Leatherhead ease to 3-0 win
Ascot United were comfortably beaten at Leatherhead on Saturday. Always chasing the game after conceding two early goals, The Yellamen never laid a glove on the home side, who also profited from results elsewhere.
Big test for Yellamen at fast-improving Tanners
The game itself was a huge test of credentials for both sides, and with the home side naming four centre backs in their starting line-up, the visitors would need to be at the incisive best.
And, Anas Igozouln returned for them after a two-game absence, whereas defensive lynchpin Josh Edwards also made the starting line-up having recovered from injury.
It’s Westfield all over again
Just as in their midweek comeback win at Westfield, Ascot were under the cosh from the start and might have been four-nil down inside thirty minutes.
It was all one-way traffic in the first quarter and the home side took a tenth minute lead when Kane Fitzgerald splayed the ball to Rhys Williamson on the right, and he skipped through a weak challenge before firing past Mark Scott.
Things got worse for Ascot just four minutes later when Alex Pearce was left completely unmarked at the far post from a corner, nodded the ball back into the danger area, and Kareem Akinnibi slammed home.
Anuar Ceesay’s deflected effort was somehow cleared off the line with Scott beaten before Williamson nodded wide of an open goal in the afters – 25 minutes played – and Scott then watched Ceesay’s cross cannon back off his crossbar on the half-hour mark.
Ascot improved and sprayed the ball around well but lacked quality with their final ball, and their only two chances came through Connor Holland’s rising drive over the crossbar and Brandon Curtis’s glaring miss from Holland’s cross in first-half stoppage time; Curtis weakly side-footing a volley in the six yard box when he should have sent his side in at the break with a different complexion.
Second half – Green Wall impregnable
Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished in the 50th minute when Ruben Antwi was left in acres of space in the six yard box and manage to tease the ball past Scott to make it 3-0.
The Tanners eased back after that and Ascot might have twice nicked a goal – standout player Harvey Harry’s shot saved by Sonny Wheeler at his near post – before substitute Ben Harris’s injury-time header was harshly chalked off for offside after Harry Grant’s drive had cannoned back off the crossbar.
Results elsewhere saw some the other play-off hopefuls drop points, the only highlight of an otherwise depressing afternoon.
What’s next for Ascot?
The Yellamen are back at home next weekend for the visit of Southall.
Ascot United: Scott, Rogers, Jones (Lock 64’), Fraser (Mason 64’)r, Edwards, Harry, Grant, Dzimba (Harris 64’), Igozouln (Simmo 69’), Curtis (Butler 65’), Holland.
Entertainment: 2
Reporter’s Star Man: n/a
Away fans (estimate): 35