Player-boss Danny Kedwell scored arguably the best goal of his long career as Ashford claimed their first league win of the season.

Kedwell, 41, named himself in the starting XI at East Grinstead on Tuesday night to give top scorer Gary Lockyer a rest.

He opened the scoring in a 3-1 victory, with a neat finish in a one-on-one, and Louis Collins restored the lead in first-half injury time after Connor Tighe levelled.

But it was Kedwell’s second goal that really stood out as he lobbed the keeper from just past the halfway line.

The veteran forward decided to shoot to save running in on goal - and the result was a spectacular clincher.

The Nuts & Bolts, beaten 3-0 at home by Broadbridge Heath on Saturday, remain in the Isthmian South East bottom four, but have that all-important first win and games in hand to start climbing the table.

“I don’t think I’ve scored many goals better than that, especially not from that far out,” said Kedwell.

“To be fair, I was getting a bit tired because I haven’t played a lot of football lately and I was thinking, ‘I’m starting to feel this now’.

“Their midfielder passed me the ball on the halfway line and I could have run through but I thought, ‘I’m not going to have the legs’, so I saw the keeper off his line and decided to hit it.

“I was more relieved than anything after the third goal because the boys have done so well, dominating league games but not winning, and they deserved that result.

“The way they’ve been playing, I knew it would come.

“If you keep performing, the results will turn.

“Hopefully that win settles us down and we can go again because, based on our performances, we shouldn’t be where we are in the league.

“We’ve got to keep turning performances into wins.”

Kedwell felt it was important to rest 12-goal striker Lockyer amid a busy run of matches.

He’s set to return when Ashford visit Eastbourne Town on Saturday (3pm), which is followed by a home game against Lancing on Tuesday (7.45pm).

“Gary’s played every single game and sometimes you need to give people a rest to go again.

“That was the whole reason for resting Gary, for him to be ready for Saturday.

“He’s had a little problem on his knee, although he’s fine, but sometimes you’ve got to do these things so they’re mentally and physically ready.

“It’s not just Gary, there’ll be other players rested as well, with all the games we’ve got coming up.

“We’ve got to look after the boys and make sure everyone’s prepared properly and fit and raring to go.”

Kedwell has operated deeper whenever he’s played in recent years but was back in his old position up front filling in for Lockyer.

He said: “We had no other forwards because Preston (Kedwell) got injured on Saturday and Noah Carney’s still out, and we like Louis Collins in the No.10 role, so I had no choice but to put myself in there to give Gary a rest.

“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, and this time it worked, so it was the right decision.”

Kedwell wasn’t the only 41-year-old in Ashford’s starting XI at East Grinstead.

Matt Bodkin also played and showed all his old magic.

“He was unbelievable,” said Kedwell.

“He does all our fitness stuff as well, he’s only been in just over two weeks and the boys already look sharper.

“He’s a great signing on both sides, as a player and for the boys’ fitness.”

Lockyer missed a penalty during Ashford’s defeat by Broadbridge Heath.

It was one of several good chances that went begging in a goalless first half and the visitors took advantage.

“We missed the penalty and a few easy chances and I just thought, ‘This isn’t going to be our day’.

“They had a massive long throw, which I warned the boys about at half-time, and they scored twice from it, and they got the third against the run of play when we were going for it.

“It was just one of those games and that’s why I was worried at 2-1 on Tuesday night, because we could have been four or five up, but the boys learned their lesson, which was great.”