Croxley Green Super Veterans v Ascot United Supervets

Report

14 September 2024

Croxley Green Supervets 1-3 Ascot United Supervets

 

“Football” mused gaffer Stu Flurry to Five Live’s Mark Chapman in his post-match interview “is a game made for andby entertainers. Think Frank Worthington. Think Stan Bowles. I reckon that after his goal today we can add Paul Hamblin to that list”. Chapman could be heard purring in agreement.

 

Hamblin’s champagne moment wasn’t the only highlight in what was an entertaining first ever game of league football for the Ascot Supervets, but it was certainly a pivotal one. An hour in and the Yellas were deservedly in front, but Croxley – a side that certainly never threw the towel in – were increasingly beginning to dominate things.

 

Mike Tomlinson then got hold of the ball and tried to set Dan Hough away down the left. The Shropshire Lad couldn’t quite get to the pass, but he managed to charge down the home keeper’s attempted clearance. The ball skewed right and fell to Hamblin a good 45 yards out. No hesitation, the big man pinged it beautifully over the retreating keeper’s head and into the net. 3-1 and Ascot had what proved to be a decisive lead.

 

The Yellas acquitted themselves impressively, but there were still a few bumps in the road that needed negotiating. Eryk Nawala, for example, hadn’t been aware of the 13h kick off, so that meant the ever-reliable Chris Ferdinand started off in nets. One magnificent save in and Ferdinand was nonetheless hooked for the now present Nawala.

 

Gaffer Flurry started with Martin Kay and Darren Lewis in the full-back berths, while Dave Freer and Nigel Gatehouse were in the centre. Tomlinson and the enigmatic Mike Hynes were in the middle of the park, Dan Hough was to their left, John Heard to the right. That left Dave Thompson and Jez Myhan as the front two.

 

Martin Kay in particular stood out as doing particularly well, marauding forward when he could and dealing impressively with a tricky left winger. Hynes and Tomlinson passed with panache, whilst Thompson and Myhan did what they do best. Hold the ball up and let others join them.

 

Indeed, that was how the first goal came. Tomlinson slid in Thompson who got round the centre half nicely and crossed for Hough to tap home from a couple of yards. The lead was doubled when Hough again found himself in the clear, the ball looping over the keeper’s head to find the back of the net. 2-0.

 

Croxley, however, certainly came back into it, and by half-time it was 2-1. Gaffer Flurry rang the changes, as the Yellastried their level best not to sit too deep. Cue Hamblin’s magic moment and the return of a two-goal cushion.

 

Croxley kept coming. They hit the post once and they pinged no end of balls into the centre, but somehow it just wouldn’t drop for them. That was largely as the Ascot defenders stood up and dealt with the barrage impressively. Croxley’s luck did nonetheless appear to have changed when their dangerous winger was bundled over and a penalty was given. Nawala went to his left and palmed the ball impressively away. 3-1 it stayed.

 

That seemed to take the wind out of Croxley’s sails. Matty Hembrow impressed on the right, putting his foot on the ball and making the most of the overloads that were becoming ever more apparent on that side. Hamblin kept ploughing through the brick walls, Tomlinson and particularly Hynes offered that touch of footballing class in the middle. If anyone was going to score again it’d be Ascot.

 

That the Yellas couldn’t get the ball into the onion bag again didn’t matter. 3-1 represents an excellent debut in Supervets’ league football.

 

Club stalwart Darren Lewis was certainly pleased. “It was a good day all round. We worked hard and took our chances. Respect to Croxley, too, and particularly the decent showers that they offered up post-game; cubicles for a bit of privacy, decent strength water-pressure and plenty of room to get nicely soaped up. Fair play, 8 ½ out of 10. I am a notoriously tough marker….”

 

Can’t say fairer than that….

 

Team. Chris Ferdinand, Martin Kay, Daz Lewis, Nigel Gatehouse, Dave Freer, Mike Tomlinson, Mike Hynes, Dan Hough, John Heard, Jez Myhan and Dave Thompson.

Subs. Eryk Nawala, Paul Hamblin, Matty Hembrow.

Goals. Dan Hough (2), Paul Hamblin