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Breaking sports news from Gillingham, Charlton Athletic, Kent Cricket and more on Kent Sportsday on Monday, April 28

00:00, 28 April 2014

updated: 07:54, 28 April 2014

Refresh this page regularly for live sports updates during the day. Leave comments below or get in touch with us via Twitter and Facebook.

17:00 - CLOSE OF PLAY

It's been fun. Thanks for joining me for a largely positive Sportsday.

Plenty more to come tomorrow, we'll have updates from international hockey, the World Championship snooker quarter-finals at the Crucible and of course build-up to the football promotion play-offs. Plus breaking news and a look-in at our pro clubs too.

Join my colleague Steve Tervet from 8am, but that's all from me for now, enjoy your evening.

16:50 - CRICKET

We saw the Kent players trying their hand at visually impaired cricket earlier, well it's just been announced that Canterbury will host British Blind Sport's equivalent of the FA Cup Final this summer - the showpiece of the Primary Club Heindrich Swanepoel Memorial Cup.

The game will be staged at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Saturday, August 9, the first time in its 36-year history that Kent has hosted the event.

16:45 - HOCKEY

The men might have suffered disappointment (see 14:50) but there was plenty to celebrate for England's women as they came from behind to beat visiting Canada 6-1 in a capped international match at Bisham Abbey earlier.

The visitors went ahead after six minutes when Holcombe and GB keeper Maddie Hinch was beaten, but England soon levelled and went ahead on 18 minutes through a deflected goal from Kent's own Susannah Townsend, once of Sutton Valence School and returning to Canterbury HC next season.

Four more goals followed either side of the break, with Holcs defender Laura Unsworth helping to keep the tourists out at the other end.

The Canadians provide the opposition for four games this week, two of them capped, as part of the preparations for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer.

16:30 - TONBRIDGE ANGELS

Tommy Warrilow's final act as Tonbridge Angels manager on Saturday was to help old foes Dover into the play-offs.

Already-relegated Angels held on for a goalless draw against the Hampshire side in Warrilow's final game after six-and-a-half years at the Longmead helm.

Angels lost twice against Dover this season, which helped the Whites sneak into the top-five in Skrill South in the final minutes of the final day of the season, though they did upset Dover twice last term which derailed Dover's title bid.

Click here for the details of Warrilow's final game in charge.

16:15 - WELLING

The Wings rounded-off their debut campaign in Skrill Premier with a perfect end-of-season humdinger against Southport, winning 4-3 thanks to a double from top-scorer Ross Lafayette, who finished the campaign with 17 goals.

Click here to read a blow-by-blow account from Matthew Panting.

16:00 - FOOTBALL

Thanks for that Steve. Austin was previously manager of Canterbury City. Wish him the best of luck.

15:50 - DARTFORD

Darts put up a brave fight against the drop for a long time, but their Skrill Premier fate was sealed a week ago and their campaign ended on a low note with defeat to Nuneaton on Saturday.

Click here for all the gory details. Summer of rebuilding on the horizon, but Darts will be back again I'm sure.

15:30 - KENT CRICKET

The Kent lads might be in the midst of an 11-day break from action, plotting a way to beat Surrey at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, starting on Sunday, however they found time to enjoy the fun and the sun at the club's open day at the SGSL yesterday.

Weren't able to attend? Well let Fabian Cowdrey, Mitch Claydon and some of their team-mates show you what you missed.

I particularly enjoyed Rob Key attempting Visually Impaired cricket.

Though Darren Stevens took things waaaay too seriously at the start here.

15:10 - GILLINGHAM

Gills in the Championship. Remember those days? Peter Taylor does. He'd like to lead another attempt to get the club into the second tier of English football next season, as we've already touched on today.

But he's under no illusions how hard it will be to transform the squad to get them to challenge in League 1 and will take some careful dealings in the transfer market, as he tells Luke Cawdell here.

14:50 - HOCKEY

Disappointment for England. (see 10:50). A 2-1 defeat to Belgium in the Four Nations clash in Glasgow means they miss out on the gold/silver match tomorrow and have to settle for a play-off for bronze against the Auld enemy.

The 3rd/4th match pushes-back at 9am. It's like a punishment.

14:35 - SNOOKER

Barry Hawkins will play Dominic Dale in the quarter-finals of the World Championship in Sheffield.

The Ditton ace booked his passage through to the last eight yesterday (see 09:10) but Dale won the single frame he needed to join him when play resumed at the Crucible this lunchtime. The Welshman beat Michael Wasley 13-4.

Their quarter-final - which is best of 25 frames - will begin at 10am tomorrow. Updates on Sportsday throughout the day.

14:20 - VIDEO

Want to see what pure joy and pure despair look like.. simultaneously? Check out these highlights of Dover's win at Hayes & Yeading (see 10:00).

One swing of Barry Cogan's right foot in the dying minutes was enough to take Dover into the Skrill South play-offs against all the odds, while it robbed the hosts of the point which would have kept them up on goal difference.

If you're busy then FFW to six minutes in for the climax.

14:00 - FOOTBALL

Possibly the most reliable substitute in Premier League history taking his first steps into coach, at the Gallagher Stadium. The former Newcastle and current Hull City stopper has made just 226 appearances in 20 pro seasons. Shame.

13:50 - GILLINGHAM

You know those managers who like to be centre of attention and take all the praise when things go well.

Yes well Peter Taylor isn't really one of those. Here he tells Luke Cawdell why his players deserve the credit after Gills secured their League 1 survival this weekend.#

Click here for the story.

13:05 - LUNCH

Seems like a good time for a recap, right?

Peter Taylor has steered Gills to safety, but is it enough for him to get the manager's job long-term?

Gills defender Leon Legge is unlikely to be losing sleep about who will be in charge next term, as he says here.

We also saw Steve Brown speaking about Ebbsfleet's play-off campaign with Steve Tervet.

More news from Priestfield still to come after lunch, so don't forget to keep checking back.

12:45 - ATHLETICS

If you weren't able to be at the UK Youth Development U17/U20 League Southern Premier Division 1 event in Norwich yesterday then you missed a treat.

Double European Junior champion Dina Asher-Smith of Blackheath & Bromley AC recorded a sprint double, winning the 100m in 11.49secs and the 200m in a new Personal Best of 23.08 which is the fourth fastest time ever by a British junior and third fastest by a GB woman this year.

It is also an A qualifier for the European Championships this summer, with her best 100m time just 0.03secs outside the A standard for Zurich in August.

12:30 - CHARLTON ATHLETIC

The Addicks are doing their level best to make life interesting at the bottom of the Championship. Obviously would be very boring if your safety was sealed before the final two games of the season eh?

A win against Watford tomorrow night would do it, otherwise it's all down to the last-day trip to Blackpool. The big one, you might say.

Click here for a Valley wrap following the 3-1 defeat at home to Blackburn.

12:15 - AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Forget Liverpool v Chelsea, the biggest game on the calendar yesterday afternoon was surely the East Kent Mavericks' Premiership trip to Cambridge.

The Cambridgeshire Cats were early pacesetters in the South section of the national top flight, having won their opening game against Berkshire, however the Mavs - Kent's premier side - produced a battling display to kick-off their own campaign with a road win.

An early touchdown from QB Josh Adamson on the opening drive and a fine catch from star receiver Mark Hughes gave the visitors a healthy 14-2 lead, despite the Cats having forced a safety inbetween the two scores with a tackle inside the Mavs own endzone.

The hosts rallied with three scores either side of the interval, though with two extra-point attempts blocked and another sent wide, the Cats took only a 20-14 lead into the final quarter.

East Kent were not to be denied however and a superb scrambling run wide left by Adamson levelled the score, with Hughes kicking the away side into a one-point lead, before superbly grabbing an Adamson pass in the back of the endzone with little over two minutes to go to seal the win.

The Mavs sit third in the Premiership ahead of Sunday's trip to London Olympians.

11:50 - FOOTBALL

Missed the big game? Terrible feeling isn't it? Feel like you have missed out. Well have a squizz at these images from our KM photographic team at Ryman League games on Saturday to make yourself feel like you were really there.

Picture gallery here.

Maidstone's Alex Brown tries to get to the ball ahead of Grays keeper George Kamurasi. Picture: Matthew Walker
Maidstone's Alex Brown tries to get to the ball ahead of Grays keeper George Kamurasi. Picture: Matthew Walker

11:35 - FOOTBALL

So we've established that Ebbsfleet and Dover have play-off games this week, and Maidstone United do not. However there was joy for some of our sides in the Ryman League Division 1 South as Folkestone Invicta finished their season on a high to secure a home semi-final tie against Hastings tomorrow night, while VCD Athletic claimed the Division 1 North title on a dramatic final day.

Click here for the Ryman League round-up.

11:15 - GILLINGHAM

Remember the Taylor to remain at Gills chat from 08:50? Good. Well defender Leon Legge has had his say on the future of the Priestfield hot-seat. Fair to say he's pretty laid back about it.

Click here to see what he told Luke Cawdell.

10:50 - HOCKEY

Just 10 minutes until England's men push-back against Belgium in the final game of the round-robin stage of the Four Nations tournament in Glasgow.

Our brave boys - who include West Malling's Ashley Jackson and Holcombe due Barry Middleton and Dan Fox in their number - drew the opening game 2-2 against Argentina on Friday evening and beat Scotland 3-1 on Saturday.

A good result today will see them into tomorrow's gold/silver medal play-off.

I'll keep you posted, right here.

10:35 - GILLINGHAM

As we know, pictures tell a thousand words.

So if you don't feel like reading a match report of Gills' defeat at Preston, just feast your eyes on these images, taken by KM Group photographer extraordinaire Barry Goodwin at Deepdale.

Click here for the gallery.

10:15 - FOOTBALL

The Gills striker is referring to this incident in the Barcelona game at Villareal last night and I hope I speak for everyone when I say hear, hear Bayo!

10:00 - DOVER ATHLETIC

A week ago, anyone predicting a Ebbsfleet v Dover play-off final would have been at the front of the queue for medical examination, however that prospect remains very much a possibility after Dover dramatically sealed their place in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Click here for the recap of an eventful day in Skrill South.

09:45 - MAIDSTONE UNITED

No such play-off joy for the Stones, however. Their slim chances of reaching the Ryman League Premier Division play-offs were thwarted on the final day of the season.

Click here for Craig Tucker's round-up.

09:25 - EBBSFLEET

Good day for the Fleet at Stonebridge Road on Saturday, bumper crowd and solid home win has set them up nicely for the Skrill South play-off semi-finals.

Fleet host Bromley on Wednesday night, before the return at Hayes Lane on Saturday.

Click here to see what Steve Brown had to say to our man Steve Tervet about the play-offs.

09:10 - SNOOKER

We'll find out later who Barry Hawkins will face in the quarter-final of the World Championships at The Crucible.

Ditton cueman Hawkins slogged to a 13-11 win over Ricky Walden in the last-16 and will face either Dominic Dale or Michael Wasley in the next round.

The smart money is on Welshman Dale, who has a 12-4 lead when play resumes in Sheffield at 1pm.

Click here for more from Hawkins.

08:50 - GILLINGHAM

When he came into the job, Peter Taylor's sole goal for the season was to keep Gills in the division.

Job done. But does that mean job won?

Click here to see Luke Cawdell's interview with the current interim boss.

08:20 - YOUR VIEWS

I like to keep them simple...

08:10 - GILLINGHAM

As always readers, safety first.

Gills may have gone down 3-1 at Deepdale against promotion-chasing Preston-North-End on Saturday, but they are no longer in danger of being relegated.

Share your reflections on a season of consolidation in League 1, via twitter, Facebook or the comments section below, and click here to read Peter Taylor's thoughts on his mission accomplished.

08:00 - KICK-OFF

Good morning and welcome to the start of another Sportsweek - I've got a feeling today is going to be a very positive one.

News coming up this morning from Gillingham, Charlton, Dover, Ebbsfleet and more - and almost all of it is good.

So buckle-up, keep a tab open for us and remember to keep hitting refresh to ensure you get all the breaking sports news from Kent as soon as possible, right here.

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