You wait 4.5 weeks for football and get 45 minutes of action – that was the outcome at Egham’s Runnymede Stadium on Saturday as Ascot’s clash with the hosts was abandoned with the Yellamen leading one-nil.
After five weeks of inaction, it was perhaps little surprise that the opening encounters were lacking in quality, and the hosts’ floodlights were equally slow to reboot having been at half power for the opening period.
As for the action that did take place, The Yellamen would eventually find their feet after early half chances for Dan Bailey and the returning Luqman Kassim (pictured, shooting-stars.co.uk), whereas Egham huffed and puffed but failed to trouble Sam Gray, largely due to a resolute visiting defence. And, when they were stretched midway through the half, Josh Masters was on hand to nick the ball off Luke Maguire’s feet after his neat one-two with Sheridan Campbell that had taken Ascot’s central defence out of the equation.
But it was Ascot who took a deserved lead into the break when Duarte Surpanu did well to win his side a throw-in. And, when George Lock crossed form the right, Harry Laflin rose to plant a firm header past Sean Fallon, who was rooted to the spot.
Surpanu himself was denied by the woodwork in first half injury time – somehow finding enough power and almost enough precision from the tightest of angles after rounding Fallon – but his shot found the inside of the near post.
However, it all proved academic as the referee took the decision not to restart the second half with the floodlights on the near side looking unlikely to be fixed any time soon. The match will now be replayed at a later date, and Laflin’s strike will be sadly chalked off.
Focus now moves to the away friendly away against Windsor FC on Tuesday 8th December 7:30pm KO. Please note tickets must be purchased in advance and can be bought by visiting https://ow.ly/9XV150CDUnD
Ascot United: Gray, Lock, Masters, Evans, Bouwers, D. Bailey, Kassim, Denton, Surpanu, Laflin, Higgs, Subs unused : Haworth, Andrady, Davies, Hodges