Glover fits the bill with brace and assist
Ascot United Women maintained their title charge with a gritty 3-1 win at Oxford City Women on Sunday afternoon. Olivia Glover scored twice and provided an assist either side of the hosts’ equaliser, as The Yellawomen moved eleven points clear at the top of the Southern Region Women’s Football League.
Biggest test of season so far?
The Yellawomen will surely consider their prior trips to Brentford and Wycombe as being their sternest challenges to date, although their fourth-placed opponents boasted a perfect league record at Marsh Lane – five wins from five – setting the scene for another test of Ascot’s title credentials.
Manager Andy Cox shuffled his pack in the absence of Jess Drage and Leah Robertson (both injured), although the encouraging news late in the week was that the latter’s knee injury sustained on Tuesday was not as bad as first feared, and she was standing on the terraces in support of her side.
There was a first start of the season for exciting U18s player Alice Balaam, and Georgia Luckhurst-McCord joined her after in the starting eleven after missing the midweek cup defeat whilst overseas, although both players would ultimately hobble off injured.
Balaam makes immediate impact before injury woe
The game was only four minutes old when Balaam made a telling impact on the right wing. Chasing a seemingly lost cause, she beat her marker and dug out a fantastic, hanging cross from the by-line that took the home defence and ‘keeper Kiera Maskell out of the equation; Glover ghosting in to volley home at the far post.
Ascot spend most of the early stages camped in Oxford’s half, although the hosts restricted them to long-range shots from Kate Fox and Phil Holden which were both easily saved by Maskell.
And, in a rare foray forwards, City levelled the match in the 26th minute with a goal of the highest quality. Emily Harris outmuscled Alix Todd on the right, before unleashing a fierce effort from long distance that sailed over Jodie Gray-Piazza and into the top left hand corner.
But Ascot re-asserted themselves after Balaam had limped off with injury, and regained the lead six minutes before the break. This time, Leah Littlechild’s deft through-ball picked out Glover, Glover cut the ball back into the penalty area, and Beth Lloyd found the net with a first-time shot low past Maskell.
Ascot dig deep against solid City
The home side were one of the better sides Ascot have faced this season and pushed for a second equaliser, although – as many sides have encountered – failed to seriously trouble the outstanding Erin Huntley and her defensive counterparts.
And, when they added a third goal on the hour mark, they knew the game was as good as won. This time, Fox got her side on the move by winning possession in midfield and picking out Lloyd’s diagonal run to the right, Lloyd drew Maskell off her line and was forced wide, but still found the gap to cross for Glover, who tapped home to make it 3-1.
City’s best moment came when substitute Kaitlyn Crouch drove her side forwards with a pass to Ellie White in the penalty area, White then passed back to another substitute – Georgina Tayman – but her shot drifted wide of the top right hand corner; 65 minutes played.
There was late disappointment for Luckhurst-McCord who limped off with a calf injury, but it was otherwise a good day on the road for player-of-the-match and skipper Phil Holden and her troops.
Barring a huge shift in goal difference, four wins from their last six games will seal the title for Andy Cox’s side in his maiden season, but in all probability it will not require twelve points – even two wins and a couple of draws might do it – but The Yellawomen will want to keep their standards high and preserve their unbeaten record as a minimum.
What’s next for Ascot?
The Yellawomen are back on the road next Sunday with a trip to struggling Badshot Lea, although the Baggies restricted Ascot to a solitary goal victory in the reverse fixture.
Ascot United: Gray-Piazza, Luckhurst-McCord, Todd, Torry, Huntley, Holden, Fox, Littlechild, Lloyd, Balaam, Glover. Subs (used): Doyle, Perkins, Rowntree, Kjaer. Sub unused: Carter (GK)
Entertainment: 3
Reporter’s Star Player: Olivia Glover (Ascot United)
Away fans (estimate): 15