Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18/10/2024 | 19:45 | West London Veterans Football League | 2024-2025 |
Ground
| Racecourse Ground 3G 11-a-side |
|---|
| Sunninghill and Ascot, Ascot, Windsor and Maidenhead, South East, England, United Kingdom |
Report
18 October 2024
Ascot United 2nd XI 2-4 Old Actonians
Actonians ultimately came out on top in a pulsating WLVFL Div 1 encounter between two decent vets’ sides. The visitors were two up at half-time, but goals from Alex Markarian and Jon Bennett saw the Yellas draw level with little more than 15 minutes left. Ascot hurled the kitchen sink at Actonians, but it was the unbeaten visitors who broke away to win a penalty and edge into the lead. That lead was then doubled in injury time as the Yellas tried in vain to claw themselves back into it. Decent doo all round.
Actonians travelled to the Racecourse with a record of played two and won two, and with a goal difference of plus 11. Ascot United’s 2nd XI, meanwhile, had three points on the board from their two games; the most recent of which being an impressive 2-0 win at West Kensington Kings.
The game started off with Ascot very much on the front foot. During the first ten minutes the Yellas pinged the ball about nicely without ever really threatening the visitors’ goal. Indeed, when goal threats did come they invariably came from set pieces. Leon Palmer-Wilson curled in a couple of exquisite corners and indeed a couple of decent free kicks, but somehow the ball just wouldn’t drop to an Ascot player.
Actonians, meanwhile, relied on the pace of their right winger and the strength of their number nine down the middle to try and hit the hosts on the break. And, they certainly looked dangerous when they did so, regularly forcing decent saves out of Ascot’s Polish shot-stopper, Eryk Nawala.
The first goal of the game, however, came from a free kick 25/30 yards out. The Actonians’ striker fired a shot high andbeyond Nawala into the roof of the net. 1-0 then became 2-0 as Actonians’ pace again caused Ascot problems. 45 gone and the Yellas had work to do.
Gaffer Dan Hough opted to play around with Ascot’s formation a little. 4-3-1-2 became 4-3-3 as Alex Markarian and Chris Watney were brought on to add a bit more width.
And, that they most definitely did. Markarian started on the left, but it was when he moved across to the right that he started doing real damage, regularly getting to the byline and turning the left back inside out. Indeed, Markarian it was who pulled a goal back for Ascot, finishing off an old fashioned near-post corner routine that saw Chris Watney flick the ball on nicely to him.
Cue the charge of the light brigade. Ascot piled on the pressure, but it wasn’t until late in the day that they got some further reward for their efforts. Jon Bennet made no mistake from the penalty spot after the Yellas were awarded what feltlike it was a bit of a soft one.
At that stage, all the momentum was with Ascot. Dan Hough fired a shot inches wide that would have seen them edge ahead but it really did feel like a matter of time before the third goal game.
A third goal did indeed come, but it was at the other end. Actonians broke, a decent through ball set the number nine away and he tumbled in the area. Penalty, goal. Ascot again had it all to do.
Again the Yellas went forward. Steve Dando and Stuart Birkett did all they could to create that one chance. Markarian and Watney kept plugging away, whilst both full backs kept racing up and getting involved.
But, as the dying embers were settling it was Actonians who again broke away and sealed the three points. A decent finish, and job done at 4-2.
Both of these sides are likely to be at the business end of Division One come April. Actonians have started strongly and look a decent side. Ascot may have lost, but they certainly played some good stuff and have lots to be positive about.
They won’t have long to wait to get back on the horse, either; they are at home again next Friday when Civil Service are in town.
Team. Eryk Nawala, Dan Hough, Micky Parker, Leon Palmer-Wilson (c), Nigel Gatehouse, Darren Lewis, Adam Abusweder, Stuart Birkett, Phil White, Carl Collins and Jon Bennett.
Subs. Steve Dando, Alex Markarian, Matt Newall and Chris Watney
Scorers. Alex Markarian, Jon Bennett (pen)