Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05/10/2024 | 14:00 | West London Veterans Football League | 2024-2025 |
Report
A grinding performance in the Autumn sunshine saw Ascot United Vets’ 2nd XI grind out their first league win of the current campaign. It wasn’t particularly pretty and at times it was proper backs to the wall stuff, but the Yellas got where they needed to go. Three points and the 2024-25 season feels like it is properly up and running.
“Nine months. Nine long months” mused skipper Leon Palmer-Wilson to Mark Chapman on BBC Five Live after the game “the twos hadn’t kept a clean sheet since 27 January when we won 4-0 at Old Tiffs. It was about time that that was put right, and, sure enough, a solid defensive display saw us finally get that monkey off our backs”. The captain wasn’t wrong.
The Yellas did indeed put in a super shift, keeping a lively West Kensington Kings’ (WKK) front line at bay. Sure, thevisitors rode their luck a little at times – the hosts smashed a penalty against the bar, Rob Stockford had to make a number of good saves – but ultimately the Yellas did what they needed to do and travelled back down the A316 with three points firmly in the back pocket.
As is ever the case, the selection merry-go-round through up a challenge or two. Three of the starting back four, for example,were not just Vets but also Supervets, whilst 2nd XI debutant Chris Purdue, ‘keeper Rob Stockford and striker Dave Thompson ensured that over half the side also qualified for the over 50s.
Playing with the wind in the fight half, Darren Lewis and Lord Point-a-Lot (Nigel Gatehouse) took the strain nicely,allowing the full backs to help Ascot move forward. Indeed, WKK certainly had a fair amount of the ball, but when Ascot did get it they were dangerous going forward. Phil White in particular looked good on the ball, Chris Purdue tied things nicely together in the middle and Chris Watney in particular looked dangerous wide left.
It was, however, the ever-enigmatic Leon Palmer-Wilson who stepped up to break the deadlock. “Well, the ball dropped and I wasn’t totally sure what to do” he commented afterwards “so, I thought I’d better just smash it into the stanchion”. And,that indeed he did. A humdinger of a strike and the Yellaswere one up.
That lead was doubled when Adam Abusweder, another who had a quietly effective afternoon, picked an excellent pass and put Purdue through. The big Mancunian made no mistake, scoring his first goal in Ascot colours.
As the game moved into the second half WKK did nonetheless find themselves having ever more of the ball. John Wilkes did his best to stem the flow at right back, whilst Carl Collins – fresh from surviving the drama of accidentally locking his dog in at home – and Islam Hussein put in good shifts up front.
The second half did also see a couple of decidedly odd moments. With 20 minutes to go Abusweder went down on the left. He was not really in much of a state to continue, and as he limped off Ascot somehow managed to bring not one but two subs on. And, no one noticed……
Quite how long the Yellas could have played with 12 men on the field is not clear. The ref was none the wiser and nor were the WKK players. Indeed, it was only when gaffer Hough realised the error of his ways that poor old Dave Thompson had to leave the fray.
Abusweder, meanwhile, took over the flag and gallantly did a bit of linesmaning. He probably wasn’t expecting a chopsyspectator, can of lager in hand, to pop up and start verbally abusing him. The nicest man in the world stood his ground before the miscreant was shooed away and the game could carry on. All very odd.
Be that as it may, Dwaine Bryan came on to calm things down at the back, pinging the ball far into the corners to relieve the pressure. Time ticked on, the WKK shoulders slumped, and Ascot eased their way over the line. 2-0 it ended.
The Yellas can be very pleased with their day’s work. Good stickability and taking chances when they come your way were the orders of the day. Ascot’s next game is a week on Friday (18 October) when Old Actonians come to the Racecourse Ground.
Team. Rob Stockford, Dan Hough, Micky Parker, Nigel Gatehouse, Darren Lewis, Chris Purdue, Leon Palmer-Wilson, Adam Abusweder, Dave Thompson, Phil White, Chris Watney
Subs. Carl Collins, Islam Hussein, Dwaine Bryan, John Wilkes
Goals. Leon Palmer-Wilson, Chris Purdue