Bank of England AFC Veterans v Ascot United 2nd X1 Veterans

Report

Ascot United’s second string slipped to a 2-0 defeat in a largely forgettable encounter with Bank of England on 14 February. The Bank’s Farouk Ampou El Ela produced two moments of magic and, much as Ascot camped in the Bank half in the second 45 minutes, the two El Ela strikes ultimately proved the difference between the sides.

Things didn’t start well. Come 2pm there wasn’t a referee to be seen. He was apparently on the bus. He informed the Bank skipper he’d be about ten minutes. Come 14h15 and, well, no sign of him. And he was apparently still ten minutes away. Would he appear at all? He did, eventually, and by the time he’d got himself ready to roll it was nigh on 14h30.

The delay was annoying, but it didn’t stop Ascot coming out of the blocks quickly. Dan Wing had the ball in the net only to be ruled off side, James Niknejad twinkle toed his way in from the left, looked all the world like Lionel Messi, only, in the words of Jon Keough later in the day, “the petrol warning light then suddenly came on”. Niknejad’s finish slipped over the bar.

Still, Niknejad was putting himself about nicely, whilst Wing was again causing all sorts of problems that the Bank’s full back looked powerless to solve. The goal, however, wouldn’t seem to come.

Inevitably, Bank came back into it a little. They didn’t create much, but twice the ball fell to El Ela and he made the most of it. The second goal in particular was a pearler from well outside the box. Half-time, 2-0, and Ascot needed a re-set.

Gaffer Hough shuffled the pack. Steve Dando and Raph Bar were joined by Adam Abusweder in the middle, Andy Lunn went on up top. The best chance nonetheless fell to a defender, Darren Lewis lurking with intent at a corner. The ball came to him, he stuck a leg out….and the ball went over the bar.

That more or less summed the day up. By the end Ascot had gone very old skool; Karl Small and Dan Wing were pushing forward from the full back positions and launching balls into the box. Niknejad, Andy Lunn and Jon Keough were all by now playing up front in what was a land of the giants forward line. But would the goal come? No, it would not.

In the end, Ascot can have few complaints. They simply never got going somehow. It happens. Particularly on small, tight pitches. But definitely a game to quickly get out of the system.

The twos are next in action a week on Friday when Wandsworth are the visitors.

Squad. Eryk Nawala, Lawrence Stephenson, Karl Small, Darren Lewis, Jon Keough, Raph Bar, Steve Dando, Adam Fennell, Islam Hussein, Dan Wing, James Niknejad, Dan Hough, Adam Abusweder, Ed Dubois and Andrew Lunn.