THERE was no happy ending for Ascot United’s three-man management team on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

Jeff Lamb, Paul McGrotty and Derek Sweetman signed off with a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Royal Wootton Bassett in a match that saw a player from each side red carded and then James Goodey floored in an off-the-ball incident.

Yet, there were plenty of smiles around The Racecourse Ground when Jack Smillie blasted them into the lead.

But United conceded goals either side of half-time and from then on they never looked really capable of ending a run which now sees them without a win in 11 league and cup games.

New manager Neil Richards was looking on, so he is now aware of the size of the task he faces to turn things around. However, he will be encouraged by what he saw in the first half.

United were the better side with Goodey and Louis Gilpin both being denied by keeper Curtis Meare, while Jason Sheehan saw his first effort deflected out for a corner, from which he headed over the bar.

Gilpin looked to be impeded in the area by Steve Yeardley, but appeals for a penalty were turned down.

The Yellamen looked particularly dangerous down their right flank with Smillie always looking to overlap, and it was he who opened the scoring around the half-hour mark.

The defender unleashed a tremendous shot from 25 yards that flew into the top left-hand corner, with Meare getting his hand to it, but unable to keep the ball out.

The hosts, showing good movement on and off the ball, fully deserved their lead, only to lose it right on half-time when a swift counter-attack instigated by Meare’s clearance saw Dale Richards, coming in from the right, beat keeper Carl Dennison at his near post.

Dennison tipped Robertson’s effort over his bar before being beaten again with the second half less than three minutes old when Sam Packer headed home Dan Corner’s free-kick after Packer had been fouled.

The nearest United got to equalising came when substitute Gurkan Gokmen’s effort was pushed away by Meare.

And any hopes Lamb and Co had of ending their Ascot tenure with a point or two ended on 65 minutes when they lost possession in defence and Lewis Thompson played in Robertson, who gave Dennison no chance.

With the visitors now playing with confidence and getting on top, frustration started to creep into Ascot’s play and 15 minutes from time things boiled over.

Colin Mogoya brought down Packer with a rash challenge, with the Bassett player jumping back onto his feet to push the Ascot centre-back with many players rushing in to get involved. Both players were red carded by referee Andrew Batten.

There may have been another red had the match officials seen an off-the-ball incident which left James Goodey floored. The elbow of , who was quickly substituted as Ascot fans, close to the incident, shouted out Steve Yeardley’s number to the referee.

At the end of the game, the Ascot team formed a guard of honour for Lamb, McGrotty and Sweetman as they left the field for the last time.

One hopes that the friction between the players will be forgotten as the return game is Ascot’s next league match, on February 4.

Before then, the Yellamen have two cup ties. They visit Hellenic League Division 1 East side Chalfont Wasps in the Bluefin Sports Supplementary Cup on January 21 and a week later travel to Thames Valley League side Rotherfield Park United in the Reading Senior Cup.

These two games against lower league opposition will give new boss Richards the chance to reshape his squad.

In the meantime, he may have to persuade one or two players to stay at Ascot, rather than follow the departing management team out of the door.