Chelsea Veterans v Ascot United 1st X1 Veterans

Report

15 October 2022

Chelsea Vets 3-0 Ascot United 1st XI

Reigning premier league champions, Chelsea Vets, ultimately did enough to secure all three points in an entertaining encounter with Ascot United on 15 October. Two goals in the last 10 minutes made the points safe for the hosts, but Ascot need not be downhearted. They battled gamely and on another day the result could quite plausibly have been different.

Ascot’s first real test of 2022-23 saw them travel to Chelsea Vets, one of the titans of the West London Vets League. Gaffer Dave Good had to deal with a few absentees, but even thenthe Yellamen travelled in quietly confident mood. The M3 and A316 were, for once, successfully negotiated in good time and the Ascot side started the game in much better shape than was the case at Bank of England last week.

In the opening exchanges Chelsea certainly had a lot of the ball. They’ve players who can play; they all have a decent touch and they are confident on the ball. Ascot, for their part,kept their shape nicely. Andy Gleave, the modern day Mickey Thomas (without the penchant for creating fake currency), Toby Underwood and Mike Tomlinson covered plenty of ground in the middle of the park whilst Adam Moroney and Ben Standing tried their level best to hold the ball up. The back line was well marshalled by Jon Keough, and both Chris Ferdinand and Jamie Burgess stood strong against the big, strong, Chelsea front line. Push though Chelsea did, Ascot held kept their shape nicely.

Chelsea did nonetheless create chances, and it was a break down the hosts’ right that ultimately saw them take the lead. They had plenty of runners into the box, one of whom managed to sneak through and open the scoring. That was mid-way through the first half.

Ascot took the strain and held out until half-time. In the second half, however, the story was an altogether different one. Tommy Williams tried to pull the strings for Chelsea, but Ascot enjoyed a fair amount of possession and slowly looked ever more dangerous moving forward. Adam Moroney kept on running, Rob Saunders couldn’t quite convert the chances that came his way and somehow or other the ball just wouldn’t drop nicely for the visitors. Ascot were on top, but the goal just wouldn’t come.

Cue a Chelsea breakaway and everything changing. 1-0 means the game is well and truly in the balance, but at 2-0 and breathing space appears. Ascot won’t be happy with the goal, but the sign of a good side is that they take their chances when they come.

Gaffer Dave Good rang the changes, Garyth Brant coming on as the Yellamen went with three up top. Micky Parker and Ed Du Bois also entered the fray, replacing the otherwise impressive Jamie Burgess and Chris Ferdinand. The aim was to be direct and to put Chelsea under pressure. It felt like it was working …. before Chelsea broke away and managed to claim a third. Game over, three points remaining in Chiswick.

The Premier League is going to be a tight one this year. There are a number of good sides and they all have the potential to beat each other. With that in mind, Ascot will know that one defeat doesn’t render their title ambitions dead in the water. A little more finesse, a little more poise going forward and they wouldn’t have had to return from Chelsea empty-handed. But,the hosts are a good side and they took the chances that came their way. Respect due to them for that.

Ascot are next in action on 28 October when they welcome Kew Park Rangers to the racecourse ground.

Team : Harrison, Hough, Burgess, Ferdinand, Keough, Tomlinson, Gleave, Underwood, Saunders, Moroney, B Standing (c), du Bois, Parker, Tanfield, Brant