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Breaking sports news from Gillingham, Charlton Athletic, Kent Cricket and more in Kent Sportsday on Friday, May 2

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CLOSE OF PLAY

Thanks for joining us again today, hope we've given you a taste for all the top sporting action to come this weekend.

Don't forget, all the play-off action will be rounded-up right here tomorrow evening, plus we'll have your usual reports and interviews from Luke at the final Gills game of the campaign.

Also Barry Hawkins is back in action at 7pm tonight, seeking to take his World Championship semi-final against Ronnie O'Sullivan into a final session tomorrow morning.

Whatever you're up to, enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend, Sportsday will return on Tuesday morning.

16:25 - FOOTBALL

So we saw this morning that all Folkestone Invicta need to do to earn a place in the Ryman League Premier Division next season is to beat Leatherhead at home tomorrow (3pm).

The game would have been held at Leatherhead, had the Tanners not been deducted points by the league at the end of the season, allowing Folkestone to spring into second-place, giving them home advantage throughout the play-offs.

Three more Kent sides will also be battling it out in a bid to reach the Skrill Premier this weekend.

Dover Athletic travel to Sutton United following a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night, looking to secure their place in the play-off final, almost certainly against old rivals Ebbsfeet.

Fleet travel to Bromley with a 4-0 first-leg lead in the bag, though boss Steve Brown remains wary of the threat posed by the Hayes Lane side. Click here for more.

We'll bring you all the play-off news, plus Gills reports and reaction at www.kentonline.co.uk/sport on Saturday evening.

16:00 - FOOTBALL

Not long til we preview the weekend's big non-league games, but first some good off-field news for Ebbsfleet, who have unveiled a lucrative new sponsorship deal.

Click here to find out which big name brand will adorn the red and white Fleet kits next term, nomatter which division they are playing in.

15:35 - CRICKET

Bit more news from the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence anyone?

Kent's overseas bowler Doug Bollinger has already made his mark at the club, finding himself on a hat-trick in each of the first two games of the campaign and collecting a fivefer on debut.

He has caught the eye of Kent coach Jimmy Adams, and skipper Rob Key, who told me that he expects the Australian to lead the way in the wicket column in Division 2 this season.

15:10 - FOOTBALL

There might be no Maidstone United play-off game to look forward to this weekend, but that doesn't mean there are no talking points.

Zac Attwood bagged 24 goals in his debut season at the Gallagher Stadium, and while he has discussed extending his stay in the county town, he's holding off for now in the hope a Football League club show interest in him.

Click here to see what Stones boss Jay Saunders made of the 25-year-old's stance.

14:45 - CRICKET

Kent hope it will be third time lucky in their quest for a first win of the season in LV= County Championship Division 2.

Surrey visit from Sunday (11am) and Jimmy Adams knows he needs his batting and bowling units to find form at the same time, to get Kent off and running.

Despite a poor return from the opening two games, Adams insists he's not considering dropping opener Sam Northeast, as he told me here.

14:20 - CRICKET

As we told you during yesterday's Sportsday, Kent spinner James Tredwell has been named in the England squad for the ODI against Scotland in Aberdeen next Friday.

It will be the first chance for Tredwell to work with new England coach Peter Moores, and his new assistant, former Kent player and coach Paul Farbrace.

Current Kent skipper Rob Key told me he thinks Farby will be a success in the role.

Click here for more.

13:55 - GILLINGHAM

Could that be Bayo's last training session as a Gills player? Let us know whether you think he has a role to play at Priestfield next season.

LUNCH

The Ditton dynamo has ended the morning on a high and there's plenty more to come this afternoon. I'll bring you news from Kent cricket as they prepare for the visit of Surrey this weekend and also preview the Skrill South and Ryman League play-off picture, plus we'll look-in at Maidstone United too, plus any and all breaking sports news in Kent.

13:05 - SNOOKER

What guts from Barry Hawkins. He's recovered from losing the opening four frames of the session to win three of the last four.

Some big shots in a superb break of 106 - the fourth century of his tournament so far.

They'll be back on the table at 7pm with O'Sullivan leading 11-5.

12:50 - SNOOKER

Fightback is over. Hawkins looked set to go on and make a frame-winning contribution and continue the comeback, however a nasty kick on a routine red to right middle sends the ball into the jaws and allows the Rocket to zoom in and swipe an 11-4 lead.

One frame to go in the session, we'll take a late lunch today shall we?

12:30 - SNOOKER

Hawkins wins another. The interval seems to have helped him. He pounces on a slip on the green by O'Sullivan to nick his fourth frame. 10-4 to the champion now.

12:20 - GILLINGHAM

Gills assistant manager John Schofield says even though they lost the battle at Preston last weekend, Gillingham won the war by securing their safety.

He now has his sights set on climbing the table on the final day of the League 1 season.

Click here for Schoey's latest column for the KM Group.

John Schofield
John Schofield

12:05 - SNOOKER

Game on. Not pretty but Hawkins secures the 13th frame of the semi-final and it's 10-3. Wow he needed that. Three more to come this afternoon, then a break for Neighbours before a 7pm evening session.

11:40 - SNOOKER

We're back out at the Crucible. Four frames here for Hawkins to try and gain a foothold in this semi-final before it gets too far away from him.

11:40 - GILLINGHAM

Remember at 08:45 we talked about how lots of Gills players are out of contract after the final game of the campaign tomorrow?

Well one of those is winger Myles Weston, but he's pretty calm about not having a new deal yet, and here he tells Luke Cawdell that he believes he is good enough to play in League 1 again next term.

Let us know whether you agree with Weston via twitter, Facebook or the comments section below.

11:15 - SNOOKER

It's nine frames in a row for O'Sullivan, the King of the Crucible. Another century break and he leads 10-2 at the mid-session interval. Devastating.

11:05 - CRICKET

It's not just Kent's men who are in action on Sunday...

11:00 - SNOOKER

Another century in the book for O'Sullivan and it's a 9-2 lead. Short of setting off the fire alarm I'm not sure what Hawkins can really do here.

10:45 - SNOOKER

Don't want to be a harbinger of doom but Hawkins just can't live with O'Sullivan at the moment.

The Rocket opened up a big lead and although Hawkins ended an exchange of safeties with a fine long pot, he couldn't sink the easy black which followed and O'Sullivan polishes off the frame to lead 8-2, having won seven straight frames.

Ronnie is in irresistible form.

10:40 - FOOTBALL

More to come from Gills this morning and we'll preview the Skrill South play-off semi-final second legs this afternoon, but for now let's look at a team whose last game is behind them.

Disappointing campaign for Tonbridge Angels this year, ending in relegation back to the Ryman League, with manager Tommy Warrilow stepping down at the end of it.

Chairman Steve Churcher has however revealed he has been inundated with applications from managers seeking to replace him.

Click here for the full story.

10:25 - SNOOKER

One in the eye for Hawkins as O'Sullivan punishes him for a miss on a routine red with a break of 83 to claim the opening frame of the day. 7-2 the deficit now.

10:25 - FOOTBALL

It might be the final day of the Football League season tomorrow, but it's also the day of destiny for one of our sides as they seek to win promotion.

Folkestone Invicta prevailed in the battle of Hastings on Tuesday night, edging through the Ryman League Division 1 South play-off semi-finals to book a Final date at home to Leatherhead tomorrow.

Click here to read Steve Tervet's preview, with Premier League bound teenage striker Johan ter Horst aiming to leave on a high.

10:05 - SNOOKER

Players are out in Sheffield. Barry Hawkins needs to make some inroads this morning, it's fair to say. Don't want the deficit to finish more than four frames, certainly.

10:00 - CRICKET

I can just see the croissants flying now.

Davies is nearing fitness after a bicep problem, and big Doug has already shown some impressive pace... plenty of Kent fans will be looking forward to seeing those two in the same attack this season.

09:45 - CRICKET

Kent are yet to really fire in the LV= County Championship Division 2 this season, a couple of sessions aside.

They are winless in the opening two games, but head coach Jimmy Adams hopes that will change when Surrey visit from Sunday.

Click here to see what the West Indian told me.

Jimmy Adams. Picture: Barry Goodwin.
Jimmy Adams. Picture: Barry Goodwin.

Feel free to send in your captions for the picture too, via twitter, Facebook or the comments section below.

09:25 - SNOOKER

Just over half an hour until Barry Hawkins and Ronnie O'Sullivan return into the cauldron that is the Crucible.

The Ditton dynamo made a bright start to their World Championship semi-final yesterday, rallying from losing the opening frame to open a 2-1 lead against the defending champion and arguably the greatest player to ever pick up a queue.

However the Rocket leveled at the mid-session interval and then ruthlessly claimed the remaining four frames to open up a 6-2 advantage in the first to 17 contest.

There is also an evening session scheduled for 7pm.

09:05 - GILLINGHAM

Gills are already safe from the threat of relegation from League 1, however securing three points from their final game of the season, at home to Shrewsbury, remains a top priority for boss Peter Taylor.

Anyone would think his future depends on it.

Click here for the interim manager's thoughts on the season finale.

08:45 - GILLINGHAM

Bank Holiday Weekend coming up. Weather forecast looks decent. Got any plans for Saturday? How about Sunday?

Yes it might only be two days away, but imagine if you literally did not know which direction your life would take after Saturday evening. Whether the job you want and currently do will still be yours, or if you'll be cast aside and faced with the reality of finding new employment and probably relocating to another part of the country.

Such is the football life, and Gills manager Peter Taylor is not the only one at Priestfield in this precarious position today, as he tells Luke Cawdell here.

08:30 - KICK-OFF

Good morning and welcome to your Kent Sportsday on Friday, May 2.

Throughout the day I'll bring you all the latest news from our clubs across the county, building up to a huge weekend of football action.

We've also plenty to come from Kent cricket and of course, I'll bring you all the latest as Kent's own Barry Hawkins seeks to upset the Rocket, Ronnie O'Sullivan, and earn a place in the World Championship Final at The Crucible in Sheffield.

It's all free and all you have to do is keep a tab open for us, just remember to keep checking back and hitting refresh regularly.

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