Pagham finish job against sorry Ascot
Ascot were left ruing their missed opportunities last weekend as Pagham muscled their way into the next round of the FA Cup in Tuesday night’s replay. Ascot were chasing the game after conceding inside the opening two minutes and were undone again before half time in a game where they failed to register more than two meaningful efforts on target in a 2-0 defeat.
Yellamen face tricky replay 48 hours after draw
Hosts Pagham had equalised in the seventh minute of injury time in Sunday’s one-all draw, and that result had extended the Sussex side’s unbeaten run to ten games in all competitions.
Tuesday’s replay was something of a free shot for the Step-five side, especially given their last-ditch escape from a tie that Ascot should have had wrapped up long before they mustered a leveller. The question was whether they would now begin with the momentum they left The Racecourse with, or if Ascot could pick themselves up and start as they did on Sunday, but this time keep the pressure on and get the job done.
Hamstring injuries to Elijah Anthony and Kareem Akinnibi ruled them out, although there were further changes as Ricco Bullard-Jeffrey, Connor Richardson, Kai Zini, Chukz Uzor and – perhaps crucially – Isaac Brown comprised the five rotations against Sunday’s starting eleven.
Sorry Ascot concede at each end of first half
And so the worst scenario played out – having already seen the hosts scrape the top of the bar inside a minute, they were behind after just 89 seconds when Howard Neighbour headed home.
After that, Ascot got a slight foothold – Uzor nodded wide and Connor Richardson would later see a free kick produce an unorthodox save by the feet of home ‘keeper Connor Kelly – but it still took opposite number Sam Swyer’s diving save from another header to keep it at 1-0.
And, just as half time approached, the Yellamen gave themselves a mountain to climb when they were beaten in the air again – this time by the head of Tom Jefkins who made it 2-0 to Pagham – and there really looked like no way back at this point.
Yellamen huff and puff but to no avail
The second half was an equally tough watch and Sam Sesay almost provided an inadvertent assist to the opposition with a mis-timed header only for Swyer to save once again.
Ascot’s shooting boots were clearly elsewhere as Isaac Brown dragged wide, Harley Platel’s effort was parried away by Kelly, substitute Lui Edwards poked wide after initially teeing himself up and Uzor’s close range thunderbolt was somehow blocked even if it should have really been put away.
That said, an almighty scramble and goalmouth clearance denied Pagham a third amongst all those chances.
This one is better forgotten. Pagham’s next opponents Hanworth Villa will be licking their lips if they arrive on top of their game in twelve days.
It was simply a huge missed opportunity.
Ascot United: Swyer, Bullard-Jeffrey, Richardson (Rohart-Brown 68’), Parkinson, Pache (Clarke-Salter 57), Sesay (c), Zini (Edwards 57’), Brown (Deru 74’), Uzor (Long 81’), Mboge, Platel. Subs unused: Allsopp, Walters
Venue: Nyetimber Lane
Attendance: TBC
Weather: 16c sunny/clear
Ascot United MOM: TBC
Entertainment: 2
Away fans estimate: 7
One-word summary: Horrible