There was lots of festive football in the Uhlsport Hellenic League on Boxing Day but it’s not over yet with Binfield hosting Ascot United on Tuesday night (7.45pm kick-off) in a mouth-watering derby.
The Moles fell one place to eighth by virtue of not playing and the home side will certainly start favourites against a United side who have not won in any competition since 5th November.
Player availability has really hit Yellamen manager Jeff Lamb hard this season with an incredible 91 players currently registered to play Hellenic League football for Ascot and they have struggled to get a settled side together.
Lamb himself has featured eleven times.Lamb can take confidence from a great performance against Bracknell Town and although they lost 3-2, United showed great character being forced to play for 86 minutes with ten players following Jon Palmer’s early dismissal.
One blessing will be Palmer’s ban not starting until 31st December and Ascot can take the confidence of a league victory over Binfield already this season.
Trailing 2-1 at half time in August, the Yellamen fought back to win 3-2 with goals from James Brazier, Ben Knight and Charlie Samuels. Sean Moore and Liam Ferdinand scored for the Moles that night.
For Binfield manager Roger Herridge, they too lost 3-2 at Bracknell Town and lost 2-1 home to Highworth but they did recover from two goals down in torrential conditions to beat Longlevens 5-3.
The Stubbs Lane side did go on an eight game run without a victory but a couple of new faces steadied the ship and Herridge has seen his side beat leaders Thame United and third placed Flackwell Heath in recent times so will have to start as favourites.
Form though can go out the window in derby matches and we expect a full bloodied affair with two sides giving their all.
