First Team Result: Tuesday 21st August - Ascot United 0 - Binfield 2
The Ascot United manager was left to rue the disparaging comments he had made about Binfield as the Moles dominated the play at the Racecourse on Tuesday night. Both sides were clearly up for the game as the tackles crunched in early on. Ascot were the more physical of the sides and it took the authority of experienced ref Ian Bath to keep the game under control. Kris Day was getting a lot of change out of Ascot’s left back and was causing problems for the home defence for whom Jon Keogh was a tower of strength.

Both sides had early chances with Ascot the first to rue a real opportunity that should have been converted on 7 minutes, the ball rolling wide of the far post. Then Binfield should have gone ahead as Callum Whitty beat the last man to the ball but fired past the far post. Carl Withers was controlling midfield for Binfield standing up to a lot of rough treatment and earning a succession of free kicks. 

The visitors threatened but failed to convert from any of the set pieces. As the half wore on Binfield were building a momentum with James Partridge complementing Withers’ domination in the middle of the park. At the back, Mark Baker and David Fenton were snuffing out the Ascot attack and Baker could afford to get forward at times.

Ascot’s passing was crisp but not always accurate and they failed to capitalise on their pace. Just before half time Withers suffered another bad challenge and his mobility was impaired. Ascot went into the break thankful to be level.

Carl under pressure
 
Binfield weathered some early Ascot pressure at the start of the second half as the home side passed the ball well but the experienced Jason Day and Liam Woozley quelled the storm. Up front for Binfield Tim Walsh was causing Ascot a few problems with his direct runs and won a series of corners as a result. From one of these Binfield went ahead. Tim Walsh headed against the crossbar and as the ball ricocheted around Callum Whitty was on hand to score with a header from close range. It was no more than Binfield deserved but with Keogh’s domination in the air for Ascot it was a surprise that the opening goal had come from an aerial ball.

Ascot hit back but Martin Hutt in the Binfield goal was rarely tested. Two minutes after the goal Carl Withers, still suffering from his first half injury was replaced with Matt Davis giving Binfield a more defensive look. This changed the shape of the game somewhat with Ascot doing more of the attacking but with Binfield now breaking with more threat as the home side attempted to retrieve the game. 

Keogh clears for Ascot
 

A long delay for an injury to an Ascot player might have taken the edge off the game but almost immediately Binfield extended their lead. Danny Wing, quieter than usual on the Binfield left, started to threaten with some trademark runs and he won a series of corners. Binfield always looked dangerous from these and the Ascot keeper palmed a couple of dangerous efforts out. Liam Woozley contributed to the second goal, heading into the Ascot 6 yard area. Similar to the first goal the ball pinged around the area and Walsh was the quickest to react scoring his second goal in his second game. 

Ascot never gave up and tried hard to get back into the game but still Binfield looked the more threatening. Garry Callaway came on for Woozley and Ryan Milward replaced Whitty in attack. Late in the game Ascot had two chances to score but Hutt tipped one around the post and the other rolled agonisingly past the post. A draw would have been more than the home side deserved but their endeavour will win them some games this season.

Ref Ian Bath in control

Binfield: Hutt, Woozley (Callaway), Baker, Fenton, Day, J, Day, K, Partridge, Withers (Davis), Wing, Whitty (Milward), Walsh.