Ashford United 4-5 Eastbourne United
Report and EXCLUSIVE photo gallery from Jon Smalldon (29/5/23).
Above: Ashford United celebrate with the London & South East Division One South championship trophy yesterday. Photo: Jon Smalldon for Impetus.
Ashford United celebrated their promotion to tier five with a day in the sun and a big crowd at the Homelands Stadium.
Sadly, for the home side at least, they were on the wrong side of a nine-goal thriller with the visitors Eastbourne United AFC, coming away with a 5-4 win.
Eastbourne hit the front early on, however, Jenny Newman levelled matters with 24 minutes on the clock, and less than 60 seconds later put her side in front with a header.
Yet the early rapid-fire exchange of goals continued with the visitors equalising just eight minutes later thanks the two sides went in locked at 2-2 at the break.
Within nine minutes of the restart, Eastbourne went back ahead from the spot, and extended it to 4-2 20 minutes later.
However, this just served as the start of yet another period of goals galore. Ashford got back in the match within two minutes thanks to Rebecca Wyatt, and Jodie Cain levelled with 10 minutes to go.
However, the drama continued, and with the last kick of the afternoon, Eastbourne United sealed the win. Across the afternoon, the visitors’ scorers were Grace Hill (two), Georgia Townsend, Millie Barker, and Bethany Chambers.
The result didn’t matter to the table though and the girls in green were able to celebrate their title and promotion to the London & South-East Premier on the full-time whistle. Eastbourne United finished fifth.
Jon Smalldon’s exclusive photo gallery from Homelands Stadium for Impetus:
impetusfootball.org 