JONNY Denton made it four goals in three days as Ascot United completed their Hellenic League Premier Division fixtures with a 1-0 win over Woodley United, writes Dave Wright.

The full-back had netted a hat-trick with two free-kicks and a penalty in the 4-0 thumping at Pewsey Vale in the Bluefin Sports Supplementary Cup last Thursday evening and was spot on again at Rivermoor Stadium on Saturday.

It came from a rather soft penalty with Ben Hall being nudged in his back by centre-back Idris Kamara after Barry Dunbar had played the ball into the area.

The victory rounded off an impressive end-of-season recovery by the Yellamen, who not so long ago looked set to be involved in a relegation battle.

Beaten only once in their last seven games, this win lifted them up to 13th place with 40 points, but they could still be overhauled by Brackley Town Saints and Royal Wootton Bassett, who are just one point behind with matches still to play.

As manager Neil Richards pointed out: “We have worked it out that if we had got the same number of points per game in the first half of the season as we have got in the second half, then we would have now been in the top six or seven.”

Richards reflected: “It took a while for the lads to gel.

“We then brought in some quality players. Ben Harris came in and gave us a big lift for a time although we lost him to Slough, but he gave everyone the confidence we could be better.

“Barry Dunbar also joined and he scored some important goals, but generally, we stuck with the whole squad and they have got better and better as the season has gone on.”

The Yellamen didn’t exactly have to be at their best to see off a Woodley side who look set to finish in the relegation zone despite their shock 4-1 win at Longlevens last Thursday.

They kept their fifth clean sheet in six games as skipper Louis Bouwers helped to inspire another solid performance from the United defence.

Despite the Rivermoor pitch looking in better condition than it has for several weeks, neither side produced much good football, both giving the ball away far too easily.

Ascot, however, held the edge with Denton’s 15th-minute penalty proving enough.

They did have a close escape when Woodley’s Toby Bridges struck the post early in the second half, but the arrival of Rob Lazarczuk off the sub’s bench added firepower to the visitors’ attack.

He fluffed one chance when through by himself, sent another shot just over the bar from the edge of the area, and went equally as close with an audacious lob from the centre circle when spotting keeper Alex Reed off his line.

Earlier, Reed had made a fine save to deny Phil Da Silva.

  • ASCOT United's interest in the Bluefin Sports Supplementary Cup ended on Monday with a 2-0 semi-final defeat at Flackwell Heath.

Sheridan Campbell put the hosts in front before the break, and after Rob Lazarczuk was sent off, Charlie Samuels' goal sealed the win.