Ascot United 2nd X1 Veterans v Croxley Green 2nd XI Veterans

Report

Ascot Utd Vets 2’s 1 (1) Croxley Green Vets 2’s (0) 2 Friday 4th Feb 2022

Ascot scorers: Stu (2 x p)

Starting XI (3:4:3)

Kev

Jad, Jamie, Darren

Martin, Stu, DP, Mickey

JGav, Jez, Garyth

Subs on:

Carl for JGav (30 mins)

Nige for Jad (30 mins)

Zak for Jez (30mins)

Bjorn for Mickey (45 mins). Daz goes to left mid

Report:

Ascot V2’s welcomed Croxley Green 2’s for their first home first home match after five away fixtures on the bounce and were held to a 2-2 draw in a tight feisty match.

Ascot started well and got into their passing game on the Racecourse baize. The attacking three of Garyth, Jez and JGav put a shift in to close down Croxley and showed well to receive forward passes. Stu and DP got on the ball in midfield and passed with tempo and accuracy whilst Mickey and Martin provided options wide and delivered a couple of whipped in crosses which on another day would have madetheir mark. Good movement from Ascot midfield unbalanced Croxley on more than one occasion allowing Jad to make driving runs from defense and almost onto the Croxley back line. Despite periods of possession, Croxley were always a threat which brought out some great defending from Jamie, Daz and Jad.

Ascot got their breakthrough on 39 minutes, a low driven passto Zak who was subsequently floored when he turned goal bound and PENALTY awarded. Stu calmly stepped up and fired home 1-0. Ascot came close to doubling their lead from a thunderous Zak strike which rattled the cross bar on 44 minutes, 1-0 HT.

Ascot started the second half terribly. A sequence of poor passes around their own box resulted in the ball been given away to a Croxley player who delivered a floating cross towards the back post which was poked home from the ensuing goalmouth scramble, 1-1 within 2 minutes of the restart. Croxley capitalized on Ascot’s diffidence and could have gone into the lead on 50 minutes only for the 20-yardshot to be tipped over the bar by Kev – an excellent save. Ascot’s confidence picked up and pass completion improved. Carl was set free from the halfway line and under pressure from the chasing defense chipped from 25 yards but his effort drifted narrowly over the bar. Zak hit the post on 65 minutesafter twisting and turning the Croxley defense (yes, all of it!). Croxley then took a 1-2 lead from a through ball which found a player just outside the six-yard box who fired home. The player was flagged offside, but the decision was overruled. Ascot mounted more pressure and came close to equalizing on 85 minutes from a pass from Zak to Garyth who fired wide. Ascot’s pressure was finally rewarded from a last-minutecorner which was initially punched way by the Croxley keeper only to be returned into the box by Mickey. Jamie’s close-range shot deflected skyward, and Zak was brought down trying to half volley home. After some delay, Stu tucked the pen away expertly. 2-2 FT.

Great come back and never say die attitude (but we shouldn’t have dropped our game beginning of second half!)