Ascot United 1 Binfield 0 – Uhlsport Hellenic Premier League
Binfield slipped to a cruel late defeat as Lee Boon volleyed home from close range with minutes remaining, after the Moles had dominated the second half, but failed to find the net writes Colin Byers at Ascot.
The hosts started brightly and had much the better of the opening 20 minutes. But despite some threatening crosses into the danger area, Moles keeper Nathan Silver wasn’t forced into a save in that spell. And with Liam Ferdinand back in Binfield’s starting line up, alongside Brad Brown, who enjoyed his best match since returning to Binfield, the Moles looked threatening going forwards. And in the first clear sight of goal for either side, Ferdinand got goal side, running onto Brown’s looped pass, but Chris Grace made a good save and managed to hack the ball out for a corner, as Ferdinand closed in.
Ten minutes later, great work from Josh Howell saw his cross almost headed in at the near post by Brown, but he couldn’t quite find the right connection and Danny Horscroft found the side netting at the far post. By half time, neither side had managed to break through, although the attacking from both teams threatened more with Grant, Hedges and West all having chances for United.
Binfield started the second half brightly and forced their hosts back from the off. Ferdinand saw his shot blocked and Danny Horscroft whistled a shot just past the post from the resulting corner. Ferdinand again broke free, only to find Alex Rodriguez block his shot, before Brown metJack Gibbs right wing corner with a header that hit Grace from close range and was scrambled off the toes of Lewis Leonetti as it fell kindly for the defence.
Ferdinand saw another shot blocked and a good exchange between Howell and Brown ended with Howell curling a shot just wide, while at the other end, United’s second half sub, Ian Brooks hit a super volley that dipped just over Silver’s bar.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Ferdinand’s best chance of the night was once again foiled by Grace’s speed off his line, as the home keeper kept Ferdinand out one on one, before Brown whistled a shot at Grace and then Ferdinand came within a whisker, but Rodrigues’ deflected his goalbound shot narrowly over.
After all the Moles chances, United came back into the match late on and forced some good positions, from free kicks into the Binfield box. And when a left wing corner was met with an uncontested header at the far edge of the 6 yard area and headed back into the middle, Boon was first to react to poke home his volley past Nathan Silver and claim all three points.
The Moles still had time to force two good free kick positions just outside the penalty area, but Grace wasn’t forced into a save.
So the hosts end in 4th on a win, while the Moles could still climb higher than 8th, if they could claim the points at Ardley United on Thursday and at home to Longlevens on Saturday.
STAR MAN – Jack Broome – excellent at right back
Binfield: Silver, Broome (capt), Gibbs, Leonetti, Michael Walton, Dean, Howell, Knight, Ferdinand, Brown (Ettiene 85), Horscroft (O’Connell 70). Subs not used; Withers, Vaughan, Luis
