Sports brushed aside leaving Ascot and Abingdon United in contention for silverware
Ascot United Women took the Southern Region Women’s Football League to a two-horse race after securing a vital win at Bournemouth Sports on Sunday afternoon.
The Yellawomen’s 2-1 win, combined with victory for leaders Abingdon United at Winchester City, means that Bournemouth can no longer mathematically take the title; being 17 points behind Abingdon with just five games to play.
Ascot’s win therefore tees up what is possibly a title decider at league leaders Abingdon United next weekend. The task is clear; Ascot must win next Sunday to close the gap to four points and then win their subsequent two games in hand to leapfrog Abingdon (a win and a draw will likely not be enough given inferior goal difference). If Abingdon win or draw next weekend then the title goes to Oxfordshire as it is their final game of the season and they will be uncatchable – table here.
As for the win on Sunday, Dom Carrington’s lofted ball caused confusion in the home defence just inside the quarter-hour mark and it ended up in the net to give The Yellawomen the lead.
Nicole Brown and recent-signing Philippa Holden then had chances, but it remained 1-0 at the break.
The hosts, however, were level within four minutes of the restart, although after a spell of pressure Ascot earnt a penalty thanks to Holden’s driving run into the box; Hannah Bennett converting to restore her side’s lead just seven minutes later.
Brown then fired into the home ‘keeper’s hands after good work from Izzy Woods, before Bennett delivered at the other end by thwarting Bournemouth in the 88th minute to preserve the 2-1 win.
Ascot have now won seven games on the trot since their Vitality Women’s FA Cup defeat at Dartford in mid-November, good form going into next weekend.
