Ascot beat Denham 5-0 as cup trail starts
Ascot United Women cruised into the next round of the Adobe Women’s FA Cup with a comfortable 5-0 win against Denham United Ladies on Sunday. The Yellawomen, who are undefeated this season, took over half-an-hour before prising open the visitors’ stubborn defence, but eventually made light work of it in front of an impressive crowd approaching 150.
Yellawomen seek to avoid banana skin
Whilst only one division separated the two sides, in the Women’s game it is a big gap to bridge, although step-six Denham arrived knowing they were capable of scoring goals having registered eight without reply in their first qualifying round victory.
Ascot, meanwhile, were entering the competition at this stage due to their step five status, and were looking to build on two wins and a draw from their opening three league games.
Ascot huff, puff, and eventually blow through Denham’s defence.
The opening stages were fairly even, and anything Ascot attempted was quickly extinguished by visiting ‘keeper Zara Butt, whose exceptional decision making allowed her to double up as a sweeper as she raced off her line to good effect.
And, her side had the first meaningful chance when Jenny Nagle dragged wide of the left-hand upright from range; fourteen minutes played.
But just two minutes later the home side were left scratching their heads as to how they had failed to take the lead. Alix Todd a saw her shot saved by Butt, Jess Drage’s follow up also blocked by the impressive ‘keeper, who then blocked another rebound from Leah Littlechild before Liv Glover failed to convert in the afters.
Denham’s Sofia Harris then failed to test Chloe Sadler after Ascot had dithered in defence, but they were soon on the end of a quickfire double at the other end.
Littlechild turns provider
The first of them came in the 36th minute when Maddie Robertson won possession in midfield, she picked out Leah Littlechild, who in turn dinked the ball over for Glover, who did well to get the high ball under control before firing past the helpless Butt.
And, just two minutes later Littlechild raced clear of the defence before unselfishly squaring for Beth Lloyd, who had the easiest of tap-ins.
But Denham belied their status and almost pulled a goal back in first half stoppage time only for Sadler to beat away Harris’s rasping effort before Lauren Knight’s brilliant challenge on Phoebe Smith prevented her from converting the rebound.
Second half: cruise control
Ascot were totally dominant after the break and only a fine covering interception from Rachel Keightley denied Littlechild after deflecting her shot around a post; Phil Holden this time the provider.
But when the same two linked up in the 58th minute, it ended with the goal of the game. This time, Holden played Littlechild in, and after checking her own run she took one look up before chipping Butt for a fine third.
Littlechild and Lloyd then linked up for Glover to sting Butt’s palms, but Lloyd grabbed her second and Ascot’s fifth in the 83rd minute; chipping over a stranded covering defence and into the net after Butt had initially done well to break down Ascot’s counter-attack when way out of her area.
Butt then guessed right to deny Lloyd a hat-trick from the spot after Amna Butt had fouled substitute Danielle Kjaer in the area, but Kjaer herself got in on the act with a low shot in at the near post with ninety minutes on the clock.
The Yellawomen have now netted 23 goals in four games and on this trajectory Nath Baker’s troops will be pulling even more fans through the turnstiles.
What’s next for Ascot?
The Yellawomen will await Monday’s draw before and welcoming Badshot Lea to the Racecourse next Sunday as their league programme continues.
Ascot United: Sadler, Knight, Todd, Torry, Drage, Luckhurst-McCord, Maddie Robertson, Holden, Littlechild, Lloyd, Glover. Subs (rolling): Gray-Piazza, Leah Robertson, Kjaer, Doyle, Fox
Entertainment: 4
Attendance (estimate): 150
Reporter’s Star Player (joint): Leah Littlechild (Ascot United) / Zara Butt (Denham United)
Goals:
Glover 36’
Lloyd 38’, 80’
Littlechild 58’
Kjaer 90’