Ascot United Women v Woodley United Ladies

Report

ASCOT HIT ELEVEN ON OPENING DAY WIN

 

Blistering start for Yellawomen against Woodley

 

Ascot United Women produced a scintillating team performance en route to an emphatic 11-0 win over Woodley United Ladies on Sunday afternoon. The new-look side were simply far too good for their opposition who battled gamely, but had no answer for their high-quality hosts who were ruthless in front of goal.

 

New-look Yellawomen impress in front of sizeable crowd

New manager Nathan Baker and his accomplices have signalled their ambition and intent with a string of new signings, their promise being already evident in a strong pre-season. And, as the business of attempting to mount a charge on the league title began again after finishing runners-up in the past two seasons, Baker’s starting line-up boasted seven of those new faces in front of 100-or-so watching supporters.

 

Standing in their way was local rivals Woodley – who fully extinguished Ascot’s wilting title ambitions by defeating them at the end of last season – both now looking for an opening-day victory in an expanded league of ten teams.

 

Dazzling start for high-energy Yellawomen

Despite temperatures hitting the high twenties, The Yellawomen came quickly out of the traps and Leah Littlechild forced a good save from visiting ‘keeper Emma Dean just two minutes in.

 

This triggered the start of an Ascot barrage, who took a fourth minute lead through Georgia Luckhurst-McCord, who headed Maddie Robertson’s corner down and into the left-hand corner.

 

Impressive Littlechild then went through only to see Dean turn her effort onto the inside of a post; Olivia Glover unable to scramble the ball home at the opposite corner.

 

But when Leah Robertson threaded Littlechild through in the eighth minute there was only one outcome as she confidently stroked the ball into the bottom left to make it 2-0.

 

The relentless pressure yielded number three just after the quarter-hour mark – Littlechild this time the provider with a smart pass to Glover – whose rising shot was parried by Dean before crossing the line.

 

Woodley battle hard to stop Ascot’s assault

The visitors did find a way to stem the flow although Ascot almost made it four when Beth Lloyd and Littlechild linked up for the latter to sting Dean’s palms in the 28^th minute. Amazingly, Littlechild fired wide after Alix Todd had skipped through the home defence, before the visitors finally threatened when Charley Evans picked out Sarah Lawrence on the right wing, who in turn saw her dangerous cross clawed away from danger by home ‘keeper Chloe Donellan.

 

And, just after keeping Ascot at bay for thirty minutes, Woodley found themselves on the end of a fourth when Lloyd’s sweet first-time effort capped the end of a fine move where Maddie Robertson hand Todd had combined for the latter to deliver the telling cross.

 

Second half – same start and got even better

As in the first half, the home side took just four minutes to find the net, and it was Littlechild again who found Glover in acres of space; she duly smacked the ball into the bottom right to make it 5-0.

 

Glover’s shot from a tight angle fizzed over soon after, before Phil Holden’s shot and Leah Robertson’s follow-up were both blocked.

 

Maddie Robertson caused problems with an exceptional array of set pieces – her 63^rd minute corner striking the top of the crossbar – and later she would score number eleven with a direct free kick, but in between all that there was time for Kate Fox to take the limelight after her introduction. Fox’s 63^rd minute press overturned possession, before playing in Leah Robertson. Robertson had too much pace racing into the box – was fouled – and then tucked the resultant penalty into the bottom left.

 

Exceptional finale as Yellawomen maintain momentum

Glover would, however, score the goal of the game three minutes later to complete her hat-trick. Fox picked her out with a cross-field pass, but Glover’s first touch to control and second touch to volley home was worthy of any stage; 7-0 and a quarter of the game to play.

 

Lloyd then fed Leah Robertson to make it eight with a wonderful side foot finish in at the near post before Littlechild robbed defender Chloe Griffith and rolled the ball in to make it nine, and then goal-hungry Luckhurst-McCord made it a rare double with a rising effort into the roof of the net from a tight angle to reach double figures with twelve minutes still to play.

 

Maddie Robertson’s free kick completed the scoring in the 79^th minute although there was still time for Fox to press and force another chance for Leah Robertson, who hammered the inside of a post.

 

Young ‘keeper Chloe Sadler came on for Ascot at half time and had little to do, although her safe hands from Ellen Surtees-Gooch’s curling direct free kick midway through the half will do her confidence no end of good.

 

As far as first days at the office go, this was pretty darned good, leaving the home faithful purring in appreciation.

 

What’s next for Ascot?

The Yellawomen’s first road trip takes them to the North-Western fringe of Portsmouth and one of the newly promoted sides – AFC Portchester – next Sunday, as they look to continue where they left off.

 

The bar has been set…

 

Ascot United: Donellan, Rowntree, Todd, Torry, Luckhurst-McCord, Maddie Robertson, Holden, Littlechild, Lloyd, Leah Robertson, Glover. Subs (rolling): Sadler, Fox, Drage, Huntley, Couzens

 

Entertainment: 4

Reporter’s Star Player: Leah Robertson (Ascot United)

Goals: 

Glover 16’, 49’ 66’

Leah Robertson 63’, 68’

Luckhurst-McCord 4’, 78’

Littlechild 8’, 71’

Lloyd 45+1’

Maddie Robertson 79’