Yellamen off the mark with comeback win

Ascot United came from behind to beat local rivals Binfield 3-1 on Tuesday evening. In a see-saw first half, the hosts scored three quick quick-fire goals before half time after The Moles had taken the lead on the half hour mark, earning The Yellamen their first points of the season.

Early-season derby provides points opportunity

With both sides having lost their opening-day fixtures, this was the chance to get off the mark in front of a decent midweek crowd of 252, although with pitchside temperatures still lingering near 30 degrees celsius at kick off it would be something of a miracle if ninety minutes of pulsating football ensued.

And so it played out that way, but the watching fans got 45 minutes at least.

As for the respective managers, the word of the day was most likely “clinical”. Visiting chief Ross Weatherstone featured in a BBC Sport article earlier in the day, grateful to the clinicians who helped him through serious health concerns, whereas home gaffer Gavin Smith wanted his side to be more clinical after drawing blank just over 48 hours earlier.

In came Cheik Sylla and Baback Dehghani for Joden Trickett and Lamin Ceesay; eyes down for action at 7.45pm.

Exciting first half littered with chances

In an end-to-end first half, Binfield threatened first in the fifth minute when Amari Fashanu picked out Ethan Lindo, whose shot deflected over the crossbar for a corner.

However, Ascot went straight on the offensive and Sylla – whose movement and quick feet would cause The Moles problems until his exit late in the second half – side footed wide after racing clear and benefitting from a fortuitous cannon off a covering defender.

Sylla then drifted into the box and played a neat one-two with Troy Murray before firing onto the inside of the left-hand post in the 27th minute, but he and his side were left to rue that chance when Binfield took a 30th minute lead when Ejiro Abbey smashed home after his side had led a quick break down the right wing.

Stirring fightback puts Yellas in command

But in a devastating end to the half, the home side turned the game on its head with three goals inside twelve minutes.

The first came when Khalid Simmo took on almost everyone in red, then comically ran into Sylla, but Sylla then scooped the ball out and fashioned room for a shot which he dragged into the bottom right past the despairing dive of Hugh Scott; 34 minutes played.

Incredibly, Abbey almost restored Binfield’s lead twice inside the next minute; firstly Kie Plumley stood up well to save with his feet, before watching motionless as Abbey thundered a long range effort onto the angle of post and crossbar.

But when Simmo went on another mesmerising run and cut back onto his right foot four minutes before the break a teasing gap opened up, which he exploited with a wonderful, curling shot that started out off-target but bent into the top right-hand corner to make it 2-1.

And, if that wasn’t enough, Luis Le-Paih repeated the trick in the first minute of added time when he drifted forwards from the middle – electing to shoot when arguably might have passed – and he curled a hard, low left-footed shot into the bottom right hand corner to give his side a 3-1 cushion at the break.

Excellent game management seals second half safety

After the break, chances were at a premium, but that wasn’t for the lack of effort – particularly Ascot’s hungry press coupled with livewire Sylla’s eagerness to race onto an array of passes following overturned possession.

Sylla had signalled his proverbial arrival to the home faithful before his 77th minute exit – one of all five substitutes made by Smith – and after then more chances arrived.

Just after that, home substitutes George Lock and Lamin Ceesay combined for the latter to smash a volley across the six yard box which visiting defender Harvey Griffiths sliced wide when attempting to clear; the ball could have gone anywhere.

Josh Edwards then headed over Cass Fried-Jones’s cross after man-of-the-match Le-Paih had earlier delivered a teasing cross from the left, although Plumley would beat away Fashanu’s thumping effort away at the other end in the 89th minute to ensure there would be no grandstand finale ahead of five further added minutes.

There are things to work on, but there are green shoots and it’s a debut win at home for Smith and his troops.

What’s next for Ascot?

The Yellamen stay at home for their Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round tie at home versus Step-five Southern Combination Side Chislehurst Glebe next Saturday. The hosts will be keen to avoid a shock, and most certainly a midweek replay in Kent.

Ascot United: Plumley, Sankoh (Lock 74’), Murray, Edwards, Lamb, Allsopp (Fried-Jones 70’), Dehghani (Ceesay 73’), Le-Paih, Sylla (Trickett 77’), Simmo, (Garlinge 77’), Kamara.

Venue: The Racecourse Ground, Ascot

Attendance: 252

Weather: 28c, partly sunny

Reporter’s star man: Luis Le-Paih

Entertainment: 4

Away fans estimate: 30

One-word summary: Encouraging

Image: Khalid Simmo curls home number two (shooting-stars.co.uk)