Dulwich Hamlet 1-1 Ashford Town - We wouldn't swap any of our players, says Langton

The Nuts & Bolts went into this game having won their last seven games, but they fell behind on the half-hour mark through Junior Kaffo’s bundled effort, immediately after Anthony Browne was red-carded for an over-the-ball challenge on Daryl Plummer, which sparked a melee right in front of the home dug-out.

But Paul Jones’ 12^th goal of the season ensured the promotion chasing Kent side earned a point with an equaliser early in the second half.

Ashford remain in fourth place in the Ryman League Division One South table with 43 points from 26 games, and kept faith with the same side that thumped Burgess Hill Town 4-1 at The Homelands seven days ago.

The only figure that was missing was manager Steve Lovell, who was suffering in bed at his Rainham home with the flu, leaving his assistant, Hugo Langton, in sole charge of team affairs.

“Obviously, I’d prefer if Steve’s here,” Langton told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards. “Obviously for the side’s point of view it’s better to have two pairs of eyes rather than one pair watching the game.”

Forest Hill based Langton, whose previously coaching spells have been with Gillingham (ladies), Rusthall and Holmesdale, praised the professionalism shown by the team.

“It was a case of knowing the players were going to be batting for the same side for me,” he said.

“I wasn’t even slightly worried, I know Steve wasn’t because we’ve got such a terrific set of players. It’s not even a worry if one of us are missing.

“The credit has got to go to the players.”

The Champion Hill pitch cut-up during the warm-up and during the first half both sides tried to avoid the muddy middle third of the pitch, which meant real chances on goal were at a premium.

But the south Londoners broke the deadlock, with their first shot on target, after Browne was red-carded, on the half-hour mark.

Browne, the Ashford right-sided midfielder, went over the top of the ball as he challenged Plummer, right in front of the Dulwich Hamlet dug-out.

This sparked an angry reaction from all members of the Hamlet dug-out and whilst players squared up to each-other, Hamlet’s assistant manager Paul Downes stormed towards Langton, who tried to defuse the heated exchange.

Browne was shown a straight red card by referee Ian Crouch and Ashford central defender, Sean Ray, who was a rock at the heart of the defence throughout, and Dulwich Hamlet’s left-back Nathan Simpson, were both booked once things cooled down.

“My opinion, I don’t think Dulwich would agree with me, is Tony Browne went into the ball, ok, it was a foul, but I don’t think it was a red card,” said Langton.

“In my opinion, the referee reacted to their bench going somewhat over the top. They behaved as though someone’s been killed on the pitch and the referee reacted accordingly.

“For me, it wasn’t a red, I think yellow would have sufficed.”

Ashford switched off as Dulwich Hamlet took the lead from the resulting free-kick.

Central defender, Benson Paka, from the left touchline, near to the half-way line, swept a high curling free-kick towards goal and Ashford goalkeeper Seb Barton didn’t deal with the cross, beating it down, and Kaffo was on hand to bundle the ball over the line at the far post.

Simpson, awarded the man-of-the-match by the home club’s sponsors, was played in behind the Ashford defence three minutes later, but his weak shot rolled into Barton’s grateful arms at his near post.

Ashford’s one and only first half chance, however, came within three minutes.

Right-back, Jimmy Elford, who made way for striker Bradley Spice at the break, rolled the ball in behind Hamlet’s defence for Mitchell Sherwood to strike a shot towards goal, which was smothered by Jamie Lunan.

But Ashford’s leading goalscorer, Jones, levelled proceedings with a classy finish after 53 minutes.

The former Folkestone Invicta striker latched onto Ray’s powerful headed clearance from midfield and once a couple of yards inside the penalty area, swept a delightful left-footed shot across Lunan, which bounced into the bottom far corner.

The Kent side should have won the game four minutes later.

Ryan Briggs’ corner from the left was flicked on by a Dulwich defender on the near post and Elliott Brathwaite agonisingly powered his header over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

Simpson, who was regularly booed by the vocal travelling fans, whipped in an excellent 78^th minute cross, which was met by a thumping header from striker Cedric Ngakam, but he sent his header over from just four yards out.

Dulwich Hamlet, meanwhile, missed a gilt-edged chance to grab victory at the death.

The ball found it’s way to the unmarked Stanley Muguo at the far post, but the central midfielder blasted the ball over Barton and over the crossbar.

Langton said afterwards that despite his confrontation with Hamlet assistant Downes during the game, everything was fine off it.

“I think he was having kittens, I can’t explain why, don’t know the bloke, good luck to him,” came Langton’s reply about Downes’ reaction towards him.

Langton, meanwhile, feels Ashford have the best group of players to achieve the club’s goals at the end of the season - promotion.

“I wouldn’t swap, and I know Steve wouldn’t swap, any of them for any other players in this league - or the league above,” added Langton.

“Sometimes you’ve got to roll your sleeves up and do a job and I think the players did that today and I can’t praise them all highly enough.”

Dulwich Hamlet: Jamie Lunan, Peter Martin, Nathan Simpson, Benson Paka, Shayne Mangodza, Marc Cumberbatch, Ryan Adams (Walid Matata 79), Stanley Muguo, Cedric Ngakam, Junior Kaffo (Sol Pinnock 88), Daryl Plummer (Daniel Francis 77).
Subs: Mohamed Coly, Sheik Cessay.

Goal: Junior Kaffo 30

Booked: Nathan Simpson 29, Shayne Mangodza 65

Ashford Town: Seb Barton, Jimmy Elford (Bradley Spice 45), Daniel Brathwaite, Elliott Brathwaite, Sean Ray, Ryan Briggs, Antony Browne, Charlie Glyde (Danny Lye 56), Craig Wilkins, Paul Jones, Mitchell Sherwood.
Subs: James Humphreys, Jimmy Bottle, Darren Ibrahim.

Goal: Paul Jones 53

Booked: Sean Ray 28, Daniel Brathwaite 51

Sent off: Anthony Browne 28

Attendance: 270
Referee: Mr Ian Crouch (New Eltham, London SE9)
Assistants: Mr Babatunde Adebayo (Bexleyheath) & Mr James Macey (Bexley)