Ascot United v Hanworth Villa 050422

ASCOT UNITED ALLIED U18
CHAMPIONS!!!
Young Yellamen beat Fleet Spurs 2-0 to pip Westfield
Fleet Spurs 0
Ascot United 2
Allied Counties YL South
Click here for league table
Ascot United Allied Under 18’s were crowned Allied
Counties Youth League (South) champions by beating
Fleet Spurs 2-0 in a must-win game on Monday [March
28th]. With league leaders Westfield having already
finished their league program and lying one point above
Ascot with a superior goal difference, Josh Nice’s side
needed to beat Spurs in their final game to leapfrog
Westfield to glory.
Despite being rock-bottom, the home side’s form had
improved since the turn of the year with only one defeat
in five matches in open play. However, Nice’s side have
been impressive throughout the campaign, and once
again showed their professionalism and maturity in front
of the large number of travelling supporters.
It looked for all the world that a combination of excellent goalkeeper and resolute defending would keep Ascot out
until half-time. Alex Hall stung Kieran Rush’s palms after just five minutes before making an even better save to
thwart George Fairbairn when clean through in the 11th minute, and then diving full stretch to claw away Hugo
South’s free-kick midway through the half.
At the other end James Docherty was rarely troubled, although home defender Reece Knight really should have
made better connection with a glancing header as half time approached. But, there was still time for one final
chance, and after Ascot broke, Jake Pandhor was tripped in the box; Lawson Jones stepping up to confidently
hammer home the resultant spot-kick into the bottom right.
The second half was incredibly scrappy and after Nice had thrown on all five substitutes in two separate tranches,
The Yellamen finally killed the game off.
It took fully eighty minutes for them to do so; Ollie Mann escaping down the right wing and delivering a lofted cross
that fellow substitute Matt Hurdwell bundled home at the third attempt after Rush had got down well to save his
header and then recovered to block his follow-up. Hurdwell’s shot on the turn might have added gloss three minutes
from the end of normal time following Tom Bailey’s excellent run, but 2-0 it remained sparking scenes of joy
amongst the players, staff and travelling supporters.
Many will point to a pivotal moment in early February when Ascot bagged an injury-time equaliser against Westfield
to put the destiny of the title in their own hands. However, it is the statistics – P14 W11 D2 L1 – which speak volumes
of a campaign oozing consistency and commitment from an extremely talented group of players; players who are
now title winners and who we are proud to say wear yellow and blue.
Ascot United: Docherty, Bailey, McCart, South (Bowden), Thompson, Walden, Hall (Mann), Pandhor, Jones (Hurdwell),
Holden (Chaisty), Fairbairn (Tomkins).