ASCOT United scored two goals in each half to sink in-form Brackley Town Saints, who grabbed a late consolation in a heavy 4-1 Hellenic League Premier Division home defeat.

After Jesse Wilson and Steven Deverall had put the Yellamen in control at the interval, further strikes from Tristam Dennis and Joe Grant sealed the victory before Lewis Baldwin’s late free-kick gave the home supporters something to cheer.

Victory in four of their five previous league fixtures had propelled Saints out of the relegation zone, and the realistic prospect of victory over a side with just one win in five in the form of Ascot United would further boost their quest to avoid the drop.

However, it was a lively start from the visitors and they earned a flurry of early corners, although it was United defender Joe Yeates who denied Josh Bowden a shooting opportunity for Saints with a well-timed tackle.

Bradley Fraser then failed to convert after Daryl Mclean’s mazy run and pass with 15 minutes gone, before Chris Grace’s long goal kick eluded everyone except David Pitt who blasted over as Ascot threatened to take the lead twice in quick succession.

Matt Hammond’s direct free-kick for Brackley left Grace rooted as it sailed narrowly wide of the left hand upright on the half-hour, but it was the visitors who struck moments later.

Mclean tormented the home defence and crossed for Wilson who planted a downward header past Dan Farrell.

Ascot then doubled their lead in fortuitous circumstances two minutes later.

Pitt tricked his way through several defenders, and although he lost control of the ball, Deverall charged down an attempted clearance which sailed over Farrell – who unsuccessfully claimed he had kept it out after a scrambling recovery.

There was still time for the same player to sting Farrell’s palms in first-half injury time, but his side remained two goals up at the break and well in command.

Ascot’s equally lively start to the second half was soon rewarded after 50 minutes.

Grant’s stinging shot earned a corner, and after Yeates had unselfishly nodded a deep cross back across the goal, Dennis smashed home via the underside of the crossbar to make it 3-0.

At the other end, Hammond dragged his shot wide after wriggling through the visiting defence, but despite a spell of industry, the hosts were unable to find a way through the obdurate Yellamen defence.

Ross Seldon replaced Fraser for Ascot after 67 minutes and Seb Costello entered for the hard-working Pitt on 78 minutes, before Bowden’s off-target free header summed up Brackley’s afternoon.

Tom McGarry became Ascot’s third and final substitute after 82 minutes, Paul Coyne the departee, moments after Baldwin’s inaccurate long-range effort for the hosts.

Wilson turned provider in the closing stages for Grant to add a fourth with aplomb, racing clear and lifting his shot into the left, but Baldwin had the final word with a brilliantly-placed free-kick in added time.

Mclean was dismissed after the final whistle for his reaction to earlier provocation, but that sin against the Saints was the only blot on an otherwise good day out for the Yellamen.

Ascot United climbed above Kidlington into third in the table following their success, although the Oxfordshire side and Highworth Town both have five games in hand on the Yellamen.

Jeff Lamb’s side were due to visit Carterton in the quarter finals of the Perpetua Press Floodlit Cup last night (Tuesday), before travelling to Highworth in the league on Saturday (3pm).

They then host Binfield in their Berks & Bucks Senior Trophy quarter final at The Racecourse Ground next Tuesday (7.45pm), after the game was postponed last week.