Second-half turnaround earns 3-1 win
Ascot United fought back from a goal down at half time to win 3-1 against Littlehampton Town on Saturday. After home ‘keeper Kie Plumley’s heroics had restricted the visitors to a 1-0 lead at the break, Connor Richardson came off the bench to score one goal and create another two, giving the home side their first win in eight games.
More new names as Ascot look for desperately-needed win
Ascot’s team sheet contained four new names having already used a staggering 34 different players in their thirteen previous matches. And, three of them went straight into the starting line-up as they looked to arrest a worrying run of form that had seen them winless in seven.
Visitors Littlehampton arrived with a second chance at step-four life having received a reprieve at the end of last season on a points-per-game basis, and a win for them last time out had lifted them out of the early season drop zone.
It really was a case of must improve and must win for the hosts; anything less would be further damaging ahead of a run of potentially more difficult league games following this one.
Another poor half and a familiar script
After an uneventful opening quarter of the game, Ascot might have led only for Rudi Pache to nod unmarked on the foot of a post after visiting ‘keeper Billy Collings had lost the flight of a corner from the left.
But after that, The Golds created all of the chances and only more heroics from Plumley kept his side within a goal of The Sussex side at half time.
Plumley was, however, powerless to keep out debutant home defender Joe Dandy’s inadvertent header past him for an own goal in the 26th minute, although it came from another long throw-in that just wasn’t dealt with.
Dandy was, however, impressive in defence.
Plumley then produced a fine save to beat Harry Heath’s thunderous effort away after he had spun his marker and raced clear, before tipping Ben Hack’s header over from a tight angle.
Defender Freddie Hammond’s sweetly struck free-kick brought another flying save from Plumley two minutes before the break as it faded away from him and towards the right-hand corner, ensuring the hosts remained in touch only one-nil down at the break.
Second half sees spirit shine through
After the break, Ascot were virtually unrecognisable from the side that had departed fifteen minutes before, and only five minutes after his half-time introduction, Richardson almost nodded home an equaliser only to find the side-netting from Will Tomlinson’s deep corner.
But seven minutes later Cam Rohart-Brown kick-started the move that led to his side levelling – picking out Fope Deru who in turn crossed for Richardson – and he stooped to glance home a perfect header wide-right of Collings and into the corner of the net.
Richardson then picked out Deru who went close, before finding himself in space and seeing his shot blocked after initially checking back onto his left, although Kai Allsopp nipped onto the loose back to blast across Collings and into the left for his first goal in his 64th appearance.
Incredibly, Richardson – who was introduced up front in an eye-opening choice – then released Deru down the left with the outside of his right boot, Deru cut inside, and then cracked a right-footed shot that took a deflection up and over Collings to make it 3-1 in the 74th minute.
At the other end, Plumley had a mercifully quieter half; Pache did well to track and block substitute Marcel Powell when he took on half of the Ascot team and shot, before Heath completely mis-kicked a golden chance to make it interesting in the 84th minute when given a free sight of goal.
But Littlehampton had pretty much run out of ideas, and the Yellamen ran out worthy winners.
Ascot United: Plumley, Bullard-Jeffrey, Rohart-Brown, Dandy, Tomlinson (Clarke-Salter 79’), Coomes (Sesay 69’), Allsopp, Vine (Richardson 46’), Long (Berchiche 64’), Dehghani (Deru 46’) , Pache.
Venue: The Racecourse
Attendance: 107
Weather: 22c, sunny
Ascot United MOM: Connor Richardson
Entertainment: 4
Away fans estimate: 10
One-word summary: Spirited