Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20/04/2024 | 15:00 | The Pitching In Isthmian Football League - South-Central Division | 2023-2024 |
Ground
| Racecourse Ground 3G 11-a-side |
|---|
| Sunninghill and Ascot, Ascot, Windsor and Maidenhead, South East, England, United Kingdom |
Report
ASCOT BEATEN IN FINAL HOME GAME
Cop that! Met win 2-0 to ensure safety
Ascot United signed off their Isthmian League home league campaign with a 2-0 defeat against Metropolitan Police on Saturday. The visitors, for whom Mason Galloway starred and scored a brace, guaranteed their own survival with victory, although results elsewhere ultimately rendered the result academic.
Yellas look to finish on a high; Met not safe yet
The home side came into the game looking to arrest a two-game losing sequence within a six-game run where they had taken just four points; manager Jamie Tompkins eager to go out on a high including their final-day trip to Northwood next weekend.
The Met, meanwhile, were winless in six and four points above the drop, and whilst not mathematically safe it would take an improbable swing in results – notably from Chipstead – to sentence them to step-five football next season.
Popular Ollie reaches half-century
The game also signalled a milestone for Ollie Harris. Reaching fifty appearances isn’t always the cue to hang out the bunting, but on this occasion it was after the popular forward battled back from a year out with injury – throughout which he lived every minute of his side’s FA vase journey – to prove himself at Step 4.
Met’s Mason is just magic
After a slow start, the game was illuminated by a moment of individual brilliance from striker Mason Galloway. Picking the ball up midway in the hosts’ half, Galloway slalomed his way through four challenges before drilling a wonderful low, right-footed effort across Mark Scott and into the bottom left hand corner.
Ascot responded and defender Dan Bailey found himself in unusual territory before firing a low shot that Liam Beach easily saved; Harry Grant involved in the build-up.
The pivotal moment came just before the half hour mark when Ascot – searching for a way back – struck the post. In fairness, the unlucky Harris knew little about it, although he was in the right place to at least divert Kynan Kirlen-Wright’s hooked clearance onto the left hand upright after Sean McCormack’s wicked cross had asked the questions.
Liam Tack then blazed a first-time effort over from the edge of the area after Grant’s sublime pass to McCormack ended with the latter fashioning space for a cross, but after weathering the storm, the visitors struck again.
And, it was Galloway again, who pounced in midfield to win back possession, before playing a sharp one-two with Christian Johnson and rounding Mark Scott to put his side 2-0 up six minutes before the break.
Police have more sting in the second half
The second half was a tepid affair until the surprising exit of Galloway, but after that the visitors created enough chances to put the game well and truly out of Ascot’s reach.
First, Scott saved well when one-on-one with Johnson, before repeating the trick to thwart substitute Benjamin Mendoza two minutes later.
Johnson then found no way past Scott with a 76th minute effort, Mendoza fired over first-time from Izunna Ikebuksi’s cross and substitute Igor De Souza struck a post in the 86th minute – but the visitors couldn’t add a third.
Ascot’s only chance of the second half fell to substitute Ewan Lynch in and around all that, but he could only poke Harry Laflin’s nod-down wide of the right-hand post from McCormack’s free kick.
What’s next for Ascot?
The Yellamen sign off their campaign in North London at Northwood next weekend, aiming to finish on a high.
Ascot United: Scott, Lahtinen-Kalsi, Lock (McLeod 58’), Tack, Bailey, Edwards, McCormack, H. Grant, Laflin, O. Harris (Lynch 58’), Mason (T. Morgan 58’). Subs unused: Sykes, Tucker
Entertainment: 2
Reporter’s Star Man: Mason Galloway (Met Police)
Away fans (estimate): 30