Marcus’s brace is enough to see off Spelthorne
Ascot United eased to a 2-0 win in their penultimate league game of the season at Spelthorne Sports on Thursday evening. In a low-key affair, Marcus Mealing scored from two set pieces to move his side onto 99 points.
Two days after their win at Oxhey Jets, the league champions continued their victory tour at another struggling side; Sports being winless in six and thirteenth in the league.
The fixture was one of seven Thursday-night Premier Division North matches, telling a story of the fixture backlog caused by recent bad weather. However, manager Jamie Tompkins’ squad depth continues to help them cruise through the congestion as all five substitutes were introduced for the ninth league game on the trot.
The first half wasn’t a great footballing spectacle, but as has been the case Ascot found a way through, largely inspired by the ever-lively Sean McCormack.
It was almost Sunday-league-esque early-on as Spelly’s Dan Lewis launched a hail-Mary into the Ascot penalty area from the half-way line, with Rian Patel left in acres of space to toe-poke onto the inside of Rhys Forster’s left-hand post and away from danger; a let-off for the visitors.
At the other end, Jordan Ajanlekoko’s glancing header from McCormack’s corner sailed narrowly over, before McCormack was cleaned-out by Lewis just outside the area – cue Mealing – who drilled a low free kick into the bottom right for a 31st minute lead.
Ascot then doubled their advantage on the stroke of half time, although the hosts would be aggrieved. Starting from a free-kick that probably shouldn’t have been given against them, Mealing was tripped in the box – the ball had earlier seemingly struck his hand for which he might have been penalised – but after no infringement was given and he would keep his cool to make it 2-0 from the spot.
After the break it was virtually a stalemate, although Forster backed up an early block low down to his left with a well-held save from Jamie Fuller’s late effort to dent any hopes of a goal for the hosts; 2-0 it remained to make it six clean sheets in the past seven matches.
Ascot will round off their league campaign at Burnham on Saturday before returning to league cup action at home one week later.
Ascot United: Forster, Ajanlekoko (Laflin 60’), Gerrard (Bailey 60’), Bouwers, McCormack (Gray 60’), Mealing, Welch, Tucker, Ellis (Lock 55’), McCormack, Walters (Matthew 69’).
