Lloyd Hume is backing Ashford’s new record goalscorer Gary Lockyer to go from strength to strength.

Boss Hume was delighted to see club captain Lockyer break Shaun Welford’s Nuts & Bolts record of 85 goals this week.

The 32-year-old moved on to 86 with his first-half goal against Margate on Bank Holiday Monday as Ashford fought back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 before conceding again at the death.

“It’s a massive achievement for Gary and credit to him,” said Hume. “I’m really pleased for him.

“I think he can go and reach 100+ goals this season and who knows where he’ll get to next season?

“By the end of next season, the way he performs, he could be on 150 and that’s a real milestone.

“It’s brilliant what he’s achieved but I think there’s loads more to come from Gary Lockyer because of how good he is.

“I look at what he achieved last season, too, getting 10 goals in the FA Cup and winning the Golden Ball. That was monumental.”

Ashford are still waiting for their first Isthmian South East win of the season after a frustrating Bank Holiday weekend.

Jack Dixon was sent off as United trailed 3-0 at Faversham on Saturday before Lockyer pulled a goal back in the second half.

Ex-Ashford striker Tashi-Jay Kwayie scored twice as the Lilywhites, managed by former Nuts & Bolts boss Tommy Warrilow, ran out deserved winners.

“We were dominated by a very well-organised side,” said Hume.

Hume substituted Joe Ellul on Monday as the veteran centre-half, starting ahead of schedule after injury, was caught out twice as Margate opened up a 2-0 lead.

He’d already played 70-odd minutes at Faversham 48 hours earlier after Will Moses went off with concussion.

Lockyer’s milestone goal launched the fightback and Louis Collins scored twice, including a 94th-minute effort that seemed destined to be the winner.

But the referee found an extra three minutes on top of the signalled five and Kane Haysman levelled at the death.

It’s the second time this season Ashford have conceded from virtually the last kick, having been pegged back in a 2-2 draw with Sevenoaks.

“Joe thought he’d be OK but within 25 minutes we had to take him off because he was getting run ragged,” said Hume.

“They had a quick forward and just kept putting the ball over the top.

“Our pitch is massive and that’s how they scored two goals.

“I think if we hadn’t made a change, we’d have conceded more because we were dominating possession but as soon as they got the ball, they booted it and that caused us all sorts of problems.

“Joe held his hands up straight away and said, ‘I was all over the place, you made the right decision’.

“He felt he let the boys down and apologised.

“It wasn’t about him, it was about the fact he’s been out of the team and out of training.

“He came back to training on Thursday and he’s played 70 minutes on Saturday, when we’d scheduled a maximum of 25 minutes, so he was already massively over.

“To expect him to play two days later, when you’re 36, is an ask but he thought he’d be OK.

“It’s a tough one when you’ve got someone like Joe Ellul, with the career he’s had, and you’re bringing him off after 25 minutes but, to be fair, he was good as gold about it.

“What I look at frustratingly is we conceded with the last kick of the game against Sevenoaks and didn’t deserve to and we’ve done it again on Monday.

“I know people will say we scored late ourselves, yes, but we deserved to be 3-2 up.

“I don’t know where the referee found the extra time.

“In 45 minutes there were three injuries and two goals and he added on five minutes.

“Then in five minutes of time added on there was one injury and one goal and he managed to find another three minutes and they scored in the third of those.

“For me, that’s very bizarre.

“We should still learn to defend better but where did that time come from?

“Neither team were slowing the game down. Both teams were chasing the game.”

Ashford have selection problems going into their FA Cup first qualifying round tie at Raynes Park Vale this Saturday (3pm).

Dixon is suspended, Moses is out for three weeks owing to concussion protocols and Hume expects Barry Fuller to miss a couple of weeks after limping off on Monday.

Michael West has also had an injury setback.

Assistant manager Craig Stone could end up playing in central defence, while Hume could turn to youngsters on the bench.

The injuries are unfortunate, having let Noah Carney and Jacob Strouts join Sevenoaks and Deal respectively.

“We’ve let them go out on loan because they’re players who need minutes and they’ve not been in our squad,” said Hume.

“All of a sudden we’re back to bare bones again. It feels like we’re cursed with injuries. It never rains at our club, it pours.

“When we did it last week it was the right thing for those players and we’re trying not to be selfish.

“Some supporters will look and say why did you let them out?

“Because they weren’t getting in the squad, that’s why, and at this level you can’t have loads of players sitting in the stand.

“It doesn’t work.

“We couldn’t have foreseen the injuries.”