1-0 win sees hosts record quick double
Ascot United lost for the second time in week against Hartley Wintney, as they struck early to sink The Yellamen on Saturday afternoon. The visitors gave a good account of themselves once again, but they couldn’t find a way through a well-organized home defence and were denied by the woodwork late-on.
Scott makes debut as Antarctic chill subsides
The milder early morning temperature ensured this match escaped a third postponement, and also allowed new signing Mark Scott to make his debut in goal for Ascot United; another former step 3 player joining the recent influx of talent. Defender Alfie Grant, meanwhile, was sidelined following injury sustained during the midweek reverse fixture, whereas Harry Tucker, Jordan Ajanlekoko and Taylor Morgan also featured in the starting line up for the first time after spells out.
Tuesday’s script almost played on repeat
The first half had a similar pattern to the game four days earlier as the hosts took an early lead before sitting back as Ascot came back into it.
Seven minutes in and The Row were ahead as Mason Obeng’s goal-bound shot struck Harry Tucker, wrong-footed Scott, and Conor Lynch rolled the ball into the bottom right.
Scott then made a decent save before Tucker and Sean McCormack made heroic blocks to charge down shots from Momodou Jallo and Ik Hill in quick succession, but Ascot would then mount a threat of their own.
The first chance, however, came when ‘keeper Adam Melville completely missed his goal-kick, allowing Ben Harris the chance to shoot from an improbably tight angle, although he only missed the wrong side of the crossbar by inches. Liam Tack then saw a shot deflect wide after latching onto a half-clearance from Harry Grant’s cross, and in the dying moments of the half Taylor Morgan flashed a header from McCormack wide after he had led a counter following Andriy Demira and Reece Wylie’s failed attempt at a one-two from their own attacking free kick in Ascot’s half; one-nil it remained.
Ascot push hard but denied at the death
Early in the second half defenders Demira and George Wallace linked up well for Lynch, although he could only stab wide at the near post as the home side went close to doubling their lead.
At the other end, Melville did well at the feet of Ben Harris after Morgan had done equally well to carve out the chance with a neat touch and lay-off, but Scott needed to be equally alert when Obeng’s 60th minute effort took a deflection which the Ascot debutant saved with his feet.
Scott then brilliantly clawed Lynch’s free-header away after he rose unmarked to meet Jallo’s cross, but as the sides traded chances The Yellamen were desperately unlucky not to grab an equaliser when Melville denied Tack from close range in the 81st minute before the woodwork came to the home side’s rescue two minutes into injury time when Tack hooked his shot onto the underside of the crossbar after Grant dinked the ball over the defence following substitute Chris Ellis’s long throw-in.
Scott had denied Lynch one-on-one in between those efforts in what was a good debut, but sadly his heroics counted for nothing.
What’s next for Ascot?
There is no midweek game for the side who have gone from playing the least to the most number of league matches within a two-month period; AFC Whyteleafe’s ground is the destination for the yellow and blue faithful next weekend as they prepare to face Sutton Common Rovers.
Ascot United: Scott, Tack, Lalustani, Ajanlekoko (Lock 80’), Tucker, Edwards (Ellis 56’), McCormack, H. Grant, B. Harris (O. Harris 71’), T. Morgan, Goulter. Subs unused: Lahtinen-Kalsi, Bailey
Entertainment: 3
Reporter’s Star Man: Momodou Jallo (Hartley Wintney)
Away fans (estimate): 30
