Yellamen ease through against Premier South strugglers
Ascot United comfortably edged out Horley Town 5-0 in the Cherry Red Records Combined Counties League Cup 2nd qualifying round on Tuesday evening, equalling their club record of sixteen consecutive matches unbeaten.
The home side, in the lower reaches of the Premier Division South, were no match for Ascot for whom Marcus Mealing once again starred – as did stand-in ‘keeper Alex Sykes in a rare cameo for The Yellamen.
The game was only four minutes old when Ascot took the lead – and making his first start since recovering from a hamstring injury it came in the unlikely shape of Dan Bailey – whose glancing back-header from Calam Gallimore’s throw-in looped over home ‘keeper George Hyde
And, it was soon 2-0 when Josh Masters threaded in Brendan Matthew, who checked onto his right and arrowed a low shot into the bottom right hand corner; 19 minutes played.
At the other end, Jake Roberts fired over from a corner as Horley briefly threatened, but it was otherwise all Ascot and only a good save from Hyde denied Usman Lalustani after he had raced onto Mealing’s intelligent flick.
But Mealing found the net via a penalty just before the half-hour mark to make it 3-0 after he had been pushed over by Jack Poplett, although the hosts responded well as Lee Peacock shot straight at Sykes before Sykes made a brilliant reaction save to deny Adam Grant moments later; but it remained 3-0 at half time.
After the break the home side enjoyed a decent spell of possession for fifteen minutes, so were deflated when Keaton August danced into position and cracked home number four off the inside of the right hand post virtually out of nothing; one hour played.
Mealing then turned provider for one of Ascot’s five substitutes, Sean McCormack, to tuck home the fifth and final goal in the 71st minute to cap a fine evening on the outskirts of Gatwick.
Ascot United: Sykes, Lock, Masters (Welch 46’), Gallimore, A. Grant, Bailey (Gerrard 46’), August (Thompson 88’), H. Grant, Mealing, Matthew (Ajanlekoko 46’), Lalustani (McCormack 57’).
