Ascot United Supervets v Cheam Sports Super Veterans

Ascot United’s Supervets started 2026 in the most emphatic of ways, putting ten past Cheam Sports on a cold, clear night at the Racecourse Ground. Mark Reed and Chris Purdue both bagged hat-tricks, Chris Ferdinand and Mike Tomlinson had to settle for a brace apiece. And, in truth there could have been plenty more…..

First up, respect due to Cheam. They turned up with ten men and despite haemorrhaging goals right from the get-go – Tomlinson gracefully opened scoring with barely a minute on the clock – they kept at it. Indeed, when you’re 7-0 down at half-time losing 10-0 doesn’t sound nearly as bad as it otherwise might.

That having been said, the game really was all about Ascot. A couple of times this season the SVs have got it wrong. This time they most definitely got it right; the ball was pinged around nicely, they pressed at the right times and generally took (most, if not all) of their chances.

Particular highlights came in the form of Micky Parker getting 45 minutes on the clock and Mark Reed re-inventing himself as a swashbuckling hat-trick scorer. Reed’s first was a bullet header, his second and third neat finishes from a man with a cool head.

Jad Sidhu and Martin Kay once again showed that age is no hindrance to you being a wing back, while at one point Ed Du Bois mutated into a Freddie Ljungberg-esque right midfielder. The goals, however, came from an ever reliable set of sources. Mike Tomlinson was out of the blocks quickly, bagging two in the first 15 minutes, while Chris Ferdinand took his tally for the Supervets to 30 in total by adding a couple more.

The ever-dynamic Chris Purdue was also in goal-scoring mood, grabbing his first hat-trick for the Yellas. Excellent stuff.

The SVs will have stiffer challenges to come, but given they hadn’t played for a month it was a good way back into things. Indeed, they can try and put in a repeat performance next Saturday – they travel to Sheen in the reverse fixture.

Team. Andy Rowe, Martin Kay, John Gregory, Mike Tomlinson, Dave Porter, Ed Du Bois, Mark Reed, Chris Purdue, Jon Norris, Chris Ferdinand, Dan Hough.

Gamechangers. Paul Hamblin, Jad Sidhu, Matt Newall, Micky Parker, Phil White

Goals. Mark Read (3), Chris Purdie (3), Mike Tomlinson (2), Chris Ferdinand (2)