Old Meadonians Veterans v Ascot United Veterans

12/09/2020

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DateTimeLeagueSeason
12/09/202014:00West London Veterans Football League2020-2021

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And we’re off

 

The pitch was small and pretty bumpy, the referee said she didn’t want any linesmen but it still just felt so good to be back into league action and poignant that it was at the same place as our first ever league game last year, Goose Green.

In the second minute,  Dave S drove in a great corner and JK rose to smash his header against the cross bar. Ascot’s play was a little hesitant and the ball wasn’t really rolling quickly enough, well maybe not rolling more bouncing today, but still not bouncing along quickly enough. Old Mead’s had the next almost identical chance from a corner but just over. A break down our right from their keeper’s clearance left a player one on one on the angle with Rich but he wasted the chance by sliding his shot wide.

The game became a bit scrappy and it looked like a game where you just needed to come away with the points. Sam was a threat and volleyed just over and Ben Spence terrorised their defence with great pressing across their back line. He did a great job closing down defenders which resulted in Old Meads possession being cheaply lost. Great job.

Rocket got a couple of good breaks down the left and you could see that he would be a threat later in the game. HT 0-0

Ascot came out and completely dominated the second half. A little more width higher up the pitch and Old Meads were getting a little stretched and Ascot were keeping possession much better and still winning it back cheaply. On 51m Dave S received the ball inside and played outside to a galloping Leon, a lovely cross into Dave T’s feet, taken on the half turn and set for Tim whose shot was brilliantly blocked by keeper and defender. The Old Meads defence proved to be resolute and hard working.

Rocket began to play higher up and quickly got away twice down the left flank. One resulted in a great cross to the far post and Sam was so close to finishing it off with a brave header. Ascot won many corners and there were a number of half chances created from wonderful delivery. One drilled corner from Dave S went through to John who cushioned a lovely volleyed pass off the instep to Tim whose shot was really well saved. Dave T was holding the ball up well and Ascot dominated possession.

After 68mins, Mick put Rocket away down the left and he drove in from the wing to the keeper who saved his shot at the near post. A pullback and tap in was on for Dave T.

An Old Meads player was sinbinned on 71 minutes and as Ascot continued to keep possession and create some good situations you felt a goal was coming but also that nagging feeling that you had seen games like this before. Abbas put in a great cross and Sam rose well above everyone else and saw a great header just go over the bar. Sam was a real aerial threat. Old Meads back to full 11 and still no Ascot goal. With 8 minutes left, Old Meads broke down their right and the ball was played into the striker in the Ascot box, he slipped it to a team mate 16 yards out and you felt you knew what was coming. Well we didn’t. The player shot right at Rich who then quickly played it to Andy who passed one touch to Mick. Rocket has already started to scream for it. Mick clipped a great ball over the defender’s head and Rocket raced onto it down the left wing. The keeper made his one mistake of the day and thought he could get there first. Rocket saw him coming and clipped an absolute beauty over the on rushing keepers head and into the far corner. A fantastic counter attack and a brilliant finish. Dave T had a chance to finish it off with 5 minutes left but shot wide. Ascot saw the game out comfortably and took the points with a deserved 1-0 win.

Old Meads worked really hard and must have felt disappointed not to be able to hold out for those final 10 minutes after putting so much effort into the game.

Well done.

Team

Harrison, Flurry, Gatehouse, Keough, Corbett, Simpson, Gleave, Palmer-Wilson, T Standing, McIntyre, Spence, Parker, Hussain, Heard, Thompson (c) England

Old Meadonians Veterans0

Ascot United 1st X1 Veterans1
Referee to be confirmed