Ascot United 1, Newport Pagnell Town 0
Ascot United lifted the FA Vase at Wembley Stadium this afternoon after a late header from Kai Walters earned the Yellamen a narrow 1-0 win over Newport Pagnell Town.
Jamie Tompkins side were looking to make history by winning the cup on their first visit to Wembley, however, they came up against the reigning champions in Newport who gave as good as they got for much of the contest.
In fact, after weathering an early storm, the Swans were the better of the two teams and fashioned the game’s better chances, with Albie Hall striking the post from close-range in the 25th minute.
That came after a clash of heads between Newport’s Russell Short and Ascot’s Rob Gerrard that looked to have changed the course of the game. Both were forced to come off, with Walters replacing Gerrard and Shane Bush coming on for Short, however, Newport seemed to adjust better to the disruption and went on to dominate the half.
Brendan Matthew, Ascot United’s top scorer this season, looked increasingly isolated as the game wore on and the Yellamen had few sights of goal before the interval.
Newport should really have taken advantage of their dominance, with Hall played through on the stroke of half-time by the increasingly influential Mo Ahmed, but the striker couldn’t direct his shot on target from the edge of the area.
Into the second half and the same pattern of play continued, with Newport driving forward with wave after wave of attack. They should really have led in the 50th minute, when Hall whipped in a low cross from the left that Jake Watkinson diverted wide at the near post.
Tompkins and his coaching team debated how to wrestle back the momentum on the touchline and they opted to bring on Marcus Mealing for Jay Welch. The former Marlow striker had an instant impact on the game and it’s not too far of a stretch to say his introduction changed the course of the final for the Yellamen.
Within a minute or two of coming on in the 72nd minute he’d forced two chances. The first saw him turn well in the box before seeing his low left-footed effort deflected behind for a corner. Then, from the corner, he hammered the crossbar with a powerful header.
Suddenly, Ascot looked the hungrier of the two sides and Matthew had some much-needed support in attack. They came again in the 80th minute, Matthew and Harry Grant working the ball nicely on the left hand side. Grant’s cross missed everyone in the middle but bounced through for man-of-the-match McCormack, who returned the ball into the middle and Walters got across his man to glance home a header via the back post.
The Yellamen had the lead and never looked like relinquishing it after that. Newport pressed forward with increasing desperation, and James Sage and Hall had shots from range that Rhys Forster comfortably dealt with.
Then, after five tense minutes of injury-time, the referee blew for full-time and the Ascot players embraced and raced to the far side to celebrate with the Yella army.
The win sealed a league and cup double for Tompkins and his players and capped off a truly momentous campaign for the Yellamen.
The 2023 FA Vase belongs to @AscotUnitedFC! ✨#NonLeagueFinalsDay pic.twitter.com/0Ft5or5eNc
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball)
May 21, 2023