Kentish Football 
We're equipped for promotion, says Ashford United boss Paul Chambers
Chambers, 40, saw his side pull off a FA Cup upset with a 2-1 win at Deal Town in the Extra Preliminary Round yesterday.
They took the lead through a left-footed 37-yard screamer from the impressive Luke Whiting seven minutes before the end of the first half, before Gary Mickleborough came off the bench to double their lead.
Deal Town pulled a goal back with twenty minutes left when Ashford right-back Matt Hadlum headed into his own goal.
Both sides were reduced to ten-men inside the final ten minutes. Ashford substitute Arron Firth picked up two yellow cards, one for kicking the ball away and the second, within two minutes, for a lunge on Deal substitute Jacob Danton.
Deal lost striker Scott Punton to a second yellow in the 89th minute for a late challenge on visiting keeper Joe Mant, 17.
Ashford will now face Lingfield at Homelands Stadium in the Preliminary Round on 25 August.
Nicky Forster, lives in the Surrey town and played for his home-town club before he accepted the Dover Athletic manager’s job last year.
Ashford United begin their Kent Invicta League campaign with a home game against Bearsted on Tuesday night.
Tony Cornwell’s side got their campaign off to a flying start with a 4-1 home win over Bridon Ropes yesterday.
Bridon Ropes, who finished in fourth-place last season, opened the scoring through Alen Williams, before Ashley Russell equalised for the Bears. Second half goals from Miles Cornwell, Michael Holliday and Steve Elliott made certain of a winning start for the Maidstone outfit.
Chambers said: “I think when you look at it we ended up, what eight points behind the winners . Our first 12 games I think we lost six and drew four or something silly like that so hopefully we’ll get off to a better start this year and we’ll go from there.
“I think we know a bit more about the league now and I also think the players that we’ve brought in now will have a bit more experience whereas before last year we were thrown into the unknown and we were working with players we were only working for three weeks so it was hard.
“We’ve got a squad, we just haven’t got 11 players. We’ve got a good squad now and that’s what we need to try and get promotion and that’s what we’re aiming for so days like yesterday at Deal is just like a bonus for us.
“This year we’re a bit more equipped and we know a bit more what it’s about now, so we have got a game on Tuesday so we’ll see what happens.”
Meanwhile, Deal Town’s strip was heavily criticised by members of the press at The Charles Sports Ground yesterday as it does not have a patch surrounding their unreadable gold numbers on the back of their traditional black and white hooped shirts.
He said: “We had our fair share of the ball, however, we just handed it to them.
“We scored an own goal and made two or three classic defensive mistakes.
“It was exactly what I feared. Some players were still mentally celebrating the Courier Cup win over Tunbridge Wells.
“We will have to react to this and it was a wake-up call for those players that are still celebrating.”
Former Fisher and Holmesdale attacker, Raphael Akala, scored the first hat-trick in the Kent Invicta League this season, on his Phoenix debut.
Phoenix Sports face Crockenhill on Tuesday, whilst on Wednesday, Eltham Palace and Orpington, who both play at Green Court Road, Crockenhill, play eachother after both winning their opening games. Seven Acre & Sidcup welcome Sutton Athletic to Oxford Road, Sidcup. Those three games kick-off at 6:30pm.
Visit Ashford United’s website: www.ashfordunited.co.uk
Ashford United v Bearsted
Kent Invicta League
Tuesday 14th August 2012
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Homelands Stadium, Ashford Road, Kingsnorth, Ashford, Kent TN26 1NJ
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd