Ascot United Women v Woodley United Ladies

Report

KATE’S GREAT AS ASCOT SCORE EIGHT

 

Fox on fire in 8-2 Ascot Cup Win

 

Ascot United Women produced a stunning performance to beat Woodley United Ladies 8-2  on Sunday afternoon and move into the Adobe Women’s FA Cup First Round Proper. Having gone behind inside a minute, the hosts mounted a scintillating comeback on an afternoon where Kate Fox shone.

 

Ascot and Woodley meet again, but not some sunny day

The two sides locked horns on their opening day league fixture, and although the Yellawomen won that heavily, United had won all of their matches since and were 2^nd in the league behind Ascot.

 

That game was played in searing heat – not the same for the second edition – but at least the weather was set fair for the 100-or-so supporters.

 

Woodley stun Yellas before hosts fight back

In an incredible opening, the visitors were ahead after just 36 seconds when Sarah Lawrence raced onto a ball over the top and lifted it over Choe Sadler.

 

Sadler then got down well to deny the same player just two minutes later, but Woodley’s lead lasted until the 16^th minute when Fox won a corner. Alix Todd delivered it, defender Lauren Devlin made a hash of her clearance, and Leah Littlechild thumped the ball into the roof of the net.

 

Two minutes later, Ascot were ahead when Beth Lloyd’s fantastic through ball picked out Liv Glover, Glover rounded ‘keeper Jo Nowal-Allen, and Littlechild side-footed home.

 

But player-of-the match Fox would be involved in five of the six goals scored before her second-half exit, and her fine pass over the top in the 24^th minute teed up Glover to bury low into the bottom left.

 

And when Fox was fouled seven minutes before the break, Todd fired the resultant free-kick into the top left hand corner to make it 4-1.

 

Yellas keep foot on the gas after interval.

Incredibly, Lawrence almost repeated her earlier trick for Woodley only to drag wide of target when she should have done better, but what might have been 4-2 soon became 5-1 when Fox’s cross-shot looped over Nowal-Allen and into the net.

 

Fox then stabbed home from just inside the area for number six before being one of four players substituted, but her replacements were soon in on the act; Sophie Doyle and Ella Rowntree combining well on the right wing for Lloyd, who showed great feet in the box and fired into the bottom left.

 

Glover saw a shot saved and Todd’s neat one-two with Lloyd ended with the former also thwarted by Nowal-Allen, but the visiting ‘keeper’s best moment came with a fantastic save to palm Phil Holden’s thunderbolt away in the 77^th minute.

 

Doyle and Rowntree then combined again to good effect as the latter rifled home at the near post to make it 8-1, before Lawrence book-ended Ascot’s goals with a fine solo effort ten minutes from the end, racing down the left and cutting across the box before firing past Sadler into the bottom right; 8-2 the final score.

 

A clearly happy manager Nathan Baker said afterwards “I was pleased with the resilience, especially after going a goal down. The last few weeks we have been excellent. Kate [Fox] was excellent today and the most important thing is we are in the hat for the next round.”

 

What’s next for Ascot?

The Yellawomen are back in cup action next weekend for the visit of Tilehurst Panthers as the Berks and Bucks County competition gets underway.

 

Ascot United: Sadler, Luckhurst-McCord, Todd, Huntley (Knight 58’), Drage, Torry, Fox (Holden 58’), Littlechild (Rowntree 58’), Lloyd, Ball (Doyle 58’), Glover. Sub unused: M. Robertson

 

Entertainment: 5

Reporter’s Star Player: Kate Fox (Ascot United)