Ascot United Women v Cray Wanderers Women
Pre-season Friendly
After being informed of the cancellation of my planned game, the Reading game against Kiddlington on Friday night, and a freak accident at home followed by a trip to the local hospital in an ambulance at 4am on Sunday morning, I wasn’t expecting to add to my total of women’s games seen this season.
Thankfully, I was released from hospital just after 10am which left open the chance to catch the train, well, bus replacement service from Frimley to Ascot and get to the Racecourse in time for the 12.30pm kick off. This was also a change to the original fixture, with Portsmouth U21s due to play but cancelling, with Cray Wanderers stepping in at the last minute.
Ascot will probably start the 24/25 season as the favourites for the SRWFL Premier Division and look a stronger set up than when finishing second in the previous two seasons. Wanderers for their part were a new team last season, winning the SECWFL Division One West title and only losing the one game in their first season so will be starting 24/25 in the Premier, a division I know well from following Margate over the past couple of years!
Free entry and a massive box of food later (I was starving following a traumatic morning!) the game kicked off in a lively fashion with both sides looking to attack at every opportunity. The Wands took the lead in the 7th minute with a superb Millie Main effort from 25 yards which nestled in the top corner leaving the Ascot keeper with no chance. 0-1
Ascot came right back, a cracking shot from distance was tipped over by Jess Cox and from the resulting corner a header from Chloe Ball hit the crossbar and cleared. Lauren Knight at right back for Ascot spent a lot of the first half carving the Cray defence open with some delightful diagonal passes through the backline, picking out the runners, but on each occasion Cox was there to thwart the one on ones with brave goalkeeping on the edge of her area.
In the final action of the first half another fantastic Knight ball through found the run of Philippa Holden who managed to lift the ball over the keeper but watched as it drifted wide of the post.
An entertaining half with plenty of chances created at both ends and both sides playing some lovely football too.
H-T: Ascot United 0 Cray Wanderers 1
The Yellawomen started the second half like a house on fire, just a minute into the second half Chloe Ball levelled with a low crisp shot, finally managing to beat Cox in the Wands goal. 1-1
A minute later the hosts had turned the game on its head and were in the lead, a beautifully weighted pass from Ella Rountree picking out the run of Leah Littlechild who slid the ball past the advancing keeper. 2-1
Ascot came close to increasing their lead when Rountree hit a delightful strike from the left edge of the area only to see it rebound off the inside of the post and cleared by the defence.
On 55 minutes Katie Jackson managed to spring the home side’s offside trap with a well-timed run and lifted her shot over the keeper and into the roof of the net to level for the visitors. 2-2
Ascot came roaring back and forced another good save from Cox at her near post before retaking the lead when a ball across the area was touched in at the far post by Leah Robertson. 3-2
Quick runs and incisive passes from the hosts were now causing Cray’s defence all sorts of problems and it was no surprise when a pass from midfield picked out the run of Robertson who slid the ball past the advancing Wands keeper and into the corner of the net. 4-2
Ascot had a goal disallowed for offside but didn’t let it affect them and a lovely dummy pass on the edge of the area found Olivia Glover on the right side of the area where she sent an angled shot across Cox and into the far corner to make it five. 5-2
By now the visitors were being swamped by the waves of Ascot attacks and the impressive Ella Rountree scored the goal her performance deserved to make it six with a header from a corner which looped over Cox into the top corner. 6-2
There was still time for Ascot to add a seventh, Holden latching onto another intelligent through pass, knocking the ball around the diving keeper before blasting the ball into the empty net. 7-2
F-T: Ascot United 7 Cray Wanderers 2
This game was a cracking display of women’s football and a credit to both sides. Ascot look a side full of attacking threat and overwhelmed the visitors defence in the second half. Stand out Ascot players for me were Lauren Knight, Ella Rountree and yet another rock steady performance from Georgia Luckhurst McCord.
The Wands look a good side with some quality players and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the higher reaches of their new division this season. Jess Cox especially standing out with so many important saves throughout the game. Good luck to them in 24/25 and you never know, our paths may cross again!
Wishing the best of luck to both sides for the new season when it finally gets underway!