Youngster Tia Johnson scored a hat-trick as Southern Region Premier side Ascot United Ladies eased into the next round of the league cup with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Division 1 (South) Southampton Women’s Reserves on Sunday afternoon.
However, the win was marred by an initially-serious looking injury to Sarah Davern who landed on her lower back midway through the second half. After a twenty minute delay whilst she was assessed, Davern was eventually moved to the Pavilion treatment room awaiting emergency assistance.
On the field it had been a dominant display until that point. The Yellawomen struck early when Sarah Leonard smashed home, before turning provider for Johnson to net at the near post. The same combination then earnt Ascot a 3-0 half time lead with Johnson toe-poking home her second of the afternoon.
In the second half, Nicole Brown side-footed home number four in the 62nd minute before Davern’s injury, but shortly after play resumed the hosts scored the goal of the game when Izzy Woods picked out Brown’s run, Brown crossed for Johnson, and she hammered an unstoppable drive on the turn into the bottom right hand corner for her debut senior hat-trick since elevation from the Under-16s.
Woods almost eclipsed that with a stunning long-range strike that crashed back off the underside of the bar 15 minutes from time, but it remained 5-0.
And, the Reserves were also triumphant in the Thames Valley League Cup on Sunday afternoon, winning 2-1 at Slough Town Reserves.
Photo: Ascot United Ladies are all smiles after their 5-0 win (Neil Graham photography)
