Ascot United Supervets v Nottsbourgh Partisans Super Veterans

Report

Ascot United’s Supervets continued their fine start to the 2025 season with a hard-earned victory against Nottsborough. The weather at the Racecourse Ground was cold, wet and windy but that didn’t prevent the Yellas from playing some decent football. Indeed, that good performance saw Nottsboroughslip to defeat for the first time this season. Impressive stuff.

“There were times this evening” mused co-gaffer Stuart Flurry to BBC Five Live after the game “when the Racecourse was transformed into the Maracana. The main stand was alive with raucous vibes from the Ascot Ultras. The only thing the loons there missed out on was a bit of pyro…..”

With the home crowd roaring them on, the Yellas started like England openers in a test match; gone are the leave alones and the forward defensives, bring on the reverse hits and the ramps over the ‘keeper. Mike Tomlinson and Stu Flurry, both playing in the middle of the park, immediately got a grip of the game, and within five minutes the ball dropped nicely to Dave Thompson and he fired home with quite some aplomb. The first competitive goal in the new ‘box nets’ had been scored.

It wasn’t long before the ball was again in the back of the net, Dan Hough stroking the ball nicely home after more nicemidfield play. It could easily have been three, but a penalty was well saved by the visiting ‘keeper and Hough somehow managed to shank a left-footed shot on to the post when it would have been easier to score.

The waves of Ascot attacks nonetheless kept coming. Martin Kay was enjoying himself down the right, Abbas Hussain and Micky Parker were combining nicely on the left. Zak Dimitrovski, who had an impressive 90 minutes, and Dave Thompson were combining nicely whilst the midfielders were all gallivanting forward as and when they could.

As half-time approached Nottsborough, to their credit, came back into things a little; they’d occasionally break with speed down the right, but that option soon went up in smoke when their lively winger went lame right in front of the Ultras. That was him done for the evening.

Co-gaffers Flurry and Porter used the half-time break to remind the Yellas to keep the ball, don’t force things and be patient. And, that they did, scoring a third when Hough sprung the off-side trap nicely and a fourth when the impressive Dave Thompson unselfishly crossed for Hough to tap in. That’s not the first time that Thompson has been the provider this campaign.

The Yellas then spun the substitution wheel. Jad Sidhu moved up to play right midfield, Steve Hill (Snr) slipped in to the right back berth. Micky Parker took his leave, Abbas Hussain tucked in at left back. Chris Purdue impressed in the middle of the park while Doug Page – that’d be 71 year old Doug Page – played the last 15 minutes up front. Nottsborough responded by pulling a goal back, but Ascot took the strain and saw the game home nicely.

“Given that top scorer Chris Ferdinand wasn’t able to play, I was a bit worried about where out goalscoring threat would come from” commented Flurry afterwards. “I needn’t have worried. Mind you, there were also times when we couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo. Football, funny old game”.

Team; Rob Stockford, Martin Kay, Mick Parker, Mike Tomlinson, Dave Porter, Matt Newall, Dan Hough, Abbas Hussain, Dave Thompson and Zak Dimitrovski

Subs; Chris Purdue, Doug Page, Jad Sidhu, Nigel Gatehouse and Steve Hill (Snr)

Scorers; Dan Hough (3), Dave Thompson