Latimer Road Veterans v Ascot United 2nd X1 Veterans

Report

The sides in places three and four in Division One of the West London Vets’ League went toe-to-toe on 14 December. A heavy pitch prevented this ever becoming a feast of footballing brilliance. Indeed, the game quickly descended into a mud-fest with direct football more or less the only way out of the quagmire. Ultimately, it was Latimer who prevailed, but Ascot can be proud of the way they stuck at it.

 

“If you’d said to me that we’d end up with Carl Collins at centre half and Islam Hussein taking on the Bob Latchford role up front” mused skipper Steve Dando to the BBC’s World Service afterwards “then I’d have thought you stark raving bonkers”. It seemed a fair comment, but that’s the way things ultimately panned out.

 

A delayed kick off (“Sorry, fellas, we’ll be a bit late starting, the ref is just getting off the bus somewhere in Cranford High Street”) did little to help Ascot as they started slowly and struggled to get into things. Any notion of slick passing being the order of the day were quickly ditched when the ball was given away, Latimer broke and Latimer scored. Twice. 20 gone, two down and Ascot were struggling to play with any sort of pattern.

 

Just as Ascot were desperately trying to re-set, another issue came to the fore; Nigel Gatehouse, excellent the week before against the Whippets, pulled a fetlock and was forced to leave proceedings. Dwaine Bryan came on at the back to replace him.

 

It was around then that Ascot clicked. Mano Chahal, who had an excellent game in the middle, started getting his foot on the ball and prompting the Yellas to be just a bit more direct. That brought Alex Markarian and Jon Bennett into the game. And, sure enough, Bennett it was who found some space and halved the lead. Bennett was also very much involved with the Ascot equaliser, although it was ultimately skipper Steve Dando who banged the ball home.

 

Ascot were flying. And, it felt like they were going to have a penalty chance to go 3-2 up. Alex Markarian went haring through the middle and was all set to unleash a shot before being hacked down. It looked both like a nailed on penalty and indeed a red card. The ref decided otherwise; yellow card and (somehow) a free kick on the edge of the box. Ascot were decidedly perplexed; they made little from the free kick and the game drifted into half-time all square.

 

The second half started off with Ascot on the front foot. Dwaine Bryan had a sumptuous free kick saved magnificently by the home keeper, before the Polish custodian (both keepers and indeed the referee were from the land of pierogi and Prince Polos) saved smartly from an imperious Islam Hussein (Bob Latchford) header. The home keeper also came to the party impressively when Alex Markarian raced away down the right and crossed for Dan Hough to flick the ball goalwards; Latimer again (somehow) survived.

 

Ascot, however, had another setback awaiting them. Eryk Nawala had to hobble away to the touchline. Thankfully, a more than able replacement was to hand in Dwaine Bryan. He took the mitts, but that left a centre half problem. Fair play to Carl Collins for stepping up and moving into the back line alongside Darren Lewis. With Scott Brown taking a whack and also having to leave the scene that meant (yet another) re-org as Ascot took the strain.

 

Eventually, however, Latimer’s dangerous centre forward found some space down the right. Ascot scrambled to clear the cross, but Latimer managed to grasp the nettle and steer the ball home. 3-2 to the hosts.

 

Ascot went again. Jon Bennett had a goal disallowed for reasons unknown, but it was at the other end where the final goal of the game came; a decent flick over Bryan and into the net. 4-2 it ended.

 

Ascot United’s 2nd XI may have lost, but it wasn’t for the lack of trying. They started slowly, but dominated the middle of the game. And that despite the plethora of injuries.

Christmas now looms large for the twos. Next game will be on the second Friday in January when Nottsborough are in town. Have a good ‘un, everyone.

 

Team. Eryk Nawala, Dan Hough, Scott Brown, Nigel Gatehouse, Darren Lewis, Tony Everest, Mano Chahal, Adam Abusweder, Steve Dando (c), Jon Bennett, Alex Markarian.

Subs. Dwaine Bryan, Islam Hussein, Garyth Brant and Carl Collins

Goals. Jon Bennett and Steve Dando