Ash on fire to beat Yellamen 5-4
Ash United belied their status to beat Ascot United 5-4 in the Fripp-Smith Trophy on Saturday.
The Combined Counties League Division One visitors gave a good account of themselves and scored two fabulous goals to twice take the lead in the first half. Their opener came after a couple of minutes when Jordan Devanney’s superb long range free kick beat Sam Gray, only for Aiden Higgs to tuck into the corner at the other end to restore parity.
Another defender, Thomas Bale, scored a sweet half-volley which beat Gray at this near post to restore Ash’s lead midway trough the half, only for Dan Bailey’s towering header from Jonny Denton’s injury time corner to send the teams in level at the break.
The second half was a goalfest – and certainly not a defensive masterclass – with visiting striker Joe Waight taking the limelight with a well-taken hat-trick.
His first came in the 48th minute, a low shot into the bottom right, before Ian Davies’s super finish into the top right hand corner levelled matters for a third time.
Luke Roper then fed Waight to make it 4-3 in the 55th minute before Davies spurned two good chances to equalise for Ascot once again.
And, daylight emerged when Waight jinked himself some space before curling an exquisite effort over Gray and into the right hand corner to make it 5-3 to Ash, and although Taylor Morgan toe-poked home with fourteen minutes remaining The Yellamen couldn’t find another equaliser; their best chance falling to Bailey who headed straight at ‘keeper Jamie Cunnington.
Ascot United: Gray, Preddie (Lock (T. Bailey)), Haworth, Hodges, Laflin, D. Bailey, Morgan, Denton, Davies Berry, Higgs (Jones). Sub unused: Andrady