Farnham Town v Ascot United Men

Report

ASCOT FIGHT BACK TO DRAW WITH LEADERS FARNHAM

Anas is spot-on in one-all draw

 

Anas Igozouln’s second half penalty rescued a deserved point for Ascot United at leaders Farnham Town on Saturday. Trailing one-nil at the break, the Yellamen were on top throughout and got their reward, extending their unbeaten sequence to nine matches.

 

Big crowd present for first v fourth

This was an eagerly-anticipated clash between the league’s top two form sides – Ascot on an eight game unbeaten streak in all competitions and Farnham leading the way and boasting the best scoring record across Steps one to four – and the festive cracker drew in a crowd of 806.

 

Ascot welcomed Connor Holland, Sean Fraser and Ben Harris into the starting line-up in three changes to the side that drew with Guernsey a week earlier, whereas the hosts had recent acquisition Jordan Gallagher in their ranks alongside ex-Ascot goalkeeper Hugo Sobte.

 

Taylor Morgan also made his 100th appearance for Ascot, and a typically workmanlike performance lasted 67 minutes until he was replaced by the penalty-winning Aiden Payne-James; Gallagher would also be replaced for the hosts after a poor display.

 

Ascot dominate first half but punished late-on

The visitors were the better side in a low-key first half where Farnham failed to test their well-drilled defence until injury time, and Khalid Simmo’s thumping early effort forced Sobte to save with his legs.

 

Holland then escaped down the right and crossed for Harris in the eighth minute, but the pace and height were both too much for the striker who was always stretching with a diving header at the far post, which went wide.

 

Harry Cooksey dragged wide of Mark Scott’s post midway through the half in a rare Farnham foray forwards, and just as it looked as if the half would end goalless, Farnham struck in first half injury time.

 

Ascot switched off as Ryan Kinnane threaded Cooksey clear on the wing, and he had all the time in the world to pick out Owen Dean, who swivelled before firing low into the bottom left.

 

It might have been worse at the break when Simmo lost out in midfield; Dean raced clear, but he dragged his shot wide of the left-hand post with Scott beaten.

 

Yellamen remain confident in second half

All of the meaningful action after the break came in the final quarter of the game, starting when Simmo saw a shot deflected wide before Holland tried to walk the ball in only to see Sobte recover and avert danger.

 

But when substitute Payne-James went on a marauding run and was upended by defender Jordon Stepney eighteen minutes from time, Igozouln made no mistake by rolling the resultant penalty into the bottom right.

 

Despite their underwhelming display, Farnham would create chances and substitute Adam Liddle flashed a header high and wide of the top left before Scott made a brilliant save – rushing off his line to make a goal-saving block – when Dean crossed for the unmarked Liddle five minutes from time.

 

But Ascot looked the more likely – and more worthy – to score again and half-time substitute Harvey Harry slalomed his way through three challenges only to curl just wide of the right hand post after he had done all the hard work with time ebbing away.

 

At the other end, Scott would tip Kinnane’s injury-time drive around a post at the start of five minutes of overages, but that was as close as it got for the home side who will, on balance of play, be more happy with a point than Ascot.

 

What’s next for Ascot?

The Yellamen will be back in the vicinity of Farnham on Boxing Day when they make the trip to lowly Badshot Lea.

 

Ascot United: Scott, Goulter, Jones (Lock 88’), Fraser (Lahtinen-Kalsi 91’), Edwards, Simmo, Grant, Morgan (Payne-James 67’), Holland, Igozouln, Harris (Harry 46’). Sub unused: Butler

 

Entertainment: 3

Reporter’s Star Man: Josh Edwards (Ascot United)

Away fans (estimate): 50