Ascot score in 100th minute to draw 1-1 with Maidenhead
A dramatic equaliser in the tenth minute of added time ensured Ascot United Women escaped their local derby with Maidenhead United with a point. Having hit the woodwork three times and trailing 1-0, it looked as if the home side would take nothing from a game where they deserved something, until carnage in the visitors box from Bella Cox’s last-gasp corner yielded the leveller.
Berkshire’s best go head-to-head
Having come from behind to win the reverse fixture 3-2 on a sunny September afternoon, the home side were hoping to record a double and keep their impressive run of form going. Andy Cox’s side had taken four wins and a draw from their last six to both propel themselves away from danger and surge into a cup final; a win in this fixture and they’d climb into the top half of the table.
The Magpies, however, were above Ascot in the table going into the fixture – three points and two places better off in fifth place – and had recently recorded some impressive results of their own, most notably a 1-0 win over high-flying Swindon Town.
And, this would be a dress-rehearsal for next weekend’s historic County Cup Final between the two sides, but thoughts of that were quickly parked as the clocked ticked past 2pm.
Evenly matched first half ends goalless
Ascot were quickest out of the blocks and might have led inside two minutes only for visiting ‘keeper Rosie Willmott-Joyce to stand up and make an ultimately routine save to beat Poppy Dearlove’s shot away after Anais Harney’s intelligent pass had played her in.
Dearlove then fed Jacey Lane with a sublime reverse pass, Lane took aim with her left, but could only drag her shot across the face of goal and wide of the right-hand post.
But the closest either side came was in the 25th minute when Maidenhead defender Molly McKeever clattered Harney on the edge of the area – a free kick the decision – and Cox duly smacked the crossbar before Willmott-Joyce recovered to punch the ball clear.
The Magpies grew into the game but had to wait until the 44th minute for their first real chance when Izzy Stockton’s quick feet teed up a pass to Megan Harper, who wriggled past home ‘keeper Cherry Preisner but ran out of pitch.
And, as chances came thick-and-fast, they would threaten twice more before the break when Simone O’ Brien’s shot deflected narrowly wide for a corner and ex-Yella Katie Vince hooked over in first half stoppage time.
Visitors strike first but can’t hold on
Harney was replaced at half-time, hobbling after her earlier injury, but her replacement Mae Goulden would twice go agonisingly close to scoring.
Before that, Katie Ackerman blazed over at the far post for Maidenhead and Willmott-Joyce’s exceptional afternoon included a brilliant save to deny Lane for Ascot, diving full stretch to tip Lane’s effort over the top left-hand corner.
Goulden then hit the inside of a post before watching the ball cannon back off Willmott-Joyce and almost creeping over the goal-line as Ascot came within a whisker of opening the scoring, but it was Maidenhead who would strike first when Ackerman’s well-placed free-kick found its way through a crowd and into the bottom right-hand corner; 20 minutes of normal time still to play.
Searching for an instant response, Ascot hit the woodwork for a third time when substitute Dani Dias released Goulden, and although her left-footed shot beat Willmott Joyce from left-of-goal, it cannoned back off the underside of the bar.
Willmott-Joyce looked unbeatable and got fingertips low-down to thwart Beth Lloyd’s 83rd minute effort, with Ali Balaam and Dias both seeing efforts blocked in the build-up.
In a crazy spell of added time when five minutes were due to be added, injuries and substitutions extended the overages and Ascot threw everyone but Dearlove into the box for a corner that Cox fluffed. But when she got another chance as the clock approached the 100-minute mark, her delivery was on the money and in a pin-ball moment the ball eventually cannoned back into the bottom right-hand corner.
The goal was harsh on visiting ‘keeper Willmott-Joyce, but a draw was a fair result.
Ascot United: Preisner, Balaam, Doyle (Mason 76’), Cox, Huntley, Dearlove, Maxted, Fox, Harney (Goulden 46’), Luscombe (Dias 60’), Lane (Lloyd 76’).
Entertainment: 3
Reporter’s Star Player: Kate Fox (Ascot United) / Rosie Willmott-Joyce (Maidenhead United)
Attendance (estimate): 100 (25 away)