ASCOT UNITED kept the heat on league leaders Abingdon United with a crushing 6-1 victory over Oxford City in the Southern Region Women’s Premier Division.
The game started with Ascot on the front foot with an early shot from distance going narrowly wide.
On 15 minutes the hosts took the lead. Following a nice build up down the right flank a cracking shot from the edge of the box by Izzy Woods arrowed across Nicole Spittle in the visitors goal and nestled in the bottom left hand corner.
Ascot were now firmly on top and Woods came close to doubling their lead after picking up a lovely through ball from Sarah Davern with Spittle saving well.
The second goal arrived shortly after. A Davern corner wasn’t dealt with and a shot was headed off the line by Amber Le Beau leading to a goalmouth scramble which was eventually stabbed home by Dom Carrington.
A third followed shortly after, again from a wickedly swung in Davern corner, with Georgia Luckhurst-McCord taking advantage of more confusion in the Oxford defence putting the ball away nicely before wheeling away in delight.
Ascot were now rampant and added a fourth when Dom Carrington played a wicked ball across the six yard box which was spilled by Spittle into the path of Nicole Brown who wasn’t going to turn down the early Christmas gift, tucking the ball away into the unguarded net to make it 4-0.
Ascot had a couple of further chances to end the half, first Tiffany Skinner was played in but her shot was thwarted by an excellent last ditch block from Le Beau, and moments later Carrington had another chance after a great run down the right but saw her effort go inches wide of the far post. The Yellas went into the break with a healthy lead.
A dominant first half performance from the hosts gave the visitors plenty of things to think about during the half time break.
The second half started with the mist descending on an already gloomy day and the visitors looked a lot more competitive all around the pitch, pressing higher up and negating Ascot’s midfield.
Oxford almost found a way back into the game early on when Kimberley Slessor’s free kick from 25 yards out was tipped onto the crossbar by Yellas keeper Lucie White.
Although the visitors had improved since the break, Ascot were still making chances. First, Carrington was played into the area but dragged her shot just wide of the far post, quickly followed by a well hit strike by Nicole Brown which whistled past the post.
A scrappy second half suddenly sprang into life after a superb goal from City. Jessica Biggerstaff turned on a loose ball and smashed the ball past the helpless White. A stunning effort which would only turn out to be a consolation for the visitors but a fine one at that to reduce the deficit to 4-1.
Ascot weren’t finished, a great run from Brown down the left where she played a ball across the six yard box for what looked to be a certain tap in for Georgia Bowers at the far post but somehow, between Slessor and Spittle, they managed to block her effort only to see Brown pick up the rebound and roll the ball into the net. 5-1
There was still time for a seventh goal in the game as Brown again found herself through and one on one with Spittle.
This time she dummied the keeper, flicking it past her as she dived at her feet, before stroking it into the empty net for her hat-trick. 6-1.
The referee blew his whistle straight after the goal completing a comprehensive victory for the Yellawomen.
Ascot United: Brown, Carrington, Cruickshank, Davern, Killick-Bird, Luckhurst McCord, Skinner, Spark, Todd, White, Woods
Subs: Bennett, Bowers, Connor, Last
Goals: Woods 16’, Carrington 25’ ,Luckhurst McCord 28’, Brown 39’, 90’, 90+2’
Report by Dave Read
