Winchester City Flyers v Ascot United Women

Report

YELLAWOMEN WIN 4-0 AT WINCHESTER

 

Interim boss Cox off to a flyer

 

Ascot United Women scored twice in each half to beat Winchester City Flyers 4-0 on Sunday. In interim manager Andy Cox’s first match in charge, The Yellawomen put in another impressive performance to maintain their place at the top of the league.

 

All change for Ascot?

The Yellawomen had parted company with manager Nathan Baker some ten days earlier and this was their first outing under interim manager Cox since then, but it was business as usual as his troops shined in the October sun.

 

Flyers had established themselves in a mini group of three teams in mid-table, and whilst they had won just two of their five league outings this season, crucially they had come at their Operatix Community Centre home.

 

Glover at the double in dominant first half display

After an uneventful opening thirteen minutes where Ascot enjoyed most of the possession, they finally took the lead courtesy of Liv Glover. Breaking down the right, Chloe Ball – who had an excellent game – delivered a fine cross which Glover met on the volley at the far post to make it 1-0.

 

Glover almost doubled the lead six minutes later following intricate play between Beth Lloyd and Ball, although her first time shot gave home ‘keeper Eleanor Parker a relatively easy save.

 

The home side rarely threatened, and after Lavinia Nkomo had seen her effort from range drift wide-right of Jody Gray-Piazza’s post, it was business as usual at the other end one minute later. This time, Leah Littlechild threaded the ball through for Glover, and she raced onto it before slotting to the right of Parker to make it 2-0.

 

Only a very late offside flag denied Glover a first half hat-trick when he had converted at the far post ten minutes before the break, although the chance owed much to the skill of Ball who had spun her marker on the right wing before racing clear and sliding a delicious cross into the proverbial mixer.

 

Second half – more of the same and quality goals

Five minutes into the second half, Littlechild and Lloyd linked up for the latter to force Parker into a great save, but when Lloyd got a sight of goal with a direct free kick in the 57^th minute there was absolutely nothing Parker could do about it as Lloyd got the ball up and over the wall, and into the roof of the net, to make it 3-0.

 

Kate Fox then turned provider for Ball to rifle into the right hand corner on the hour mark – a brilliant strike leaving Parker with no chance once again – and that was scoring complete.

 

Substitute Leah Robertson added new vigour and went close with a shot that Parker did brilliantly well to get down to, before Glover almost iced the cake of the match when she ghosted into Katie Vince’s cross at the end of a delicious move on the right.

 

When Glover was fouled in the box the visitors had the chance to make it five, although Phil Holden smacked the crossbar with the resultant spot-kick, and Robertson flashed an even later volley wide near the end.

 

All in all, a great day at the office, and Cox – together with assistant Stu Connor – will relax on Sunday evening with a 100% win ratio.

 

What’s next for Ascot?

The Yellawomen big for Adobe Women’s Cup history next weekend when they travel to Brentford Women in the First Round proper of the competition. Win that and they will go outright further than they have gone before, and inch just a little bit closer to the big guns.

 

Ascot United: Gray-Piazza, Luckhurst-McCord, Todd, Huntley, Drage, Torry, Fox, Littlechild, Lloyd, Ball, Glover. Subs (rolling): Vince, Knight, L. Robertson, Magrath, Holden

 

Entertainment: 4

Reporter’s Star Player: Chloe Ball (Ascot United)