Two early goals down sent-off skipper’s side

Ascot United were beaten 2-0 at AFC Portchester on Saturday on an afternoon when skipper Josh Edwards was sent off. All the damage was done inside fifteen minutes when Lee Wort scored twice for the Hampshire side, before Edwards received two yellow cards in quick succession, the latter for changing his ripped shirt on the pitch.

It started badly and a short back-pass from Edwards to Kie Plumley was intercepted in the seventh minute; Alfie Stanley nipping in for Wort to finish.

Wort then had the strength to tee up his second after a ball over the top in the fifteenth minute, ultimately sliding the ball home.

Stanley then almost scored with an audacious chip that Plumley tipped over before Archie Willcox was twice denied before the break by a goal line clearance and Plumley once again.

The Yellamen were better after the break and enjoyed plenty of possession, but ultimately failed to register a meaningful effort and Edwards’s dismissal late-on compounded their misery.

Up the Hampshire roads in Basingstoke, striker Cheick Sylla showed what is missing having scored twice – including the winner – for his new side having left Ascot two weeks ago.

There were 347 in attendance, including seven hardy Berkshire Boys.

Ascot United: Plumley, Lock, Murray, Edwards, Tanner (Williams 72’), Allsopp, Deru (Simmo 55’), Le-Paih, Ceesay (Rollinson 55’), Brandao (Dehghani 46’), Kamara.

Venue: The On-Site Group Stadium

Attendance: 347

Weather: 14c, overcast

Reporter’s star man: TBC

Entertainment: 2

Away fans estimate: 7

One-word summary: Disappointing