SITE INDEX

  • Contact us
  • Book an Advert
  • Buy a photo
  • Submit a story
  • Digital Edition and Archives

    • LIVE: Ascot United are FA Vase champions!

    11:40AM, Sunday 21 May 2023

    LIVE: Ascot United 0-0 Newport Pagnell Town

    Status Quo blaring out around Wembley. 

    The Yellamen walk up those famous steps at Wembley to lift the FA Vase! 

    Interview with Ascot United's match-winner, Kai Walters. 

    Manny and the Yellamen supporters celebrate! 

    Ascot manager Jamie Tompkins celebrates at the final whistle! 

    Scenes at the full-time whistle

    The goal that won the FA Vase for Ascot United!

    THEY'VE DONE IT! ASCOT UNITED ARE FA VASE CHAMPIONS! 

    90: 

    The deadlock is broken by Kai Walters! Ascot lead 1-0 with minutes remaining! 

    90: Five minutes of added time here at Wembley. The Yellamen lead 1-0. 

    90: Sean McCormack is named man of the match for the Yellamen. Well deserved. 

    88: Some scrambled defence from the Yellamen to clear the ball from inside their area. They then break through Mealing who goes down on the edge of the area, but the referee isn't interested in giving a penalty. 

    87: No real response from Newport Pagnell so far. In fact, Ascot have looked the more likely to add to their lead. Tompkins men just need to hold on for a few more minutes and they'll be champions. 1-0

    80: GOAL! Ascot United take the lead. McCormack whips in a cross from the right and Kai Walters gets ahead of his man to flick a header into the back of the net. The Yella army go crazy on the far side. Scenes! 1-0

    77: Much, much better from Ascot in the last five minutes. They're now taking the game to Newport and causing them real problems. Marcus Mealing's substitution has been the catalyst for the improvement.  Former Slough Town striker, Manny Williams, is also in the Ascot end cheering on the Yellamen! 

    72: Almost an instant impact from substitute Marcus Mealing, who rolls his man before seeing his shot blocked at the near post. From the resulting corner he strikes the crossbar with a header. It's still shaking. That's as close as the Yellamen have come. So, so unfortunate not to score there. 0-0

    70: Jamie Tompkins and his coaching team talk to the Ascot players on the touchline while George Lock receives treatment. Feels like a change is needed for the Yellamen to get into this, although they're still level with 20 minutes to play. 0-0

    68: Newport are still pushing to find the opener here. Ascot haven't really been able to get out of their half in the past five/10 minutes. 0-0

    62: Crucial clearance at his near post from Harry Tucker. Newport, the reigning champions, are starting to dominate this tie now. Ascot need to get on the ball and show a bit of composure. 0-0

    60: An hour gone and the deadlock is still to be broken. Ascot need to get to grips with Mo Ahmed who is proving very elusive. Starting to run the show in midfield for Newport. 0-0

    56: Half chance for Newport, with Mo Ahmed slamming into Rhys Forster to give away a free-kick. The keeper claimed he had control of the ball but the Newport fans over on that side aren't happy with the decision. 0-0


    53: Brendan Matthew breaks from midfield for Ascot and has his legs taken away by Shane Bush. Yellow for the Newport defender. The ball is worked wide for McCormack who floats in a good cross that Alfie Grant heads over. Much better from Ascot! 0-0

    50: Huge chance for Newport to take the lead. Albie Hall sends in a cross that Jake Watkinson stabs wide at the near post. 0-0

    48: Back underway at Wembley. No chances in the second half as yet. 

    Half-time: Ascot United 0-0 Newport Pagnell Town. Goalless at the break. Ascot started the better of the two sides but Newport grew into the game well and have created the better chances so far. They came closest to breaking the deadlock through Albie Hall's volley which bounced against the post. Work for Jamie Tompkins and the Yellamen to do at the break. 

    45: Great chance for Newport at the end of the half. Mo Ahmed turns his man and drives forward. He lays it off for Albie Hall but the striker's effort flashes wide of the post. 0-0

    45: Six minutes of added time at the end of the first half. 0-0

    36:  With 10 minutes to go to half-time, Newport Pagnell are now in the ascendancy. The Yellamen have looked more disjointed since Rob Gerrard was forced off with a head injury. 0-0

    33: Ascot's Jay Welch with a daisy-cutter from McCormack's cut back but his effort whistles just past the post. 0-0

    30: An entertaining encounter so far. 

    25: Post for Newport Pagnell. Let off for the Yellamen as Albie Hall nudges the ball onto the post after a wonderful cross in from Ben Ford. A couple of minutes later, Rhys Forster stretches to clear the ball after another dangerous counter attack from Newport. 0-0

    18: The stretcher has been brought onto the field for Ascot's Rob Gerrard. Looks like a head injury. He's being bandaged up anyway. An early change is needed for the Yellamen with Kai Walters prepped to replace him. 

    Newport also forced into a switch following the collision. Russell Short, their captain, is replaced by Shane Bush. 

    14: Decent chance on the turn for Brendan Matthew but Newport Pagnell's keeper Martin Conway gets down well to save. 0-0

    12: Another half chance for Newport. Jake Watkinson fires wide as the Buckinghamshire side get Ascot back-pedalling once again. 0-0

    10: First chance of the game for Newport. Ben Ford sends a shot scuttling past the post. Took a little deflection and from the corner kick, Christian Smail heads over. Half a chance but nothing more than that. Newport are growing into the game though. 0-0

    6: The Yellamen have made an encouraging start. Defender George Lock has just fired a volley well over the bar but it's been all Ascot so far. 0-0

    4: Some early pressure for Ascot. Sean McCormack forces a corner, from which Jordan Ajanlekoko sees a header cleared off the line by a Newport defender. 0-0

    12.16: We're underway in the FA Vase final. Ascot United in their traditional yellow and blue. Newport in green and white.

    12.14: Here we go! Good luck Ascot United. Bring it home. 

    12.12: The players are out. 

    12.00: You can't fault the support of the Yella army so far. They've just cheered the Ascot players back into the changing room. We're less than 15 minutes from kick-off. 

    12.00: Jamie Tompkins' programme notes: 'I've been trying to get the message across that to thrive at Wembley you really have to embrace the occasion, enjoy it!' 

    11.50: The Ascot United fans are making themselves heard on the far side of the ground. The players have just gone over to applaud them as the warm ups continue. 

    11.45: The teams have been announced for the FA Vase final. No surprise to see this season's top scorer, Brendan Matthew in the Ascot United starting line-up. 

    11.43: Some half-and-half Ascot and Newport Pagnell scarves were available on the way into Wembley. The atmosphere was building nicely along Wembley Way and around the ground with fans of all four clubs mixing merrily in bars surrounding the stadium

    Welcome to Wembley Stadium for Non League Finals Day! 

    Ascot United take on Newport Pagnell Town in the FA Vase Final before Gateshead and FC Halifax Town face off against each other in the FA Trophy final.

    The Yellamen have had an incredible season, winning the Combined Counties Premier Division North title, earning more than a hundred points in the process, but they'd dearly love to sign off on the season by taking the FA Vase back to Berkshire. Kick off is less than 45 minutes away. 

    All sport

    Most read

    Top Articles

    © Copyright 2022 Baylis Media Limited All right reserved