Ten-man hosts have Sarnie Supper
Ten-man Ascot United produced a disciplined display to win 2-0 against third-placed Egham Town on Saturday. The Yellamen were forced to play more than an hour with a numerical disadvantage following Louis Bouwers’ early dismissal, but rallied to score two goals and make it fourteen games unbeaten.
Egham had only lost two league games heading into Saturday – versus Ascot and Virginia Water back in August – and were on an eight game winning run. The Yellamen, five points above and unbeaten in thirteen, would therefore provide a fairly even match-up.
Home ‘keeper Jamie Ashdown was in action as early as the 90th second of the game when he got down low to his left to make a sprawling save to deny Ionit Talla.
But Ascot were equally lively and Brendan Matthew (pictured, shooting-stars.co.uk) headed into to the arms of Lewis Gallifent from Sean McCormack’s thirteenth minute cross; had it been directed anywhere other than Gallifent’s body it would surely have asked questions of the visiting ‘keeper.
Egham then survived ten minutes with a numerical disadvantage following Kyle Watson’s sin-binning for a tirade at the referee’s assistant, but the home side would themselves need to see out 66 minutes with ten men when Bouwers received a straight red card for a late challenge on Excellence Muhemba, who was subsequently forced off injured.
But the ten men rallied and Matthew slotted home a 30th minute penalty against his former club after initially being shoved in the area by Barsa Mirthahmasebi, and 1-0 it remained at half-time.
Ascot would use all five substitutes before the end to freshen their troops – who each put in a shift and a half – and were thankful to an early offside flag that chalked Danny Campion’s effort off for the visitors after Mirthahmasebi and Jake Hammond had combined well in the build-up.
But The Yellamen still pushed despite being a man down and Matthews’ shot on the turn was well blocked as they threatened again with 65 minutes played.
Ashdown did well to claw away lively substitute David Levy’s deep, looping header as the sides traded chances, but it was the next one that knocked the stuffing out of Egham’s turkey. This time, they gifted Ascot a corner, Harry Grant swung it in, and bother Alfie was on hand to convert at the far post with an unorthodox sit-on-the-ball-before-scooping-it-home combo; much the delight of the home faithful.
Ascot saw the game out with resilience, and even diminutive defender George Lock would rise tallest to head clear when Egham threatened late-on. But by then most of the Egham fans had already packed up their own flags on their big day out in Berkshire.
Ascot United: Ashdown, Gerrard, A. Grant, Ajanlekoko, Bouwers (sent off 24’), Tucker, McCormack (Gray 80’), H. Grant (August 86’), Mealing (Walters 32’), Matthew (Lalustani 75’), Welch (Lock 62’).
