3 and left both teams wanting more. A special mention has to be made for the umpires both to which had an outstanding game right or wrong explaining there decisions concisely.

This week Ash make the trip to the Vine and take on Sevenoaks.

Iain Brine