‘Keeper Plumley stars in one-all draw
Kie Plumley produced a string of fine saves for Ascot United as they drew 1-1 at play-off bound Hanworth Villa on Saturday. The Yellamen were under the cosh for much of the first half but took their chance to lead before being pegged back at half time, although in a more even second half they might have taken all three points.
Another massive test for Gavin’s group
Facing the team in second place in the league – and with the best home record in the division – this was another huge examination for Gavin Smith’s troops, especially against a side who have become more of a snotfest than a bogey side to them.
Villa, almost guaranteed a play-off spot barring the unlikeliest of events, beat the Yellamen in the play off semi final almost a year earlier, but the visitors arrived with an upturn in fortunes on the road.
Victories at Harrow and Hayes in the prior eighteen days – sealing league doubles – had also doubled Ascot’s tally of wins on the road to four, and with another trip inside the M25’s perimeter maybe this would be another afternoon of taking something, when the neutral expected them to come away with nothing.
Ascot’s squad contained the obligatory two new faces – Adam Queally (starting) and Yusaf Mohamed (substitute); 56 different players already used this season before kick off – and set to rise.
Villains dominate but Ascot create chances
The first half was all about visiting ‘keeper Plumley, who kept his side in it with a string of fine saves to deny Villa, who had the wind at their backs.
The first of them came into the 10th minute when his sprawling save to his right denied Guy Ansah-Palmer’s shot across goal from finding the target, before Ascot’s Kai Hobbs deflected Zach Alfalahi’s effort over the from the resultant corner, and then Ansah-Palmer’s header was blocked from the following delivery.
Plumley palmed away Adam Liddle’s 21st minute effort away after he had shot on the turn, before denying the same player a minute later when he palmed his stinging effort away.
But after being on the back foot for most of the half, Ascot created the best chance in the 24th minute when Lui Edwards dinked the ball over for David Oupuh, Oupoh rounded home ‘keeper Tyla Dickinson outside his own penalty area, but could only scuff his left-footed effort towards an open goal and the chance was cleared.
Plumley was back in action to deny Ben Mulley, although this came after Ascot defender Josh Edwards had pushed forward and his side lost possession – leaving them exposed – before Henry Curtis gifted possession to the hosts.
However, Ascot survived, and took a 36th minute lead when Lui Edwards released Luis Le Paih, and Le Paih held off the covering defence before finishing with a side-footed effort around Dickinson and into the bottom left.
But the lead lasted just six minutes when Brandon Chebby spun off Queally on the left, before dragging a low, left-footed effort across Plumley and into the bottom right-hand corner to restore parity at the break.
Plumley stands firm but Ascot almost nick all three
With the wind now behind them, Ascot had a more comfortable second half, but would still repel numerous corners and the seemingly never-ending threat posed by Guy Hollis’s long throw-ins.
But Ascot would show first when half-time substitute Tyrese Osbourne – on for Oupoh who had been struggling with his hamstring – cut the ball back for Kamara to rattle the angle of the frame via Dickinson’s hands at his near post.
Plumley then saved Chebby’s thunderous effort before catching the loose ball, and then got down well to George Wells’s low shot through a crowd, but an increasingly desperate Villa side began to run out of ideas.
And, it was Ascot who could – and probably should – have won it when they squandered two late chances.
The first of them – arguably the best – came in the 84th minute when Quaye Vine looped the ball back over for Kamara in acres of space, but with the ball sitting up kindly in front of him right-of-goal, he scuffed his effort across goal and wide for a goal-kick.
The second of them – from a similar position but a narrower angle – saw Vine himself elect to cross when a low shot at Dickinson might have yielded more, but on the balance of play a point was a solid result as the other teams in the mire all lost.
Ascot climb above Met Police on goal difference and are now just a single point and place below Littlehampton and the safety mark.
Ascot United: Plumley, Queally (Allsopp 90+2), Hobbs, J. Edwards, Curtis, Stewart (Q. Vine 58’), Le Paih, L. Edwards (Mohamed 75’), Tanner (Lock 75’), Kamara, Oupoh (Osbourne 46’).
Venue: Rectory Meadow, Hanworth
Attendance: 311
Weather: 10c, sunny
Ascot United MOM: Kie Plumley (Ascot United)
Entertainment: 3
Away fans estimate: 25
One-word summary: Resolute