Ascot United Women v Winchester City Flyers

Report

 

ASCOT BEAT WINCHESTER TO WIN LEAGUE CUP

 

Yellawomen fight back for double silverware

 

Ascot United Women came from behind to beat Winchester City Flyers 3-1 on Sunday and add the Southern Region Women’s Football League Cup to their trophy cabinet. Having already won the league, favourites Ascot were stunned in going behind in the cup final, but three goals in seven second half minutes capped a fine comeback as The Yellawomen signed off in style.

 

Yellawomen wary of much-improved Winchester

Ascot had done the double over Winchester in their two league meetings earlier in the season, but City are much improved since then, and came into the game on a seven-game unbeaten streak.

 

Ascot, however, remained strong favourites having kept their standards high since securing the league title with two games to spare, and boasted an unbeaten record stretching back even further.

 

City strike in disjointed first half

On a warm afternoon on Reading City’s unforgivingly dry, bobbly surface, both sides struggled for fluency and to make clear chances.

 

Ascot had three of their own to City’s two, although when Ascot had the ball in the net in the 7^th minute, it was chalked off for offside. Alice Balaam’s sublime, raking pass with the outside of her foot picked out Liv Glover on the opposite flank, Glover played Beth Lloyd in to slot home, but the flag curtailed her celebrations.

 

Glover then teed up Balaam whose shot from a tight angle across City ‘keeper Ellie Parker drifted wide of the left-hand post, before Phil Holden’s long-range effort sailed well wide.

 

But just after Ascot’s Leah Littlechild’s early exit with injury, City scored in the 38^th minute when, following a throw-in, Charlie Snelling’s fine effort from long range found the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.

 

Incredibly, it might have been two-nil barely a minute later only for Emily McDonough to clatter Chloe Donellan’s near-post, albeit she had very little to aim at from near the by-line.

 

At half time, the Yellas had it all to do.

 

Ascot much improved after break

The Yellawomen suffered more injury woes three minutes after the restart when Balaam was forced off after receiving a boot to her face; Leah Robertson the replacement.

 

But, it was Littlechild’s replacement in the first half – Brooke Ward – who would provide two assists within a stunning seven minute spell where Ascot turned the game on its head with three goals.

 

The first of them came in the 55^th minute when Ward threaded the ball through to Lloyd, who took a touch, kept her composure, and rifled into the right-hand corner.

 

And, just five minutes later Ward turned provider again – this time driving forwards and playing in Kate Fox, who slotted the ball in off the left-hand post; the most accurate of finishes.

 

Ward would go on to earn the player-of-the-match award, although Fox’s contribution made her the stand-out choice in eyes of the supporters behind the goal.

 

The stuffing was then well and truly blown out of Cit, when Lloyd played-in Fox two minutes later, and she also kept her composure to fire into the right-hand corner for her second and Ascot’s third.

 

Donnellan impressed in goal for Ascot and she bravely raved from her line to save at the feet of City substitute Shayne Prasad midway through the half, but in truth her side rarely threatened again.

 

The Yellawomen played out the game with maturity before receiving both the league shield and league cup in the post-match awards ceremony.

 

What’s next for Ascot?

A long rest, and then it’s The National League baby!

 

From your reporter, the [recent] past has been a blast; over and out.

 

Ascot United: Donellan, Rowntree, Todd, Huntley, Torry, Holden, Balaam (Robertson 48’), Fox, Littlechild (Ward 35’), Lloyd, Glover. Subs unused: Doyle, Banduka, Vince,

 

Entertainment: 3

Reporter’s Star Player: Kate Fox (Ascot United)

Attendance (estimate): 120