SPORTS SMASH-AND GRAB SINKS ASCOT
Yellamen lose 1-0 to ten-man Eagles
Ascot United slipped to defeat against ten-man Bedfont Sports on Saturday afternoon. Despite enjoying most of the possession and seeing their opponents reduced to ten men for the final 25 minutes, Ascot couldn’t find a way through on an afternoon when there goalscoring problems were exposed by a visiting team who enjoyed their first league win on the road.
Yellamen search for goals in post-Sylla era
The Yellamen had laboured in search of goals at Bognor one-week earlier after top scorer Cheick Sylla’s transfer to Basingstoke Town. However they did at least this time have fellow striker Joden Trickett available, and he went straight into the starting line-up.
However, with limited other options, their quest for goals would ultimately end fruitless.
Sports soak up pressure and sting Ascot
It was a familiar story in the first half with the home side enjoying most of the possession and spreading the ball from wing to wing with ease, although they lacked a cutting edge.
Tyler Tobin in the visitors’ goal was in fine form and only his outstretched boot denied Jaheim Kamara on the quarter-hour mark after Trickett’s lay-off had sent him clear.
But the visitors were dangerous on the break and Jude Jakes-McKay’s 31st minute effort forced Kie Plumley into making a smart save – parrying his thunderous effort – although Tobin’s booming clearance would tee up the same player in the 35th minute; this time he found the bottom right with a fizzing left-footed shot across Plumley.
Now chasing the game, Ascot had three chances to level it before the break only for Tobin’s brilliant save to tip Kamara’s effort away in the 37th minute, Troy Murray then blazed over following up Khalid Simmo’s 44th minute free kick into the wall and Trickett was unable to react quickly enough to convert Kamara’s left-wing cross a minute later.
Bedfont down to ten but frustrate hosts
In the second half, George Frise received a second yellow card for pulling Simmo’s short in the 65th minute – ten minutes after Trickett had squared for Kamara to slot home only to see his effort chalked off for offside – and two minutes before Kai Allsopp’s shot was well held by Tobin.
But Bedfont maintained a well-organised high line, and frustratingly for the home side it would lead to a string of offsides against them.
There were no further meaningful chances after that in a half ultimately disjointed by substitutions and time-wasting.
Ascot slipped one place to sixth as all of the other sides in the top seven at the end of the day’s proceedings won; The Eagles climbing to twelfth.
What’s next for Ascot?
The Yellamen are in county cup action at The Racecourse on Tuesday evening when Marlow visit in the County Cup.
Ascot United: Plumley, Williams, Murray, Edwards, Lamb, Allsopp, Deru, Le-Paih, Trickett Simmo, Kamara. Subs (all used): Lock, Dehghani, Osbourne, Rollinson, Ceesay
Venue: The Racecourse, Ascot
Attendance: 213
Weather: 16c, sunny
Reporter’s star man: Tyler Tobin (BS), Jaheim Kamara (AU)
Entertainment: 3
Away fans estimate: 25
One-word summary: Irritating
Picture: Jaheim Kamara in first-half action (shooting-stars.co.uk)
