The South East Division promotion race provides us with another mouth-watering fixture on Saturday as Valley travel to Ashford for what could be seen as a title race eliminator as both sides continue pursuit of league leaders Hastings United.
While “The Nuts & Bolts” sit ten points off the pace, they have a game in hand on both Valley and Hastings at the top of the league.
Wins in their last two matches followed recent home defeats against fellow contenders Haywards Heath Town and Hastings - in addition to a chastening 1-5 reversal at Three Bridges. Victory has however been secured at Ramsgate and Herne Bay (3-0) since the turn of the year as Ashford’s form has tended to fluctuate.
Goals tend to be shared around the Nuts & Bolts, with five players contributing at least eight goals in a side who have occupied a Play-Off place since the first day of the season.
Following promotion from the SCEFL in 2016/17, The Nuts & Bolts narrowly missed out on promotion in the last full season “pre-Covid”, losing out to Horsham (1-2) in the Play-Off Final in manager Tommy Warrilow’s first season at the helm.
Denzel Gayle’s 45th minute strike won the points for Valley when the teams met earlier in the season in an entertaining encounter at The Artic Stadium.

Despite defeat at Folkestone Invicta on Tuesday in the Velocity Cup, Valley manager Kevin Watson will have been pleased to see 60 minute appearances from Raheem Sterling-Parker and Joe N’Guessan, while youngster Mohamed Dean impressed on his first team debut.
Matt Warren’s head injury at Folkestone required stitches but he’ll be hopeful of continuing his recent run of good form in the Millers’ engine room.

SEASON 2021/22 LEAGUE FORM GUIDE

Ashford United
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Cray Valley (PM)
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MATCH DETAILS

DATE:-

SATURDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2022, KICK-OFF 3PM

VENUE :-

The Homelands Stadium, Ashford road, Kingsnorth, TN26 1NJ

(APPROX JOURNEY TIME FROM THE ARTIC STADIUM – 1 HOUR, 52 MILES)

Official Club website – https://www.ashfordunitedfc.com

ADMISSION

Adults: £10.00
Concessions : £6.00
Under-16’s : £1.00 (FOC if accompanied by an adult)

MATCH OFFICIALS