Laffers has last laugh on Lock’s landmark
Ascot came back from two goals down once again to earn a crucial point on the road at Hanworth Villa on George Lock’s 250th appearance for the club. The Yellamen, who repeated the trick against Ashford last Tuesday, did it again thanks to headed goals from Taylor Morgan and Harry Laflin, writes William Powell.
Three minutes in and Hanworth nearly took the lead; a cross whipped in from Sam Merson down the right flank evaded all Ascot defenders bar Harry Tucker, who after a scramble, cleared brilliantly. Yellas goalkeeper Mark Scott was called into action for the first time on the 10th minute mark when he had to react quickly to catch a headed effort from Hanworth defender Rayan Djouadj.
Scott was called into action once again in the 21st minute; after a troublesome Merson long throw, Scott had to come out to claim the ball before the many onrushing Villa attackers could.
The bright looking Merson then opened the scoring for the afternoon in the 31st minute with a fantastic strike. After shrugging off Ascot defender’s Chris Ellis and Usman Lalustani, Merson smashed home his strike into the bottom left corner past the helpless Scott.
Five minutes later Hanworth doubled their lead when Merson, after a slight mix-up between Ellis and Lalustani, picked the ball up on the right wing and whipped in a delivery across the face of goal.
Scott came out to try and thwart the attack but despite his best efforts, Ben Geraghty tapped in at the back post.
However, Morgan pulled one back for the Yellamen on the stroke of half time. Lock showed some fantastic footwork down the right to beat his man and float in a delightful cross, which found the head of Morgan, and he glanced down into an empty net to cut the deficit at half time.
The opening five minutes of the second half was chaotic; and that adjective downplayed the period. Sean McCormack went close just a minute in and then Hanworth went straight down the other end and rattled the bar after a poor cross was caught by the wind, turning it into a fantastic effort.
Merson had a golden chance to put his side 3-1 up in the 53rd minute, after finding himself ten yards out and in acres of space, but he fluffed his first-time effort wide of the far post.
Liam Tack then went close for Ascot in the 75th minute when his speculative long range strike fired wide as the Yellas continued to push for a deserved equaliser.
And, it duly arrived five minutes from the end from the dependable Laflin. This time, Ollie Lahtinen-Kalsi delivered an emphatic cross which Laflin elegantly lifted over the diving Rackley-Hayes, capping The Yellas’ second two-goal comeback inside a week.
Reporters Star Man- Mark Scott (Ascot United)
Entertainment- 4/5
