Fraser’s fiftieth ends in 3-1 win
Ascot United reproduced their early-season promise to win 3-1 against high-flying Moneyfields on Saturday. In Sean Fraser’s 50th appearance for the Yellamen, the home side led and were pegged back before half time, only for a flurry of second half substitutions to add a zest which ultimately saw them run out deserved winners.
Can Yellamen upset the form book – or even score?
Having lost their past five league matches and failed to score in their last four, the fourth-placed visitors would certainly arrive as red-hot favourites, although in his pre-match programme notes home manager Gavin Smith remained positive with players returning from injury, even if that itself would ultimately not go to plan.
One of them – steady-headed defender Fraser – had featured as a substitute in recent weeks, and having seen skipper Josh Edwards fail a late fitness test, he went straight into the starting line-up. And, with October player-of-the month Troy Murray also absent, Smith had to reshuffle his back four following the loss of his dependable left-back.
Yellas score! But are pegged back…
Unsurprisingly, the visitors created most of the chances in the first half and Olutayo Singerr wasted the first of them when he blazed over from Simba Mlambo’s 14th minute through-ball.
That had come after an early scare when Fraser required bandaging to his head following an early clattering, but fortunately for him and his team he would play a full ninety minutes – and quality ones at that.
And, the home side finally got a piece of luck three minutes later when Fope Deru’s tremendous curling effort to the top left-hand corner was tipped onto the post by visiting ‘keeper Malachi Osei-Owusu, only to cannon onto the back of his head and into the net for an own goal.
But Moneyfields were dangerous from left-wing corners and after Singerr had volleyed one of them back into the danger area, Tom Cain stabbed over from close range. However, they capitalised on the next one when Faris Khallouqi’s delivery was sublimely flicked across Kie Plumley and into the right-hand corner by defender Thomas Jeffes; all the skill of a seasoned striker.
Singerr might have done better at the far post when unmarked from another deep corner in the 45th minute, but could only shoot tamely into a grateful Plumley’s arms and it was as-you-were as the sides changed ends.
Exciting second half littered with chances
Plumley certainly earned his corn after the break, firstly tipping James Franklyn’s rising drive over the crossbar in the 50th minute.
But, trading chances, Deru did extremely well to keep the ball in play near the touch line before playing a diagonal through-ball to Kamara, whose shot was well placed but lacked pace to trouble Osei-Owusu.
Khallouqi then threatened to get in on the act for Moneyfields only for Plumley to beat his effort from left-of-goal away, before man-of-the match Le Paih (pictured, shooting-stars.co.uk) fashioned space for a shot; opening his body and curling a delicious goal-bound effort to the top right-hand corner only for the flying Osei-Owusu to produce a top-drawer save.
But the pivotal moment came just after the hour mark with a well-worked team goal from the hosts. Kamara and Bailey Lamb doubled up on the left to win possession, Kamara came inside to Deru, and he found Lucias Vine. Vine’s first touch took him into the only space he had to shoot – a difficult one – but from right-of-goal he cut a low, rasping drive back across Osei-Owusu and into the bottom left.
Substitute Adam Payce almost levelled it two minutes later with a drive that deflected over for a corner, but it was an unbelievable save and goal-line clearance that thwarted Khallouqi in the 74th minute when it looked odds-on that the left-winger would smash home a loose ball with the goal at his mercy.
Ascot substitutes Joel Rollinson, Andrio Brandao and Cam Rohart-Brown had all added renewed vigour to a side that now looked well and truly up for a third, and the latter might have scored only to fire over left-footed after earlier good work from Kai Allsopp and Le Paih.
With time ticking away, an offside flag quickly cancelled out what the visitors thought was an 84th minute equaliser, and their own misery was compounded in the 89th minute when Brandao – who endeared himself to the mascots behind the goal – capitalised on a Moneys meltdown to chip home number three in the 89th minute.
Three of other ten remaining sides in the bottom half of the table at the end of play won on Saturday, meaning that The Yellamen climb to 14th, four points clear of the bottom four.
After a good FA Vase win for Ascot’s tenants Berks County Sports on Friday evening, this all leads nicely into the Women’s big league cup match against London City Lionesses Academy on Sunday.
Maybe another variety of Ascot’s famous ‘hat-trick’ deal looms.
But on Saturday alone, most of the 144 in attendance left re-assured that it is still there; they just need to find it more often.
Ascot United: Plumley, Sankoh, Lamb, Fraser, Allsopp (Dehghani 82’), Deru (Rollinson 72’), Le-Paih, Vine, Osbourne (Brandao 66’), Kamara (Williams 82’), Pache (Rohart-Brown 66’).
Venue: The Racecourse, Ascot
Attendance: 144
Weather: 14c, sunny
Reporter’s star man: Luis Le Paih (Ascot United)
Entertainment: 4
Away fans estimate: 15
One-word summary: Reassuring