West Kent Sunday League News Report 21st November –  2021

It was a mixed day for WKSFL clubs in the Kent County Cups, while we have new leaders in the top tier. December should be interesting with only three points separating the top four and Green Lane being two games behind. There is also plenty to play for in mid-table with the 'split' to come.

Kent Sunday Premier Cup

Only one of the three scheduled ties actually went ahead. Two teams from the Ashford area declined to make the trip to face WKSFL opponents. Artois United, who should have faced Mersham Sports and Simla, who were due to host Aldington Sports, both go through to the fourth round on walkovers.

Green Lane did have to face a home tie against the strong Market Hotel side, currently third in the Ashford League Premier Division. Bal Maher scored for the Lane in what was a 4 - 1 defeat. Bradley Burton scored twice for the visitors, Dale Horton and Ryan Philpott each scored once.

Kent Sunday Junior Cup

AFC Tonbridge belied their position at the bottom of the WKSFL top division with a 2-1 win at home to Sutton Valence of the Maidstone League. It was their first win of the season with goals from Tyler Richardson and Robert Harman.

Also successful were Charcott. They met Paddock Wood in a game which had no goals during normal play, a rare event in itself at this level. The match went to penalties, which Charcott won 4-3.

AFC Valour also go through after a 2-1 home win against former WKSFL members Yalding & Laddingford. I have no details of the game.

Unsuccessful were Odukwe, who had several first choice players missing when they lost 9-2 at home against Egerton, from the Ashford area.

Goudhurst United received a bye into the fourth round, their erstwhile opposition having folded during the preceding weeks.

Kent Sunday Junior Trophy


Royal Oak  made up for last week's alarming League defeat at Sedlescombe with a good 5-1 away win at White Horse Jaguars, based in Eccles near Maidstone. Scorers were Max Ravenscroft 2, Dan Ryan, Joe Rutland and Harry Phipps

AFC Borough Reserves went down 4- 0 at home to the powerful Tenterden Town outfit.

Division One / Two

With both Artois and Simla supposed to be in County Cup action, Pembury Sunday took advantage to go top of the League. They beat Goudhurst United 3-1 thanks to Steve Harper, Tom Price and Charlie Johns. James Found replied for Goudhurst. But both Artois and Simla have a game in hand, Pembury have played both already.

Nine goals were shared at Dormansland, where visitors AFC Borough collected only their second win of the season.

With none of the defence that started last week's game available highlighting the vagaries of Sunday football, Rockets started on the front foot and took the lead following a good move which resulted in Ali Jones heading them in front.

Not long after that  they were awarded a penalty which was put high, wide and not very handsome by Rich Wetton.

From being in the ascendancy, this miss slowly but surely seemed to change the game. AFC Borough came more and more into the game with three strikes before half time, including one very decent overhead kick. That meant that they had a comfortable 4-1 half time lead, the goalscorers being Matt Taylor, Ed Handford, Marcus Alexander and Ben Simmonds,

Rockets knew they had to start the second half fast and this they did from a Rich Wetton strike. Further goals from Rich Wetton and Rhys White brought the scores level at 4-4

Borough were  not to be denied though and a 90th minute winner by Sam Edmunds ensured they took the spoils.

I am assured that the game between Insulators and TW Ridgewaye was played with a round ball, not an oval one. A 7 - 7 draw was the outcome at Bayham Road.

Our man on the touchline said " I'm not really sure where to start with this extraordinary game. The home side kicked off and were soon in front. Every time Ridgeway attacked they looked likely to score - and did! After around 30 minutes the score was 4-0 and game over. Ben Boodle pulled one back before half time so the discussion on the touchline was that If Slators could get another back early in the second half, maybe there was hope. 37 seconds into the second half and Ridgeway added a 5th (& soft) goal so game over again.

There wasn't really time to note much detail, but at around 55 minutes Boodle pulled another back and then another to make it 5-3 with him on a hat trick. Just as supporters were thinking an unlikely comeback was possible, TWR banged in another to restore a three goal lead.

However, Mr Boodle was determined to have a pleasant day himself and scored again for 6-4. The home side, not to be outdone, smacked in a seventh. Game over - yet again! Around ten minutes plus stoppages remained when Boodle scored Insulators and his fifth. With time almost up, Ben Manser (not Ben Boodle) scored Insulators sixth. Could the impossible happen? Yes, with the last action of the match in the 94th minute centre back Lewis Disbury headed the equaliser - 7-7 the final score". Ridgewaye's list of scorers - Adam Davies-Knight with four, Jonny Hughes with two and the seventh was scored by Devon Mighty.

West Kent Sunday League Division One / Two mix
including Sunday 21st November
Phase One - each team plays the others once
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Pembury Sunday 9 7 1 1 30 7 23 22
2 Artois United 8 7 0 1 40 10 30 21
3 Simla 8 7 0 1 37 10 27 21
4 Paddock Wood 9 6 0 3 45 22 23 18
5 Green Lane 6 4 1 1 13 9 4 13
6 Odukwe FC 7 4 0 3 33 19 14 12
7 AFC Valour 8 3 1 4 18 25 -7 10
8 Charcott 8 3 0 5 21 17 4 9
9 Dormansland Rockets 7 3 0 4 19 27 -8 9
10 Goudhurst United 9 2 1 6 20 34 -14 7
11 Insulators 8 2 1 5 22 37 -15 7
12 AFC Borough 8 2 0 6 16 33 -17 6
13 TW Ridgewaye 6 1 1 4 19 27 -8 4
14 AFC Tonbridge 7 0 0 7 3 59 -56 0

Division Three

Sadly, two games were unplayed with Tonbridge United and Westerham being unable to raise a team for their scheduled fixtures against Sedlescombe Rangers and Insulators Reserves respectively. These and other unfulfilled WKSFL fixtures will be dealt with at the Management Committee meeting on Monday 29th November.

There were plenty of goals in the two games that were played. Brenchley strengthened their grip on the top spot with a merciless 11-0 hammering of Ticehurst Village.  Ticehurst Village were hoping for a victorious return to their original home pitch at Ticehurst Rec after 18 months of it being a vaccination centre. However after a number of irresponsible no shows they were left with 10 men to start the game. Brenchley took no prisoners in the first half, using their advantage to race into an 8-0 lead. The home team showed more organisation and pride in the second half but still conceded a further three goals.  There were two hat-tricks for Brenchley, Mark Springate and leading scorer Conor Williams on that list. Paul Smith scored two, there was one each from Mike Williams, Michiel van Oorschot and Nat Twiggs,

Speldhurst Rangers returned to winning ways with a 3 - 2 home win against TW Ridgewaye Reserves.
Speldhurst were forced to make several changes before the game due to three drop outs (typical life of a Sunday league manager!) James Hughes went down with an 'injury' and with the club doctor having a week off, the club couldnt get a full diagnosis on the injury and were forced to bring on their only sub. Speldhurst were now down to bare 11 with no more subs. They took the lead from a corner after a move 'straight off the training ground' with Dan 'the badger' Kelly crossing the ball to Andreas Theodorou, who beat the keeper to the ball for a smart finish into the far corner to make it 1-0. Ridgewaye's Dan Thomas levelled in the second half to make it 1-1.

Ridgeway then, for some reason thought they had turned into Manchester Cityy and tried to pass their way out of defence, but only got as far as Theodorou. He squared to Joe Howse who caressed the ball into the gaping goal for 2-1. 'Badger' took one for the team with five minutes to go, taking out a Ridgeway striker who was one on one for goal. He received a red card and potentially lose the game for his team. Ridgewaye scored the resulting free kick, taken by Harry Demmon. That levelled the scores.

The game was heading for a draw when up stepped Joe Hearnden. Ridgeway's 'keeper made a poor clearance off his line. Hearnden, forty yards from goal, took one touch and smashed the ball back over the 'keepers head into the top corner. A strike of sheer beauty that would be worthy of winning any football match let alone a WKSL Division Three mid table clash where both teams have no chance of going up. [He speak too soon? Not even half way through the season yet. It's a funny old game.] Hearnden celebrated by running round beating his chest like a gorilla and shouted (redacted).. There was one last chance for Ridgewaye to score,  but Baldwin saved the shot and held on to snuff out the attack and ensure the points for Rangers..

West Kent Sunday League Division Three
including Sunday 21st November
Pos Team P W D L F A GD Pts
1 Brenchley 11 9 1 1 50 12 38 28
2 Sedlescombe Rangers 9 7 1 1 52 13 39 22
3 Royal Oak 9 7 1 1 37 22 15 22
4 Insulators Reserves 9 6 0 3 21 16 5 18
5 Speldhurst Rangers 10 5 2 3 27 28 -1 17
6 AFC Borough Reserves 8 5 1 2 27 17 10 16
7 Westerham 8 3 2 3 20 24 -4 11
8 Artois United Reserves 9 2 4 3 28 19 9 10
9 TW Ridgewaye Reserves 8 2 2 4 27 22 5 8
10 Ticehurst Village Club 9 2 2 5 27 39 -12 8
11 Dunton Green 10 2 1 7 14 30 -16 7
12 Tonbridge United 9 0 1 8 7 47 -40 1
13 Riverside Colts 9 0 0 9 10 58 -48 0


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