Old Lyonians Super Veterans vs Ascot United Super Veterans

Report

2 November 2024

Old Lyonians SVs 3-6 Ascot United SVs

 

Ascot United’s Supervets made it four league wins from four as they overcame a game Lyonians’ side by six goals to three. Chris Ferdinand was again the star man, bludgeoning his way to four goals. That means Ferdinand is now officially top scorer across the Vets’ section in 2024-25. Ten goals and counting. Given the form he’s in at the moment, there may well be plenty more to come.

 

“He comes from good goal-scoring stock does that boy Ferdinand” commented gaffer Stu Flurry to the massed ranks of the world’s press after the game “and the way’s he playingat the moment the only question I have is whether we’re evergoing to be able to persuade him at the back for the SVs again. I’m thinking that the chances of success there are decidedly slim…..”

 

Ferdinand’s performance in front of goal caught the eye, but there were still times when the Yellas had to dig deep against dogged opponents. Indeed, the Yellas started brightly, but it was former AUFC Vets’ triallist, Ray Pillai, who raced through and hit the ball nicely over stand in keeper Newall to open the scoring. The Yellas had been well and truly warned.

 

Decent enough though the Yellas’ start was, gaffer Flurry wasn’t slow in grasping the nettle. 4-3-3 became 4-4-2 and suddenly everything clicked. There’s not many who will have expected Paul Hamblin to be moved into the centre of the park to join Mike Tomlinson, but, respect due, Hamblin took to his new role like a duck to water. Tomlinson, meanwhile, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and his prompting led to a veritable avalanche of goals.

 

Tomlinson himself got the equaliser, playing a neat and tidy one-two off the keeper following a penalty. One all soon became 2-1 when Ferdinand found space on the edge of the box and clinically fizzed the ball home. Ferdinand then doubled his tally before Dave Thompson made a neat and tidy run down the channel and squared to the on-running Dan Hough to slot home. 4-1 then became 5-1 when Ferdinand once again finished with panache to wrap up his hat-trick.

 

Half-time came and went and with the Yellas in cruise control mode gaffer Flurry chose to enter the fray. And, fair play, he got in a whole host of brilliant goal-scoring positions. That the shots went wide left, wide right, over the bar and straight at the keeper is a point on which we need not dwell…..

 

Dwaine Bryan had by now arrived on his bike and he promptly took over sub-making responsibilities. It didn’t take long for him to heed the calls of the watching masses and restore Ferdinand to the front line; a turn of speed, a quick look up and the ball arrowed across the ‘keeper and into the corner. Four for Ferdinand, six for Ascot United.

 

Old Lyonians, however, most definitely weren’t in the mood to throw the towel in. They pulled one back before Mick Zammit hammered – and I really do mean hammered – a penalty top bins. Matt Newall was never saving it, and neither was any other ‘keeper on the planet.

 

That, however, was that in terms of the scoring. Paul Hamblin came close late on, Micky Parker pinged in a couple of decent shots whilst Abbas Hussain was forever game down the left.Dave Thompson and Ben Spence also had their moments as Ascot rotated their players and eased to the finish line.

 

Good stuff all round. The Supervets now have three weeks off. Their next contest will at the Racecourse against Claygate on Friday 22 November. Bring it on.

 

Team; Matt Newall, Martin Kay, Micky Parker, Dave Freer, Nigel Gatehouse, Mike Tomlinson (c), Abbas Hussain, Dan Hough, Paul Hamblin, Chris Ferdinand, Dave Thompson

Goals; Chris Ferdinand (4), Mike Tomlinson, Dan Hough