Ashford United picked up just their fourth win of the Bostik South season when they beat Sittingbourne in their Boxing Day derby at Homelands.

Shomari Barnwell's third goal in as many games broke the deadlock in the first half with Andrew Dalhouse and George McLennan adding the others after a spectacular effort from Chris Webber had briefly drawn Bourne level.

The win was just Ashford's second in 17 matches while defeat was Sittingbourne's fifth in a row.

Before a crowd of 334 United suffered a setback inside the opening six minutes as skipper Joe Bingham went off injured to be replaced by Rohdell Gordon. Striker Andrew Dalhouse took over the captaincy.

Bourne produced some neat build-up play early on and twice in the opening 11 minutes Miles Cornwell got into good shooting positions on the edge of the box. His first effort drifted just wide while the second was straight at home keeper Michael McEntegart.

Bourne's Kane Phillip looked one of the liveliest players on show in the first half and midway through finished a strong run with a rising shot which was well over.

The visiting bench felt they might have had a penalty on 33 minutes when Kane Rowland was clipped in the box but to his credit he stayed on his feet and the chance went begging.

Ashford's front men worked hard without being able to create too many openings but on 35 minutes Dalhouse played in McLennan but Bourne keeper Harry Brooks did just enough to force him wide.

Three minutes later the home side broke the deadlock as Barnwell was played in on the left hand edge of the box and fired past Brooks via the post to net for the second successive home game.

Bourne's equaliser came five minutes into the second half and was a spectacular effort as defender Webber fired unerringly into McEntegart's top right hand corner from 25 yards.

Parity though lasted just a matter of seconds as home man-of-the-match Gordon went down in the box under a challenge from Bola Dawodu and Dalhouse blasted the penalty high into the roof of the net.

Three minutes later United had a two-goal cushion as McLennan curled a superb 25-yard free-kick in at the far post with Brooks well beaten.

McLennan was involved again on 65 minutes, blazing over after being teed-up by Dalhouse who powered clear himself only to be denied by the legs of Brooks.

Barnwell then headed a cross from Max Watters straight at Brooks and as the game opened up there was a head in hands moment for Bourne boss Nick Davis as Rowland broke clear at the other end but shot woefully wide.

As Bourne continued to press Dawodu forced McEntegart to dive to his left to clutch his header but as their frustrations began to mount the contest became increasingly tetchy with bookings for Webber, Bourne skipper Ben Gorham and home substitute Ira Jackson.

Ashford: McEntegart, Toure, Cooney, Osei, Difford, Richefond, Watters, Bingham (Gordon 6mins), Dalhouse (Jackson 77mins), Barnwell (Day, 89mins), McLennan; Subs: Fitchett, Williams.

Sittingbourne: Brooks, Webber, Kisitu, Okemiji (Smith 61mins), Gorham, Allan, Phillip (Guthrie 61mins), Davisson, Rowland, Cornwell, Dawodu; Subs: Carey, Elliott, Ball.

Attendance: 334.