Yellamen beat Hilltop 7-1 to set club record
Ascot United went top of the league with a club-record tenth consecutive win on Tuesday evening. The Yellamen were imperious in victory, as four goals and an assist from the exceptional Brendan Matthew (pictured, Neil Graham Photography) secured a 7-1 win over mid-table Hilltop.
After an even opening spell, it was Ascot who took a 14th minute lead when Matthew broke down the left, rode a challenge and delivered a slide-rule pass which Sean McCormack gleefully tapped home at the far post.
McCormack then saw his 20th minute cross spooned awkwardly around a post by ‘keeper Vitor Miranda but Hilltop were back on terms three minutes later when Luqman Kussman netted from the spot – firing down the middle – after Alfie Grant had hand-balled in the area.
But The Yellamen took control before half time as Matthew was allowed to nod McCormack’s corner home from close range to make it 2-1, Ollie Harris drilled a low-left-footed shot into the bottom right after Jamie Ashdown’s clearance had been flicked on, and Matthew volleyed home his second and Ascot’s fourth just before the break from Kai Walters’ header into the danger area; 4-1 at the break.
The home side were totally dominant in the second half and Harris’s no-look pass teed up George Lock to cross with the outside of his boot for Matthew’s hat-trick to make it 5-1, before Harry Grant missed a golden chance for six.
But Grant was involved in a superb team goal in the 65th minute when Matthew’s pass teed up Grant, and his perfectly timed lay-off fed McCormack on the overlap, who in turn crossed for Harris to convert from a tight angle.
Marcus Mealing – one of five Ascot substitutes – made an impression as he crossed for Matthew who shot wide, although Matthew was on hand later to smash home after Mealing had unselfishly squared the ball to him when Harry Grant had punished Hilltop for trying to play their way out of danger.
Hussein Hussein’s brilliant goal-line clearance denied Matthew a fifth late-on after he had scooped over Miranda, but it was a job well done as Ascot climbed back to the summit.
Ascot United: Ashdown, Lock, Gerrard (Welch), Gallimore (Thompson), A. Grant (Ellis), Tucker, McCormack, H. Grant, Walters (Lalustani), Matthew, Harris (Mealing).
