Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10/2025 | 19:45 | West London Veterans Football League | 2025-2026 |
Ground
| Racecourse Ground 3G 11-a-side |
|---|
| Sunninghill and Ascot, Ascot, Windsor and Maidenhead, South East, England, United Kingdom |
Report
An impressive Bank of England side took all three points in an entertaining Friday night encounter against Ascot United’s second string on 10 October. Ascot scored first and last, but in-between a well-organised Bank side impressed with theirtouch on the ball, their resoluteness and their attacking intent. If they don’t end up getting promoted, then Div 1 of the WLFVL really is very strong indeed this year.
Not that the scoreline necessarily tells the whole story. Ascot could easily have gone in at the break one up. The Bank had more of the ball in the first 45, but Ascot also looked dangerous on the counter. Indeed, it was from one such counter that Chris Watney pinged a super ball through to Jon Bennett. He made no mistake.
Perhaps the goal was simply akin to poking the bear. Even then, the leveller came from a soft free kick given away on the edge of the box, Farouk Ampou El Ela skilfully heading the ball home. He then grabbed his second of the night following a loose pass in the hosts’ final third. That 1-0 lead had become a 2-1 deficit quicker than Ben Johnson on steroids.
Changes were made at half time, although the basic message remained the same; play narrow in the midfield, cut off the supply to El Ela and keep the ball when you get it. Plans, however, can quickly get overrun by reality. As the second half wore on the Bank began to outrun their hosts. They were quicker to the ball, smarter in possession and generally moving through the gears whilst Ascot struggled to get out of neutral.
It wasn’t long before El Ela had completed his hattrick, and only a number of fine saves from Eryk Nawala kept the score anything like respectable. Danny Lessy-Edwards than rubbed salt into the wounds by scoring a scorpion kick (!) from a corner, before Leo Popa made it 5-1. The Ascot ship was in danger of well and truly sinking.
To the side’s credit, however, they fought back admirably in the last 15 minutes. Stuart Birkett buccaneered forward when he could, Chris Watney continued to look dangerous. It was Guka Taveridze who nonetheless got the final goal of the evening, blasting the ball through the ‘keeper and into the net. 5-2.
Ascot’s IIs won’t play many better sides than that this season. Still, a bit more energy, a bit more bite and a bit more quality were needed. We move on……
Team. Eryk Nawala, Dan Hough, Jon Gregory, Leon Palmer-Wilson (c), Ed Dubois, Darren Lewis, Stuart Birkett, Mike Tomlinson, Jon Bennett, Alex Markarian, Guka Teveridze.
Subs. Phil White, Scott Brown, Islam Hussein, Chris Watney, Adam Abusweder
Goals. Jon Bennett, Guka Tevereridze