Ascot United: Mini-revival over for Yellamen after Royal Wootton Bassett defeat

Manager Neil Richards made one change to the side that had beaten Fairford 4-2 a week earlier with Rob Lazarczuk replacing Matt Jones up front.

The Yellamen, playing with increased confidence, made a bright start and after four minutes Trevor Mutero fired over the bar from inside the six-yard box following Ben Harris’ left-wing cross.

Two minutes later Harris also went close with a glancing header from Samir Regragui’s centre.

Bassett, who had conceded 19 goals in their previous five games, responded through Gio Wrona, who skied the ball over the bar, and then the unmarked Steve Yeardley was off target with a header from a corner.

United returned to the attack and Lazarczuk forced keeper Kurtis Sharkey into a smart save after the striker had played a neat one-two with Mutero.

Harris sent a curling effort over the angle of post and bar before Callum Carlisle’s rising effort was plucked out of the air by Sharkey.

They continued on the offensive after the break with Regragui’s shot taking a wicked deflection and looping wide. Harris saw another low-shot easily saved by the keeper.

Ascot also had to defend well to deny Carl Evans as both sides continued to trade chances, but Bassett went even closer when Harvey Scholes’ long-range effort grazed the bar in the 69th minute.

Three minutes later Scholes was more successful when finding the net after keeper Lee Allen had saved substitute Dale Richards’ shot from a tight angle.

Ascot battled hard to get on level terms, but could find no way past Sharkey, who produced a brilliant fingertip save in injury time to push substitute Jones’ deflected effort onto the underside of the bar with the ball then being scrambled to safety.

The Yellamen, who remain 16th in the table, face two tough games over the Christmas period, travelling to leaders Highworth on Saturday before hosting Windsor on Boxing Day (both 3pm ko).