Solitary second half strike sinks Yellamen
New manager Gavin Smith and his equally new squad succumbed to a narrow 1-0 defeat in their season opener at Littlehampton Town on Sunday afternoon. Having finally got into the game and arguably being the better side, they were undone by a second-half counter attack before the home side battened down the hatches to secure all three points.
Opening match-up pitches Wembley finalists against each other.
The home side are new to the South Central Division having transferred laterally from the South East section for the current campaign, and like Ascot they have been to the home of English football in recent times. In 2022’s FA Vase Final, they were beaten by Newport Pagnell, whom Ascot dethroned in the same competition twelve months later.
However, this was business as usual as both sides’ seasons began on a hot Sunday afternoon in Sussex, and Smith’s starting line-up contained nine new faces; only captain Josh Edwards and livewire Khalid Simmo had featured last campaign.
Frenetic start but Ascot grow into it
The home side were on the front foot and might have scored inside 21 seconds albeit the combination of striker David Herbert’s wayward strike and an offside flag saved Ascot.
Luis-Tijan Sparkes then headed wide under pressure from a corner four minutes in, and barely one minute later visiting defender Bailey Lamb was alert to divert Marcel Powell’s goal-bound curling effort over the crossbar.
The closest Ascot came was when Luis Le-Paih and Edwards both agonisingly missed connecting with deliveries from Simmo.
Improved second half but ultimately to no avail
Ascot were immediately on the front foot after the break, with Le-Paih stinging the palms of home ‘keeper Billy Collings two minutes in.
The Golds’ goal led a charmed life when Simmo caused havoc on the left; Lamin Ceesay almost finding the net and defender Tijan-Sparks heading inches wide of his own post.
But having been in the ascendancy and after forcing a flurry of corners, Ascot were undone when the home side broke quickly from one of them, Powell squirmed the ball across the area and substitute Zion Mcleod fired into the top left hand corner; 67 minutes played.
Both sides used all five substitutes but equally never really threatened again, the most notable event being handbags at dawn that contributed to six minutes of added time, although it felt as if it should have been much more.
The Yellamen will take time to find their competitive rhythm, and will go again.
What’s next for Ascot?
Ascot have 48 hours before an early season derby under the Tuesday night lights when Binfield, who also lost their opening match on Saturday, visit the Racecourse.
Ascot United: Plumley, Sankoh (Lock 72’), Murray (Atkinson 78’), Edwards, Lamb, Allsopp (Garlinge 75’), Ceesay (Dehghani 70’), Le-Paih, Trickett (Sylla 60’), Simmo, Kamara.
Venue: The Sportsman, Littlehampton
Attendance: 337
Weather: 22c, sunny
Reporter’s star man: Bailey Lamb (Ascot United)
Entertainment: 2
Away fans estimate: 10
One-word summary: Frustrating