Visiting ‘keeper Zach keeps CB on track
CB Hounslow ‘keeper Zach Basey produced a simply incredible display to thwart Ascot United on Saturday as The Yellamen failed to score for the third match on the trot. The visitors’ number one produced a string of outstanding saves to earn his side a goalless draw as Ascot warmed up for their match against Wycombe Wanderers next Tuesday.
Despite the league table favouring sixth-placed Ascot’s chances, recent form was with the second-bottom visitors who had taken six points from their last three games compared with a solitary point for the Yellamen.
Hounslow knew they had to maintain their form if they are to stand any chance of survival – four points from safety with a vastly inferior goal difference and with only four games remaining after today – and for much of the game they were under the cosh.
Keaton August volleyed over early-on, Sean McCormack’s looping header struck the bar and August was denied again when clean through by the outstretched boot of ‘keeper Basey – but the hosts just couldn’t find the net.
At the other end, Dan Bailey mopped up well when Carlos Bain played in Aidan Holland earlier in the half and five minutes before the break Victor Montes fired his free kick over; Hounslow’s only two real chances of the period.
An increasingly-frustrated Jamie Tompkins berated his mis-firing attack from the sidelines as Denis Nortey’s 26th minute shot was well blocked by defender Jeremiah Achima, McCormack’s heavy touch when clean through allowed Basey to claim ten minutes later and August’s powerful header from a tight angle was well saved again moments before the break.
After the break, Hounslow were reduced to ten men when Achima was dismissed for fouling Tom Scott when clean through, although Basey was on hand to deny Nortey in the aftermath of the resulting free-kick.
Basey then tipped Scott’s rising shot over, then stood tall when George Lock threatened from a tight angle, before sprawling across his goal line to tip Dan Bailey’s effort around a post.
Incredibly his best saves were to come – a stunning double save to push substitute Duarte Surpanu’s effort away before picking himself up and diving full stretch to claw fellow substitute Ian Davies’s overhead kick away from under the angle of post and crossbar.
Basey still had time to somehow keep Davies’s first-time shot out from Josh Masters’ cross, and even after Oskar Propup was dismissed in injury time Basey kept the nine men in it with a wonderful save from Louis Bouwers’ late thunderbolt.
Hounslow’s only effort was a Jamie Read free-kick that fizzed narrowly over moments before, but had they not taken a point it would have been extremely harsh on their heroic ‘keeper.
Ascot United: Gray, Lock (Bouwers), Everiss (Masters), Carey, Bailey, Ellis, McCormack, Merrick, Nortey (Davies), Scott, August (Surpanu). Sub unused: Walters
