BEN Harris signed off his short stay with Ascot United by scoring twice in their 4-2 win over Windsor on Boxing Day, taking his tally to seven goals in as many appearances, writes Dave Wright.

With Rob Lazarczuk, playing against his former club, and Trevor Mutero, who had earlier missed a penalty, also on target, it was an excellent performance by the Yellamen in front of a crowd of nearly 200.

However, any confidence gained from that east Berkshire derby was drained last Saturday when United crashed to a 4-0 home defeat at the hands of Oxford City Nomads.

It was very much a case of seeing Ascot at their best and worst in the same week, with the loss of Harris to Slough Town adding to their woes.

Neil Richards’ side should have beaten Windsor by a wider margin, missing chances while gifting their visitors two goals through bad errors.

And manager Richards was again left ruing his side’s failure to take their chances while also showing a tendency to give away silly goals was cruelly exposed by the Nomads Ascot, chasing a fourth win in December, were quickest out of the blocks with Mutero at the heart of most of their promising moves as they carved out a succession of chances in the first half.

Matt Jones, replacing the departed Harris who scored on his debut in Slough’s 1-1 draw with Chesham on Monday, should have opened the scoring when put clean through by Mutero, only to drag his shot wide, before lifting a more difficult effort over the bar moments later.

But the game changed in the second half with the Nomads taking control. Three minutes after the break, Dan Collins opened the scoring and shortly afterwards he punished more slack marking to double the lead.

Jones scuffed another chance and Lazarczuk shot over in Ascot’s only promising moments of the half before Jack Tutton waltzed through the defence to fire home after 84 minutes with Kyreece Martei slotting home the fourth goal two minutes from time.

The Yellamen, who lie 16th in the tables, will be looking to bounce back when they host 14th-placed Abingdon United this Saturday (3pm). They are home again next Tuesday (7.45pm) with Flackwell Heath, who are fifth, the visitors.