Ascot United Men v Margate

Report

ASCOT EASE THROUGH IN TROPHY

 

Yellas win 3-0 against disappointing Margate

 

Ascot United cruised to a 3-0 win over Margate in the Isuzu FA Trophy first qualifying round on Friday night. Leading by the same score after a one-sided first half, the second period was a procession as the home side retained their interest in both national FA Cup competitions in which they compete.

 

More Friday cup action as Yellas home sequence continues

The match was a repeat of the tie two seasons ago which Ascot won 1-0, but jump forwards and the hosts’ squad is completely different as they sought to continue their recent good form in their fourth of seven consecutive home games.

 

Friday under the lights often draws a good crowd and credit to ‘Gate for making an unenviable weekend trip around the M25; at least they – along with Ascot – would have an extra day before their bank holiday Monday fixture.

 

Yellamen overpower poor ‘Gate in one-sided first-half

Ascot were well-on top in a one-sided first half where Margate were woefully poor.

 

It took just seven minutes for the home side to take the lead when Isaac Brown’s diagonal pass picked out Cameron Rohart-Brown on the left, he cut the ball inside for Harley Platel, and Platel cut back onto his right foot left-of-goal before curling past visiting ‘keeper Harry Seaden.

 

Quaye Vine then showed great skill to hold the ball up and feed Rohart-Brown in the 31^st minute; the defender finding the net via a slight deflection from distance to make it 2-0.

 

The visitors made nothing of their four-or-five corner kicks compared with Ascot’s zero and looked devoid of ideas; Ascot almost adding a third when Brown was allowed to get his shot away from substitute Kareem Akinnibi’s pass before drawing a fine save from Seaden in the 36^th minute.

 

But The Yellamen made it 3-0 in the 42^nd minute when Kai Zini superbly held off defender William Thomas and cut the ball inside for Platel, whose positivity was rewarded when his low shot took another slight deflection on its way into the top left.

 

Second half stalemate

After the break there was little to write home about, although credit to the home side – they worked hard off the ball to stifle anything that the Kent side might have mustered.

 

Key to their energy was man-of-the-match Jaye Long – in an unusual pairing with fellow midfield dynamo Kai Allsopp – and it worked.

 

The two of them simply had too much energy for a surprisingly blunt Margate side who failed to register a shot on target.

The livewire Akinnibi flashed a shot across goal for Ascot midway through the half just after home ‘keeper Sam Swyer had done well to steer danger clear and wide in front of his goal, but it was a stroll for the home side.

 

Margate’s performance was undeserving of their 30-or-so travelling support that made the long round trip; those hardy souls are the heroes tonight.

 

Ascot United: Swyer, Anthony, Rohart-Brown (O’ Neill 81’), Parkinson, Sesay, Allsopp, Zini (Deru 70’), Long, Vine (Akinnibi 34’), Brown (Bullard-Jeffrey 74’), Platel (Mboge 70’).

 

Venue: The Racecourse, Ascot

Attendance: TBC (estimate: 175)

Weather: 18c, partly cloudy/rain

Ascot United MOM: Jaye Long

Entertainment: 3

Away fans estimate: 30

One-word summary: Controlled