Rooks avoid a Yella banana skin- just!

It was a landmark evening for Ascot United, but then the Yellas are rather used to landmark moments. Last season saw a first ever Combined Counties Premier title, a first ever match at Wembley Stadium, and a first ever national trophy- the FA Vase, a competition in which they’d never previously got beyond the Quarter Final. This season had seen them play at Step Four for the first time, and tonight they stepped out in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round for the first time in their history. Nervous? It seemed unlikely!

The Yellas very own Racecourse Ground is so named because, well, you’ve probably worked it out already. Ascot Racecourse is so close to the stadium that you could almost reach out and feed a carrot to the horses, although we wouldn’t recommend it. The course entirely dominates the area. Despite that- and this is maybe a little controversial- it can be suggested that the football club is more important to the town than its much larger neighbour on a day to day basis. The Racecourse holds twenty six days of racing a year. The football club has eighty three teams, aged from under seven upwards, and they play every week. Men, women, boys and girls, veteran and disability football, the volunteers at the club never rest, the pitch is in almost constant use, and indeed, such is the amount of football played under the club umbrella that they have to hire pitches in five other locations just to cater for demand. The success story isn’t just confined to the first team- and indeed, an hour before kick off there were upwards of fifty children practicing their skills on the pitch under the supervision of a plethora of qualified coaches. It was, it must be said, rather inspiring- and the ground was a rather fine thing, too, from its fabulous bar to its brilliant burgers and, rather handily for those of us reliant on a stopwatch, electronic scoreboard. It could do with a covered terrace but it does have a fine covered beer and burger balcony, so what’s not to like?

Tonight’s opponents, Pitching In Isthmian Premier Lewes, are also a well documented community success story. Supporter owned, equality football with resource balanced equally between men and women, the Rooks have garnered many column inches in the national and football press over the last few years, and deservedly so. They’d also had a good start to the campaign, losing for the first time last weekend and, you’d suspect, well placed to bounce back from that defeat. Yet off the field and amongst the fanbase, things weren’t quite that rosy.

Recently the club received an approach from a consortium looking to purchase fifty one percent of the women’s team. The board seem generally in favour of the approach, and they have worked hard to take on owner/supporter feedback, but the fallout, particularly across social media, has been enormous. One look at the Supporter Facebook Group tells the story. Some people have argued for the proposal, and some against it- but the debate has become incredibly heated for some, and, on occasions, rather personal and abusive. You’d have to wonder whether, if the only forum for debate was face to face, people would be prepared to say the same things directly to each other that they do from behind the safety of their keyboards. The difficulty for the club is that a disgruntled supporter base, busy arguing amongst itself, is not a particularly good thing for the team. Earlier today a Supporters Club vote- admittedly for information only- came down 53-47 in favour of the investment, an outcome which looks rather Brexity, if we’re looking for a made up adjective that does it justice.

Hopefully the owners will get to make a decision on the investment in the near future, and the matter can be resolved, before the issues off the pitch start to be felt on it. That, surely all would agree, would be no good for anyone with the club’s best interests at heart.

The Rooks recent cup record had been something of a disappointment to the Dripping Pan faithful. Last season saw defeat at this stage by South East side Three Bridges. The previous season saw Bowers & Pitsea cast in the role of Rook removers. It was fifteen years since they last reached the First Round, ten since they last got as far as the Fourth Qualifying Round. Those who had made the trip up the A23 and around the M25 (not as many, as has been pointed out loudly on social media, as would have attended had the match taken place on Saturday) were quite sure that a cup run was more than overdue.

The teams arrived on the pitch slightly late, the referee seemed to give the two captains a rather long talking to, and the Rooks, in white, got us underway three minutes late. The Yellas were, of course, in yellow, and kicking towards the Royal Mile- and within seventy five seconds had earned the first corner of the match. It came to naught, but was a rather positive start. At the other end, a sharp passing move saw the final ball just too far ahead of Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala, who has been in fine form so far this season.

In the tenth minute the home fans behind the Rooks goal suddenly produced a drum, and used it to signal their excitement at a free kick in a dangerous area. Another corner followed, but after a bit of scramble the Rooks were able to bring it clear and the drumming stopped.

There was a contrast in styles between the sides in the early stages, although both were easy on the eye. The visitors were keen on the slow build up from the back; the hosts had a tendency to get the ball and charge forward at speed as if only fast would do. The difficulty with the former approach is that it tended to end with an overhit long ball forward, and with the latter that the charging fellow in yellow tended to meet a white barrier before reaching a shooting position.

We’d just reached the sixteen minute mark when the visitors went in front. A move filled with shorter passes ended with Chris Whelpdale in space at the edge of the box. His shot took a deflection, although whether it significantly changed the direction of the ball is debatable. Whatever the dynamics, the outcome was the same. The ball hit the top of the net and Lewes were ahead, the away fans behind the goal rather delighted, all fifty of them.

Ascot United 0 Lewes 1, 16 minutes- Chris Whelpdale

The match had been fairly even prior to the goal, and that pattern continued after it. The Rooks probed and played themselves out of trouble as required, the Yellas charged forward at speed every chance they got- but as we reached the half hour mark had not yet tested Nathan Harvey, although his defence were earning their money. On thirty two minutes it was nearly two; the impressive Whelpdale played a defence splitting pass and Lumbombo-Kalala brought a fine save from Hugo Sobte. You may remember Hugo- he played a massive part in Hanwell Town’s promotion from Pitching In Isthmian South Central two seasons ago.

In the thirty eighth minute Harvey was called into action for the first time, diving full length to his right to turn a drive from home skipper Harry Grant around the post. Shortly afterward Sean McCormack also tried his luck, his shot just wide, as Ascot finally gave the Rooks keeper reason to worry.

Another chance for the Rooks saw Whepdale head over, and then, at the other end, Brendan Matthew lost his defender, charged goalward, and then made an absolute hash of his shot. Half time, and the Rooks ahead- and they just about deserved it.

Half time: Ascot United 0 Lewes 1

The Rooks started the second half with a series of corners, but after three minutes of pressure United finally got the ball clear and calmed themselves with a spell of possession. They created their best chance of the match so far on fifty two minutes, fine work from Usman Lalustani ending with a great cross and a header deflected just wide, before at the other end a Whelpdale shot found only Sobte.

Another chance, and a great passing move found United’s substitute Harvey Killeen running in, but with the goal beckoning he leaned back and put his effort over the bar. And soon, that missed chance was punished. More good work from Whelpdale, a fine cross from Tommy Wood, and a tap in from Whelpdale, finishing what he started.

57 minutes, Ascot United 0 Lewes 2, Chris Whelpdale

Ascot tried to hit back, and fashioned another chance, the ball once more reaching Killeen. Sadly for the fans behind the goal, the outcome was very similar to the number nine’s previous effort, and the deficit wasn’t narrowed.

We reached the hour mark, and the hosts had spent sixty minutes attacking with style and finishing with bile. It was certainly enough to make their fans spit.

On sixty seven minutes, finally, Ascot had a goal. A corner from the left was poor, heading low towards the front post. Somehow, the defender on that post managed only to flick it behind him into the net. Ascot deserved a goal, but that wasn’t the goal they deserved.

68 minutes, Ascot United 1 Lewes 2, own goal.

The goal spurred on the hosts, and for the first time the Rooks were properly under the cosh as attacks came in waves. On seventy minutes another corner, almost turned in at the back post, those in yellow haranguing the referee about a supposed hand ball. And then, a breather, Whelpdale requiring treatment, and two minutes of peace emerged from pandemonium. Sadly the Rooks number eleven had to be withdrawn, and the game lost its best player.

Seventy three minutes, and Lalustani should have done better, delaying his shot until two desperate defenders could throw themselves at the ball. Eleven minutes left and another home chance, sub Oliver McCoy cutting in and firing just over. The visitors certainly couldn’t relax.

Into the last six minutes, and more home pressure, Lewes just about holding out. More good work from McCoy, another shot pulled wide. Rooks keeper Harvey taking his time. A Lewes foray, Archie Tamplin’s shot straight down Sobte’s throat.

One minute left, and Deshane Dalling almost clinches things for the Rooks, his shot beating Sobte but not the inside of the post. Into added time, and more yellow pressure. A minute goes by. Another. It’s all Ascot. The drummer drums. Sobte seems to have become a midfielder. Ascot are awarded a free kick to the right of the box. Can they?

We awaited a cross. We got a shot. Harvey claimed it at his near post. Up the other end it went, and into a corner it was taken. Cleared, six minutes on the clock, and a free kick to the hosts. Into the box, cleared, a long throw, seven minutes, a cross, a wild clearance, another corner. A desperate Harvey punch, and the clock says ninety eight. Ninety nine. And then it ran out of digits, but still we played. And then, finally, after one hundred and one minutes, the match finally came to an end.

Final score: Ascot United 1 Lewes 2

The Rooks just about deserved their triumph. Whelpdale delivered a masterclass, and there were a number of fine performances from amongst his supporting cast. But the hosts delivered moments of magnificence, and, particularly in the last half an hour, a Bielsa-like relentlessness which came close to earning them a replay.

Lewes are one of our promotion favourites, and showed why. But their hosts clearly still have the bounce that was generated by the most successful campaign in their history, and on the basis of that performance will be strong contenders for a second successive promotion.