It's Nuts and Bolts v Bay!

Ashford United took only six minutes to open the scoring as they welcomed Cray Valley PM to Homelands last night- and then spent the rest of the match holding onto that lead to progress into Saturday's Pitching In Isthmian South East Play Off Final- which they, of course, will host.

Jay May got the goal which put the hosts ahead and ultimately took them into the final, and although both sides pushed, the equaliser wouldn't come- and the Nuts and Bolts take the Final berth which their efforts ultimately deserve. Commiserations to the Millers, who have had yet another fine campaign.

If our first match didn't have the drama we might have hoped for- although the home fans amongst the seven hundred and fifty three present would have thought it had just the right amount of drama, no doubt- the second game had enough drama for half a dozen matches.

In the first half, Herne Bay and Haywards Heath Town managed a goal each, Zak Ansah giving the hosts the lead with Kieran Rowe equalising almost immediately for Heath- but it looked as if Bay would ease to victory after a Jack Parter goal immediately after the restart gave them the lead; a lead they held until the very last minute. But the drama begun just a few moments earlier, the hosts going down to ten men as Eddie Allsopp saw red.

Into added time, and suddenly it was three-one, Kieron Campbell scoring for the ten men, and surely that was that- only it wasn't! With seven minutes of added time announced, Heath poured forward, and with three of those minutes gone sub Harry Lafflin got one back. Surely Bay would hold out? They didn't! In the ninety seventh minute Hamish Morrison somehow made it three-three, and into extra time we went. No further goals- perhaps unsurprisingly given everyone must have been exhausted- took us to a penalty shootout, and we were into the sudden death element of those before Bay finally triumphed, six-five.

Bay have lost twice to the Nuts and Bolts this season, and the side in green will undoubtedly be favourites on Saturday- particularly given the fact that the Bay boys went through one hundred and twenty minutes and a shootout last night. But Bay have ended the season in fine form. Will they be able to continue that at the weekend? You know where you'll need to be to find out!

Commiserations to Haywards Heath Town, who have had a magnificent campaign.

Image from Ashford United.

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