Yellamen battle hard but are undone again
Ascot United lost 2-1 against promotion-chasing Leatherhead on Saturday. Having led 2-0 at the break, the visitors – who have made a habit of throwing leads away – almost came undone again in the face of a battling Ascot side who cut the deficit, but were unable to force an unlikely draw.
Yellamen draft in more recruits in attempt to stop the rot
Home manager Gavin Smith had spoken in his programme notes of “fresh faces” coming in for the fixture, although the two new personnel would take the tally of players used this season to 48 and with a quarter of it still remaining this will surely reach a half-century.
Ascot would take heart from The Tanners’ arrival in indifferent form; just seven points from their last six had seen them drop from a seemingly comfortable first place to third and hand the impetus back to Westfield, although they’d still fancy their chances against a side winless in their last ten; an unwanted run for the struggling hosts which stretched back over two months.
Tanners dominate first half
Nathan Hogan swept home Seb Caballero’s lofted cross on the volley to set the visitors on their way in the eighth minute, before Cameron Black’s near-carbon copy finish from Hogan’s 27th minute free kick doubled the lead.
Jacob Breckon missed a glaring header to add a third just before the break; all three of those chances starting on the right wing with poor marking once again Ascot’s downfall.
Ascot, at this point, had offered little up top.
Yellamen fight back but fall short
After the break, home ‘keeper Kie Plumley made fine saves to deny Kane Fitzgerald, Hogan and Anas Igozouln, getting down well to each of them as Leatherhead wasted a glut of chances.
Against the run of play, Ascot then cut the arrears with 20 minutes remaining when Rudi Pache drove out of defence and picked out David Oupoh on the right, Oupoh cut inside onto his left foot, and curled a sublime effort across Sonny Wheeler and into the top left-hand corner.
Igozouln dragged wide of a gaping target three minutes after Oupoh’s goal – which would have sealed it – but in a jittery ending for the visitors, Wheeler got down well to deny Tyrese Osbourne an equaliser in added time.
There was plenty of fight from the home side in the closing stages, but it’s now eleven without a win and remaining four points from safety.
Ascot United: Plumley, Sankoh, Edwards (Kamara 57’), Curtis, Dehghani (Le Paih 59’), English (Vine 82’), Allsopp, Edwards (Rice 59’), Osbourne, Pache, Shiham (Oupoh 57’).
Pictured: Kai Allsopp, who had a strong game for Ascot, on the attack against Leatherhead (shooting-stars.co.uk)
Venue: The Racecourse
Attendance: 261
Weather: 11c, sunny
Ascot United MOM: Kie Plumley
Entertainment: 3
Away fans estimate: 80
One-word summary: Engaging