Ascot United 1 Leatherhead 1
Leatherhead had to settle for a point in a scrappy 1-1 draw against Ascot United at the
Racecourse Ground on Saturday after the visitors conceded a last-gasp penalty.
Holding a one-nil lead deep into added time, Tanners goalkeeper Sonny Wheeler
needlessly shoved Yellas forward Ben Harris in the chest while clearing the ball away
from his penalty area.
The referee apparently missed the incident but was called over to the touchline by his
assistant. Following a short conversation between the two officials, the referee
returned to Wheeler, showed him a red card and blew for a spot kick.
Leatherhead centre back Alex Pearce donned the keeper’s grey jersey but could do
nothing to prevent Ascot’s Khalid Simmo placing the penalty into the bottom corner
of the net for an equaliser in the ninth minute of added time.
Up until that moment, Tanners had defended resolutely and looked to be heading
towards extending their commendable winning run to four matches after taking the
lead mid-way through the opening half.
Much of the credit for holding onto that lead for more than seventy minutes was down
to Wheeler’s goalkeeping. But the Leatherhead custodian went from hero to zero at
the end of the match, following his clash with Harris and his debateable dismissal.
The visitors had the better of the opening exchanges with a couple of half chances
falling to Lukas Franzen-Jones. But the new Leatherhead striker was unable to add to
his five-goal tally since joining the club earlier this month.
Yellas almost broke the deadlock on 19 minutes when Anas Igozouln stole into the
visitors’ penalty area, forcing a fine block from Wheeler. The Ascot forward latched
onto the loose ball but rushed his follow up, firing over the bar from close range.
Leatherhead responded with the opening goal four minutes later.
Kane Fitzgerald delivered a well-weighted cross into the box from the right. The ball
was met by a Yellas defender who attempted to head it behind for a corner. But
instead the defender’s misdirected clearance appeared to be heading towards the back
of the net for an own goal. Ascot keeper Mark Scott made a flying save to keep it out,
but could manage to tip the ball into the path of Leatherhead’s Matt Everitt, who
scored from close range.
The hosts nearly levelled in first half added time when Igozouln fired a wide-angled
effort at goal. Wheeler spilled his shot before Ascot’s Taylor Morgan headed the
loose ball over the bar in front of an open goal.
After the break Leatherhead pressed forward in an attempt to extend their narrow
lead. Tanners won a series of corners midway through the half but were unable to
really test the Yellas’ keeper.
The hosts launched a fine counter-attack after one of those Leatherhead corners on 77
minutes. Aiden Payne-Jones ran with the ball from box to box before forcing another
fine save from Wheeler.
But just when it looked as though Tanners had done enough to run the clock down
sufficiently to win an increasingly ill-tempered match, Wheeler’s clash with Harris
turned the result on its head and the visitors were made to settle for a draw.
Leatherhead will have to put the disappointment of this result behind them as they
prepare to visit Chipstead on Tuesday in the Surrey Senior Cup. Kick-off at High
Road is at 7.45pm.
Ascot United: Mark Scott, George Lock (George Butler 65), Nathan Jones, Joe Gater,
Sean Fraser, Sean McCormack, Harry Grant, Taylor Morgan (Ben Harris 74), Connor
Holland (Aiden Payne-Jones 74) Anas Igozouln, Khalid Simmo
Leatherhead: Sonny Wheeler, Kelvin Massango, Anuar Ceesay, Alex Pearce, Niran
Butler (George Hedley 37), Alex Laing (Rhys Murrel Williamson 90), Tom
Kavanagh, Kane Fitzgerald, Alfie Huckle, Lukas Franzen-Jones (Marco Haigh 84),
Matt Everitt (Seb Karczewski 62)