Ascot United 2nd X1 Veterans v Nottsborough Veterans

Ascot United’s second string made it two wins from two in their 2025-26 WLVFL Div 1 campaign with a 5-4 win against a game Nottsborough side. Goals from Stuart Birkett (2), Carl Withers (penalty), a corker from Paul Woodford and Alex Markarian saw Ascot move 5-2 ahead with 15 minutes left. Given that Nottsborough only had nine men left on the field at that time the game looked all but over; far from it. By the end Ascot were clinging in as Nottsborough very nearly pulled off what would have been an epic comeback.

“There’s absolutely no doubt” mused skipper Leon Palmer-Wilson to Mark Chapman on Five Live after the game “which match is going to be first on Match of the Day tomorrow evening. This one will be. Even if there is a 7-7 in the Premier League on Saturday it won’t match this contest for drama”. No one who was there could disagree with that.

Much as Ascot United always seemed to have their noses in front, Nottsborough showed pretty epic levels of stickability to keep in the game. Ascot started the brighter, and it wasn’t too long before Carl Withers slotted home a penalty to put the hosts one up. Good work down the left then saw Alex Markarian and Stuart ‘the bulldozer’ Birkett combine impressively, leaving Birkett to neatly slot home. 2-0 and Ascot were threatening to go through the gears.

Nottsborough nonetheless rallied. Sloppy passing in their own half saw Ascot give the ball away, the ball ended up in the net and the deficit had been halved. Half time arrived at a decent juncture for Ascot; a bit of re-grouping needed to be done.

And, re-group the Yellas did. Dean Papali and John Stanborough were on for debuts, Adam Abusweder came on to offer a bit more hustle in the middle.

The changes certainly didn’t seem to disrupt Ascot’s flow. The Yellas’ third goal came from a Nottsborough corner; the ball was cleared, Adam Abusweder and Dean Papali did a good job of holding the ball before Stuart Birkett was sent clean through. He entered the box, got clobbered by the ‘keeper, but the ball still span up and over the sprawled custodian and into the top corner. 3-1.

That became 4-1 when a humdinger of a team move saw the ball fall invitingly to Paul Woodford. He powered a rocket of a shot top bins. 4-1. Ascot didn’t take long to round off their scoring for the evening, Alex Markarian neatly firing the ball to the keeper’s left. Nottsborough had scored one themselves in the meantime, but it was still time to reach for cruise control mode.

And yet things didn’t pan out that way. Referee Rob Folley sent off a Nottsborough player for a reckless tackle, then he dished out another red for a professional foul on Alex Markarian.

Down to nine players though Nottsborough were, it somehow seemed to energise them. They piled four up front, kept pinging the ball into the box and somehow pulled two goals back. They also seemed to have renewed levels of energy and by the time the final whistle finally blew Ascot were hanging on for dear life.

“Quite how nine men outplayed us for the last ten minutes I really do not know” gaffer Palmer-Wilson noted. “But you’ve got to take your hat off to Nottsborough, many a side would have thrown the towel in. Respect due”. Indeed.

Next game for the twos is against West Kensington Kings on Saturday 4 October.

Team. Eryk Nawala, Karl Small, Scott Brown, Leon Palmer-Wilson (c), Darren Lewis, Stuart Birkett, Paul Woodford, Islam Hussein, Alex Markarian, Carl Withers,

Subs. Matt Newall, Dan Hough, Dean Papali, Adam Abusweder, John Stanborough

Goals. Stuart Birkett (2), Carl Withers (pen), Alex Markarian, Paul Woodford