Ascot United 1st X1 Veterans v Claygate Royals Hares

It’s been a good weekend  for Claygate at Ascot, with their 1st XI picking up an away point on Saturday following the three collected by their Supervets on Friday.

The result does little to encapsulate the actual game but the record books will not say that Ascot were by far the better side, it will simply register the result of a point each – for Ascot, another 2 points dropped following the defeat on the opening weekend. It will be a long way back from here if the 1s are to achieve anything meaningful in the league, already a potential 5 points behind their main rivals.

Claygate came to compete, frustrate, work hard and hope to grab something on the break, and they stuck to their plan well. However, Ascot never really got totally sucked in and continued to move the ball well, dominating possession and territory. The goals that their performance warranted were surely just around the corner…….

Actually, they never came. 0-0 at half time. The message was simple, “keep doing what you’re doing, do not get frustrated and do not gift them something”. And Ascot followed that mandate well, picking up where they had left off in terms of possession and territory, despite playing into the heavy wind after the break. But still, the opening goal eluded them.

Eventually, on 75 minutes Ascot got their break, with the award of a penalty following a clumsy challenge on Fennell as he drove into the box. Skipper Moroney calmly dispatching the resulting penalty kick into the bottom left corner as the keeper saw it. 1-0 Ascot, finally!!

The home team were in total control and looked comfortable, with a second goal looking the most likely outcome. However, Claygate retained a threat on the break and nearly nicked an equaliser in that fashion, with their very willing forward forcing Rose to give up possession. Fortunately for Ascot, the resulting shot hit the side netting. Lesson learnt, surely?

Ascot continued to have chances but could not grab the vital second goal; and Claygate continued to try their luck via route 1. The latter approach brought its dividends, a long ball poorly dealt with finding the willing Claygate forward through on goal again. Lesson not learnt! And this time he made no mistake, finding the net through the legs of the exposed Lyons.

1-1 it ended. Somehow!

I am sure there has been a lot of soul searching post the game from both players and the management team (if there has not, then those involved are not doing themselves or their teammates justice!) but there does appear to be a trend developing of teams being able to take points off Ascot by simply being physical and giving everything they’ve got.

It is clear that Ascot have to work hard for every chance and goal they get (and last night they did that really well). But what is also clear is that the opposing teams do not seem to have to work so hard, there will be a ‘gift’ given to them at some point through an individual error. That was certainly the case last week against the Whippets and very much so again last night.

Ultimately though, the manager Tomlinson takes the blame for the two points dropped last night. It was not the game to be making lots of changes, but rather than tell those on the bench “sorry, tonight I cannot get you on”, all five made an appearance. And no matter the quality of the replacement (and all 5 that went on are good players) the number of changes made in the context of this game led to the side losing control of its game management.

Lesson learnt by the gaffa in his post-match soul searching……taking 5 subs may be too many and playing subs has to be because they will improve the team at the moment they go on, not simply to give them pitch time when the game does not lend itself to that.

The season is not over for the 1s; yes, they have given themselves a mountain to climb, but climbing mountains is not impossible! And importantly they are still in control of their own destiny. But 3pts on Friday against the Rams is an absolute necessity.