Ascot United Men v Hayes and Yeading United

Report

FIVE-STAR ASCOT DISMANTLE HAYES

 

Vine treble underpins 5-2 win

 

Hotshot Lucias Vine scored a hat-trick as Ascot United romped to a 5-2 victory over managerless Hayes and Heading United on Saturday. The Yellamen were mostly in control having seen their lead cut from 2-0 and then 3-1, but eventually ran away with it when visiting ‘keeper Aaron Watkins saw red.

 

Mixed league form for both sides but boss-less Reds seek strength

The visitors arrived having relieved manager Simon Lane of his duties during late-midweek; just one league win in their last six had cost his side a play-off berth as well as his own tenancy.

 

However, The Reds remained seventh and one place outside of those shoot-out positions, not that Ascot United – who had taken three wins from six – were too bothered as they focused on the task at hand.

 

Luis Le Paih was the only notable absentee for Ascot having broken his nose during the midweek league cup defeat, but George Franklin – signed on a dual registration basis from Bracknell Town – was handed a start following a substitute appearance on his Tuesday night debut.

 

Fast start for hosts on festive members’ day.

The Yellamen were quickly into their stride and two early goals looked to have put them in the box seat.

 

With just eleven minutes on the clock, Fope Deru did incredibly well to tease possession back on the by-line, before cutting the ball back across the six-yard box for Khalid Simmo, who blasted a left-footed effort into the top-left hand corner on the turn.

 

Four minutes later and it was 2-0 with a goal that owed as much to Franklin’s vision – curling a ball around the visitors’ defence for Lucias Vine to run onto – and he duly slotted under the advancing Aaron Watkins.

 

But Ascot’s generosity offered Hayes a route back into the game in the 23^rd minute when Sean Fraser mis-timed his defensive error and Ibby Sankoh committed a foul in attempting to recover. Jack McKnight’s free-kick fizzed along the ground from wide-left of the penalty area and somehow found its way through everyone – including goalkeeper Kie Plumley – to cut the deficit.

 

And, the visitors came close to levelling after a spell of sustained Ascot pressure. This time, Kai Allsopp was the recipient of assistant manager Vic Ocansey’s berating when his complacency allowed Ryan Ewhare to release Amaru Kaunda, whose rising drive flicked the top of the crossbar on its way to safety.

 

Two-one at half time in the hosts’ favour, but all to play for.

 

Yellas strike early again; Watkins madness costs visitors

After the restart, the home side took just four minutes to make it 3-1, and this time it was  Cameron Rohart-Brown who turned provider for Vine, who tricked the ball away from his marker before dinking an exquisite effort over Watkins and into the right-hand corner.

 

But Hayes were not done and Kie Plumley’s low save down to his near post turned Kaunda’s effort around a post after Ben Purcell had been given too much time to pick him out in the final third.

 

But barely a minute later Ewhare scored the goal of the came to cut the lead to 3-2; smashing home first time on the volley from the edge of the penalty area after Ascot had only half-cleared a corner.

 

Watkins then beat Tyrese Osbourne’s rasping drive away as ascot went for number four – although the save was one for the cameras – but his next save was a step up with a finger-tipped effort to tip Rudi Pache’s effort over the crossbar.

 

Sadly for Watkins, his next intervention cost his side a man and a penalty when his loose clearance struck Simmo, Simmo ran clear only to be pulled down by Watkins, and he duly received his marching orders. Up stepped Vine from the spot, and he took his tally to nine goals in nine games with his third of the match.

 

Plumley got down well to deny substitute Steven Naz in the 87^th minute – had that gone in there might have been a grandstand finale – but it was Ascot who had the final word in the last of four added minutes when Vine turned provider for substitute Jaheim Kamara, whose deflected effort went in at the near post past substitute ‘keeper Giacomo Magrini to make it 5-2.

 

Ascot United: Plumley, Sankoh, Brown, Fraser, Simmo, Allsopp, Vine, Osbourne, Deru, Franklin, Pache. Subs (all used): Edwards, Williams, Dehghani, Brandao, Kamara

 

Venue: The Racecourse, Ascot

Attendance: 206

Weather: 12c, cloudy

Reporter’s star man: Lucias Vine (Ascot United)

Entertainment: 4

Away fans estimate: 30

One-word summary: Comfortable