Fox on fire in stellar second half
Kate Fox scored a hat-trick as Ascot United Women began 2025 with a 6-0 win over Reading Community Trust Women on Sunday afternoon. The Yellawomen were below par in a glib first-half display, but turned on the style after the break to extend their lead at the top of the Southern Region Women’s football league to six points.
New Year and new assault; same result
The Yellawomen came into their first match of 2025 looking to maintain their title momentum having won eight and drawn one of their nine league matches played before the Christmas break.
Reading, still winless and propping up the table, did at least have games in hand, although faced a formidable talk against the league leaders, who were without influential playmaker Leah Littlechild (quad strain); Chloe Donnellan making a cameo in goal for the absent Jodie Gray-Piazza – and earning a clean-sheet in the process.
Mediocre first half but Ascot lead at break
The first half was a poor spectacle – both sides labouring in the drab conditions – and it was Donnellan who was in action early-on with a comfortable save as Reading threatened first.
Donnellan’s opposite number – Cherry Preisner – then got down well to turn Beth Lloyd’s low shot around a post in the thirteenth minute after Liv Glover had turned provider from the left wing, before Reading’s Assia Fatri planted a long range effort wide at the other end after the space had opened up in front of her.
But Ascot would improve and took a 36th minute lead when Erin Huntley’s fine pass opened up space on the right, Darcy Mitchell was involved as she pushed forwards from her right-back position, and Fox found the net with a powerful cross-shot.
Phil Holden and Leah Robertson then combined for Lloyd, whose thumping shot was bravely blocked by visiting defender Lucy Bolitho, before Robertson herself fired over two minutes before the break following more good work from Glover and Lloyd in the build-up.
Stellar second half and a new starlet shines
The second half performance was one of energy, composure and style – and by the end of it the hosts were well worth their resounding victory.
And, there was an unlikely yet effective star off the bench – Alice Balaam – the Under-18 stepping up for her debut, and was at the heart of most things good.
Her first impact was ghosting into the box and earning her side a 53rd minute penalty which Lloyd would fire over the bar, although two minutes later Lloyd’s swift touch – flicking on Charlie Torry’s pass for the intelligent run of Fox – ended with the latter firing low into the net.
Two-nil became three-nil in the 68th minute when Fox showed too much pace for the visiting defence, cut the ball back for Georgia Luckhurst-McCord, and her looping cross sailed over Preisner and into the net.
Lloyd then fired over again as Ascot sought a fourth, but it would come in fine style in the 73rd minute when Maddie Robertson picked out Lloyd, Lloyd unselfishly carved the Reading defence open for Balaam to race onto, and Balaam thumped a brilliant low shot across Preisner and into the bottom left; quite a debut was now playing out for her.
Balaam then picked the visiting defence’s pocket to tee up another substitute – Sophie Doyle – to rifle home number five, before Danielle Kjaer’s slide-rule cross late-on afforded Fox the easiest of tap-ins to complete her hat-trick with Ascot’s sixth (pictured, David Bell).
With postponements elsewhere there is now more daylight between Ascot and the chasers, and what is even more impressive is the production line of young talent coming through the ranks.
And, they don’t look one bit out of place on the main stage.
What’s next for Ascot?
A tasty home fixture awaits next weekend when Wycombe Wanderers – who held Ascot to that solitary draw in the reverse fixture – visit the Racecourse at the more accustomed kick-off time of 2pm.
Ascot United: Donellan, Mitchell, Todd, Torry, Drage, Drage, Holden, Fox, L. Robertson, Lloyd, Glover. Subs (all used): Doyle, Balaam, Luckhurst-McCord, Robertson, Kjaer.
Entertainment: 4
Reporter’s Star Player: Kate Fox (Ascot United)
Attendance (estimate): 80
Scorers: Fox 36’, 55’, 86’, Luckhurst-McCord 68’, Balaam 73’, Doyle 81’