ASCOT United put in a solid shift to shrug off Badshot Lea 3-1 in their Combined Counties Premier League clash on Tuesday evening.  Goalless at half-time, the Yellamen finally broke their hosts down in the second half, but were equally indebted to goalkeeper Sam Gray for keeping them in it.

This was Ascot’s third visit of the season to Badshot Lea’s Wrecclesham home after two FA Cup visits in August, and it was an even quicker return for defender Liam Flanighan, who signed for Ascot last week having made eight appearances for Gavin Smith’s side.

The Yellamen were hoping to build on their important win at the weekend against a Badshot Lea side who, like Ascot, were in the mix at the top, but had been inconsistent in recent weeks.

Early on, there was little between the two sides in a high-tempo, entertaining opening, and it was fully 15 minutes before the first chance of note – a glancing header from Ian Davies which flew well wide.

However, Badshot Lea looked the more dangerous as the half wore on and Tom Cursons dragged a cross-shot wide in the 21st minute after his side had immediately counter-attacked from an Ascot corner.

The home side looked to exploit Callum Carlisle with a succession of attacks down the left, and came close on the half-hour mark only for Cursons to shoot weakly at Gray with the goal at his mercy after Danilo Cadete had raced away from the covering Louis Bouwers.

Cursons then headed a difficult chance over six minutes before the break before Ascot finally threatened again, although Davies saw half-hearted penalty appeals turned down when he tumbled under Ryan Suckling’s challenge and the lively Luqman Kassim curled over from distance after Elliott Carey had turned provider.

Goalless at half-time, the second half saw the visitors ramp it up, and Davies was denied when clean through from Carey’s pass by the reflexes of ‘keeper Kallum Lunn.

At the other end, Brandon Lewington’s thunderbolt rattled the post in the 57th minute, but Ascot would take a 65th-minute lead courtesy of Davies’s looping header from Jonny Denton’s (pictured) free kick after Kassim had been fouled.

Lunn then made another good save, this time from Kassim, but Gray would make an even better save at the other end when Lewington had a clear sight of goal.

And, they would be punished, albeit for conceding two soft penalties.  First, substitute Harry Laflin rolled the ball home in the 81st minute after Lunn had needlessly fouled Davies, before Kassim finally undid his marker who pulled him back for another carbon-copy spot kick from Laflin in injury-time.

There was still time for the home side to add a deserved consolation when Lewington raced onto Cursons’ pass and fire home in the third minute of added time, but this was a fully deserved win for the Yellamen.

Previousl, Ascot United's first home win of the season could not have come at a better time.

They defeated Abbey Rangers 2-1 at a rain-soaked Racecourse Ground last Saturday – a week before the two clubs meet at Addlestone Moor in the second round of the FA Vase.

And it is their tremendous away record of 22 points out of a possible 27 which has put them top of the Premier Division.

It took them just four minutes to breach an Abbey defence which had conceded just three goals in nine league games.

Elliot Carey was fouled outside the area and Jonny Denton curled a low free-kick around the wall and into the bottom left corner.

Denton could have had a hat-trick inside12 minutes as he sent a volley just over the bar and then saw a stinging effort turned away by keeper Cameron Kennedy.

Then Ian Davies mis-headed back across the six-yard box when it looked easier to nod home.

In the 45th minute Ascot's Usman Lalustani conceded a penalty, but keeper Sam Gray blocked the spot-kick from Bradley Sweeney, who blazed the rebound over the bar.

Davies made amends for his earlier miss when he finished off a superb team move with a left-footed effort into the top left corner to make it 2-0 on 55 minutes.

After Luqman Kassim (pictured) had struck the Abbey crossbar, United saw their lead halved when Gray was beaten by a smart lob from Daryl Cooper Smith.

In Division One, fifth-placed Sandhurst were held to a 2-2 draw by third-bottom Bagshot after a disappointing performance.

Paddy Gardner gave his side a seventh-minute lead with a long-range shot, which they held until midway through the opening half.

They then fell behind on 70 minutes, but Brad Brown equalised after 84 minutes from a penalty awarded for handball.

The Fizzers host fourth-bottom Fleet Spurs this Saturday.

Eversley & California crashed 5-0 at home to Bedfont & Feltham and stay bottom of the table.

The visitors led 3-0 at half-time through goals from Jae Kelly and a Kelvin Karanja brace, with Michael Capon and Tom Betts adding to the Boars' misery in the second half.

This coming Saturday, they take on FC Deportivo Galicia at Bedfont Sports Club.