Tucker makes 50th appearance from bench in 1-0 defeat
[Below is the 140-word report as submitted for publication in Sunday/Monday’s Non-League Paper]
MARTIN Sontan’s solitary strike was enough for Chipstead against battling Ascot United. The hosts dominated early-on as Hugo Sobte’s brilliant save from Jack Leahy’s sixth minute free-kick set the tone. Sobte then saved again from Daniel Berry before Sontan scored what proved to be the winner; tapping into an open goal in the fourteenth minute after Leahy’s cross had caused confusion between Sobte and his defence. Berry then screwed wide when well-placed, but Ascot improved and almost levelled Sean McCormack’s shot from distance clattered back of the woodwork midway through the half.
After the break, Bradley Wilson’s shot was cleared off the line and Berry fluffed his lines when well-placed and as Chipstead looked for a second, whereas the closest Ascot came to breaching a well-drilled Chipstead defence was Brendan Matthew’s first-time volley that fizzed over in the 75th minute.
[For added context, Harry Tucker came off the bench for his 50th appearance – congratulations to him – and both sides had an additional chance in the first half that Ascot came back into but lacked the killer touch. In the second half, the impressive Jay Welch looked for options over the top into the channel and almost paid dividends when Matthew met the chance reported above with a first time volley, but the home side still possessed the most threat and Welch did well to deflect a late Sontan strike over, ahead of an even later chance that Chipstead should really have converted amidst six-yard-box ping-pong in the 90th minute].
What’s next for Ascot?
Binfield on Tuesday!
Ascot United: Sobte, Lock (Lahtinen-Kalsi 88’), Bailey (Tucker 66’), Case, Edwards McCormack, Killeen, Ajanlekoko (Surpanu 66’), Matthew, H. Grant, Welch. Subs unused: Balogun, Morgan
Entertainment: 3
Star Man: Martin Sontan (Chipstead)
Away fans (estimate): 20
