Ascot United 2nd X1 Veterans v Polytechnic Veterans

Report

17 April 2026

Ascot United Vets II 7-0 Polytechnic

 

Ascot United’ s second string entertained Poly on Friday 17 April knowing that a win would all but seal the deal in terms of retaining their place in the WLVFL Div 1 for 2026-27. A brace apiece for the lively Islam Hussein and the ever-predatory Dean Papai set the tone, whilst Andy Lunn, Les Sykes and Loz Stephenson helped ease the goal tally ever higher. Poly, for their part, kept going. Despite already being relegated they put in a spirited performance and never threw in the towel. Fair play to them.

 

Ascot started the game by dominating the ball. The midfield troika of Bar (sitting), Everest and Stephenson (pressing on) saw plenty of the ball, whilst the livewire front line of Wing, Sykes and particularly Papali caused no small amount of havoc.

 

Yet, 15 minutes in and Ascot had nothing to show for their efforts. Lots of the ball, but as of then, no end result. A goal was needed and indeed duly arrived. Dan Wing, having another excellent game as outside left, set flying full back Karl Small away, he crossed and Les Sykes, loitering at the back post, stabbed the ball home. 1-0 and the Yellas were up and running.

 

That goal undoubtedly helped the hosts relax just a little. Dean Papali added a second, before then making the most of a ropey back pass, darting round the rather idiosyncratic keeper and comfortably slotting home. Loz Stephenson, having a good game in the middle, wasn’t in the mood for slotting anything; a ball fell to him 20 yards out and he blasted it past the forlorn visiting custodian. 4-0 at half time and Ascot were purring.

 

Still, for 20 minutes or so in the second half that purr became something akin to an attack of the hiccups; little was fundamentally wrong, but the flow and drive of the first half didn’t quite seem to be there. Poly subsequently came back into the game a little; there weren’t chances galore, but Ascot were treading water rather than thrashing their way to the end at a rate of knots.

 

The Yellas did, however, ultimately snap out of the malaise. With 20 minutes to go Adam Abusweder raced through on goal only to be hauled down as he was about to release the trigger. A penalty, a yellow card and a nasty thwack on the hip for the Yellas’ midfield enforcer. Whilst Abusweder was trying to make sure all of his joints were indeed still where they should be, Islam Hussein slotted home to make it 5-0.

 

Andy Lunn, bulldozing his way through a stoic Poly back line, then boshed a shot straight at the ‘keeper. That shot was, however, clearly too hot to handle and it somehow went through the ‘keeper’s hands and indeed the ‘keeper’s body and rolled into the net.

 

6-0 became 7-0 when Islam Hussein pounced on a rebound to notch the final goal of the evening. All good.

 

At times the V2s were great, at other times they were not so great. Such is the way football is. Be that as it may, 7-0 is a resounding win and the side is now all but certain to remain in Div 1 in 2026-27. Indeed, that will be officially confirmed if Jamrock fail to win against the Army Crusaders on 18 April. Watch this space for more on that.

 

 

Squad. Eric Nawala, Dan Hough, Karl Small, Raph Bar, Loz Munns, Darren Lewis (c), Tony Everest, Loz Stephenson, Les Sykes, Dean Papali, Dan Wing, Jon Keough, Adam Abusweder, Islam Hussein, Andy Lunn.

Goals. Islam Hussein (2), Dean Papali (2), Andy Lunn, Les Sy kes and Loz Stephenson.