ASHFORD AC were eased into third place in their senior Youth Development League match at Lewes but are still well placed to challenge for the title going into match 3 at Sutton Valence on June 30.
Ashford were again boosted by their link-up with Thanet AC enabling them to cover most events.
Young Ashley Buckham was one of the stars of the U17 squad with a double victory taking the long jump and triple jump honours with 5.57m and 12.15m respectively.
There was a similar success for Ellie Gooding in the women winning the U20 100m hurdles with 15.1 and then lifting the U17 pole vault with 3.40m with teammate Lana-Emily Foyle making it a club double by winning the U20 pole vault with 2.75m and Thanet teammate Hattie Malloy clearing 2.15m for the B win.
Lana was also third in the 400m and third in the A hammer.
George Huxley had a good day in the U20 men winning the 110m hurdles by almost a full second and took second in the 100m sprint with 11.2 with brother Jack earning good points in the discus, high jump and pole vault.
Good points came from the 800m with Neil Daughters third in the A race and Kyle Denning fourth in the B event. Kyle was also second in the 200m steeplechase and third in the high jump.
In the field Nate Fatola scored in the javelin, and Will Dickinson was in action in the shot, hammer and triple jump with strong support from Thanet’s James Jeacock, Oliver Cooper, Bradley Sloan and Chris Wall.
In the U17s Ben Isaac swept to a convincing win in the 100m hurdles and in the sprints Lewis Smith and Robert Banks scored well with Kieran Eland in action in the 400m and 800m. Lewis also ran the U20 A 400m hurdles.
In the U20 women Amber Guyett won the A javelin in style while Ciara Ewart and Katie Keet scored well in the 200m. Ciara was also fourth in the long jump.
Rebecca Cock had an excellent win in the U17 discus with 23.22m and a fourth in the javelin but there was good scoring from Charlotte Tappenden, and Pippi Randall and by Thanet’s Tamara Anderson and Ashleigh Newell.
The relays were solid with second places for the U17 4x100m and 4x300m women, and the U17 4x400m boys.
Match score: 1 Crawley 687, 2 Team Sussex 674, 3 Ashford 459.5, 4 Horsham Blue Star 418, 5 Bexley 321, 6 Medway & Maidstone 255.5, 7 Invicta’s Paddock 112.

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A DEPLETED Ashford AC squad travelled to Bracknell for the second round of the UK Youth Development League but still secured and excellent third place overall.
Despite missing some of their best athletes the composite Ashford/Thanet AC squad responded superbly setting a succession of personal best to delight manager Tina Tappenden.
The 34 athletes gelled well with many of them competing in a number of events, which typified the spirit of the team.
A fine example of the team’s determination was tiny Alice Bussey’s run in the Under 13 girls 1200 metres, where a tremendous last 200 metres moved her from sixth place to third place, reducing her personal best time by an amazing 15 seconds.
Only 11 points separated the top three teams but Ashford/Thanet will still be in first place in the overall league placings.
The next match is at the Julie Rose Stadium on Saturday, June 22 and a good turnout for this penultimate match is needed to try to win with a high points total to put the pressure on Crawley in the last match of the season.
Final match points: 1 Brighton and Hove AC 466, Crawley AC 461, Ashford/Thant 455, 4 Bracknell 422.5, 5 Camberley 400.5, 6 Cambridge Harriers 382.
The U15s were the most successful squad with four Ashford victories with Emilia Isaac having a convincing win in the A 75m hurdles with 12.6 and Grace Sullivan taking the A long jump with 4.70m.
Jaimeee-Ann Heyes won the B hammer with a personal best 20.19m and was second in the A javelin while Emilie Knights-Toomer won the B javelin and had a persoanl best in the 200m.
Other bests were set by Danielle Godden in the A shot and there was a good display by Ellie Atkins in the A 1500m. The 4x100m squad also set a personal best time in taking second with 52.8 seconds.
The boys also shone with a pole vault victory for Alex Hardy with a personal best 2.90m with his Thanet teammate Leon King winning the B event in a pb for the double.
Ed Miller notched two wins taking the B discus in a pb 29.07m and the B javelin with 31.69m and Jake Timmins won the A 80m hurdles in another best of 13.0 as well as a second in the high jump. Ed also was second in the B shot with a best of 8.66m.
Other bests came from George Maher, Peter Banks, Oliver Marsh and Ellis Bennett.
A young U13 squad had no Ashford winners but a rash of best performances. Faith Etokowo had two seconds with a best in the 75m hurdles, Hannah Brooks was second in the shot with a pb and another best in the 800m, Ella Hindle secured two personal bests as did Alice Bussey.
In the boys Lewis Godden’s second in the long jump was the best performance in a best of 4.68m as well as a best in the 200m and there were three bests notched by Craig Deeley in the high jump, 800m and 75m hurdles. Tom Keavney provided valuable points in three events
Full squads were: U15 boys: Peter Banks, Philipos Stamatiou, Ellis Bennett, Oliver Marsh, George Mayer, Frank Webster, Jake Timmins, Leon King, Alex Hardy, Adam Jacques, Ed Miller, James Anderson; Girls,
Alice Fox, Madilyn Johnson, Emily Knights Toomer, Danielle Gooden, Ellie Atkins, Emilia Isaac, Amber de Moubray, Grace Sullivan, Jaimee- Ann Heyes, Chloe Williams.
U13 boys: Lewis Godden, Thomas Keavney, Jack Seery, Craig Deeley, Benjamin Davis; Girls, Omega Skeen, Jade Curtis, Ella Hindle, Hannah Brooks, Alice Bussey, Faith Etokowo, Emily Giardina.

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