Match Preview

Ashford United v Beckenham Town
Isthmian League | Match 24

Preview By Kenny Sharpe
www.nutsandboltsarchive.co.uk - Beckenham Town

Today, the Nuts and Bolts probably face their most critical game of the season, when Beckenham Town visit The Homelands in an Isthmian League South East Division fixture.

Ashford are currently sitting in their joint worst run since the reformation of Ashford United with 5 straight defeats.
United have never lost 6 league games in a row!

Beckenham, despite being bottom of the league do have a better form guide than Ashford, with a win, 2 draws and 2 defeats in their last 5 games.
Beckenham’s last away point came in the middle of December, and they have only won once in the league on their travels (back in August).

The 2 clubs have met on 17 previous occasions, with Ashford winning 11, drawing 3 and only suffering defeat on 3 occasions.
The last meeting was earlier this season at Eden Park Avenue with Danny Parish netting the only goal of the game.

The first meeting between the 2 clubs was back in Ashford Town’s first season of 1930/31 in the Kent Senior Cup 1st Round, Ashford were 2-1 victors on that occasion.
This game was played on the ‘Under the Arches’ ground in Newtown - this ground was the ground prior to Essella Park.

David Gillngwater was born on this day (3rd) in 1944, David played 299 times for the club over a 7 year period, scoring 38 goals in the process. David was a very popular player amongst fans from what I have been told.

As Ashford have made a couple of loan signings recently, I thought it would be fitting to mention the debut of Craig Cloke for the club in 2010 whilst I believe on loan.

Ashford have only won on a handful of times on this date, the last being at Yate Town in 1996 with a goal from Andy Morris.
The Town did however suffer a 10-0 defeat in 1934 at the hands of Kent’s powerhouse at the time - Northfleet United.
This day is also the day for our record low home attendance (of the records I have found). Just 39 hardy souls witnessed a 2-1 victory over Ramsgate in the Kent Messenger Trophy in 1976 - were you one of them?