Ashford United secured a place in the next round of the FA Trophy with a convincing away victory over Crowborough Athletic, propelled by a hat-trick from Louis Collins in the first half. Collins’ three quick goals, all scored within the opening 24 minutes, gave Ashford a commanding lead and presented a significant challenge for the hosts to overcome.

Crowborough Athletic, who had mixed results to start their season but had shown promise with two wins in the FA Cup, sought to continue their momentum in the FA Trophy. However, they struggled to contain Ashford’s early attacking threat. Despite falling behind by three goals early on, Crowborough mounted a second-half response, with Rushaar Samuel-Smikle converting a penalty and Harry Forster netting a notable strike from outside the area to reduce the deficit.

Ashford ultimately quelled the resurgence by scoring their fourth goal between Crowborough’s two responses, effectively securing the win and progression. This result offered Ashford redemption following a recent defeat against Hastings, demonstrating their resilience and determination to advance in the competition. Crowborough’s hopes for a deeper run in the FA Trophy were ended by Ashford’s clinical performance, which highlighted the stark contrast in their fortunes on the day.