Danny Kedwell says Ashford’s 4-0 defeat at title favourites Ramsgate wasn’t a true reflection of the game.

Kedwell felt the Nuts & Bolts were the better side in Tuesday’s night Isthmian South East derby.

But Rams maintained their 100% record with Roarie Deacon breaking the deadlock before three goals in 12 second-half minutes from Aaron Barnes, Jay Leader and Joe Taylor.

“First half, we were magnificent,” said Ashford boss Kedwell.

“I think the whole game we were better.

“I said before the game they’ve got players who take chances so when we get ours we’ve got to take them.

“We didn’t and they did.

“I think they only had five shots and they’ve scored four goals.

“Two were from corners where we didn’t mark properly and we got punished.

“But overall I think that’s probably one of our best performances all season, especially in the first half.

“We’ve got a group of winners, they want to win and they get upset when they don’t win.

“You could see it in their faces, they looked gutted because you put in a performance like that and still come away with a 4-0 loss.

“I said to them your mates are going to ring you and say ‘4-0?’ and you’re going to turn round and say, ‘No, it shouldn’t have been 4-0, we were very good’ but you just like sound doughnuts, don’t you?

“People who weren’t at the game won’t know, they just look at the results which is going to frustrate you even more.”

Ashford are yet to win in the league, having taken two points from four games.

But Kedwell added: “We’re a new team, we’re still building and learning to play with each other.

“The last three games we’ve had Margate, Sittingbourne and Ramsgate so it’s been a tough start.

“Apart from the second half at Sittingbourne, we’ve actually played well. I’ve got nothing to worry about.

“I’m not going, ‘Oh, God, I need players in’. It’s not that.

“We do need more depth but it’s just that rub of the green that isn’t going for us at the minute. But that will come.

“We’re going to get better and better.”

Ashford handed a debut to former Ramsgate and Herne Bay midfielder Theo Osinfolarin as a second-half substitute.

He gives the Nuts & Bolts options out wide.

“I thought he came on and put himself about,” said Kedwell.

“We need to break him in, so he can learn the way we play.

“It’s hard to come on at 4-0 down but he’s got quality so we’ll see how we go with him.”

Captain Craig Stone scored the second-half winner as Ashford won 1-0 at Deal in the FA Trophy first qualifying round on Saturday.

They’ll host Hartley Wintney in the next round on September 21.

It’s back to the FA Cup this Saturday (3pm) as Ashford meet Southern Counties East side Corinthian at Homelands in the second qualifying round.

Kedwell said: “They’re a good team - it’s not going to be easy.

“I’ve watched them a couple of times.

“They’re organised, very direct and they’ve got goals in them.

“It’s always a bit of a worry in the FA Cup when you’re playing a team from a lower league and they step their game up.”