ASCOT United signed off at the Racecourse with a 5-1 Hellenic League Premier Division defeat against high-flying Highworth Town.

The first half was not without incident. Four goals, a penalty save and a rare goal for Ascot’s Luke Wilson were three of the most notable.

The opening quarter of an hour was even, although Highworth then struck three times inside 20 minutes to leave the home side with a mountain to climb.

Matt Hill’s indifferent half in the home goal started with a well-timed interception to deny Aysa Corrick in the 18th minute, but a minute later he was beaten by his own defender – Tom Wensley – who was powerless to evade a cross-shot and the ball ended up in the net.

Hill should have done better when he was beaten by Aaron Ferris’ daisy-cutter from Corrick’s cut back three minutes later, although it may already have been 1-1 had Wilson kept down his shot when Highworth’s Kent Kauppinen had spilt Wensley’s corner moments before.

Hill made a smart save to deny Corrick just when it looked as if the odds were in the Highworth striker’s favour in the 33rd minute – Ash Edenborough had threaded through a static defence – but Hill somehow clawed the ball away after Corrick had rounded him.

At the other end, Samir Regragui’s poor half worsened with a shot straight at Kauppinen when well placed – Wilson’s trickery creating the chance – but it was terrible marking from a corner that led to the Worthians’ third in the 39th minute.

Firstly, the home defence remained static as Ferris received a short corner, and after Ferris had drilled the ball in, Hill could only palm the ball up at the near post – and Edenborough duly nodded home.

Ascot cut the deficit almost immediately with their best move of the half. Ian Brooks threaded the ball through for James Goodey, whose wicked cross was converted by Wilson’s bullet header, before a penalty save from Hill, having clumsily brought down Edenborough on the stroke of half time kept it at 3-1 – Corrick missing the chance to add a fourth.

The second half began much as the first, with a fairly even opening quarter of an hour before Highworth threatened when Keiron Gleed rounded Hill but could only find the side-netting of the goal.

By this time, Louis Bouwers had already hobbled off to be replaced by James Brazier for Ascot, and the already exposed defence found themselves 4-1 down when substitute Nathan Gambling nodded home after 70 minutes.

Aaron Ross replaced Josh Dillon and Ben Clifford came on for Regragui as Ascot completed all three substitutions. Goodey glanced a header wide for the home side and volleyed straight at Kauppinen as the visiting keeper’s shenanigans almost cost his side, but Highworth had already had the last word beforehand when Corrick walked through the home defence and drilled home a fifth in the 79th minute.

Ascot United travel to Tuffley Rovers this Saturday afternoon (3pm).