Ascot United manager steps up after goalkeeper sent off

Ascot United manager Jeff Lamb in goal. Photo: Mark Pugh.
Ascot United manager Jeff Lamb in goal. Photo: Mark Pugh.

Enter your email address to receive regular Berkshire football updates in your inbox

When you become a manager, the last thing you are thinking about is lacing up the boots again but that’s what happened to joint Ascot United boss Jeff Lamb on the opening night of the Uhlsport Hellenic Premier League season.

The Yellamen were at home to Highmoor-IBIS and Lamb was already in the starting eleven along with new signings Ben Knight and Carl Dennison when the latter was red carded in the 25th minute.

The problem?

Ascot United goalkeeper Carl Dennison. Photo: Mark Pugh.
Ascot United goalkeeper Carl Dennison. Photo: Mark Pugh.

Dennison was the goalkeeper for Ascot and according to our man Mark Pugh at the game left the referee with ‘no choice other than to show red’.

Pugh wrote: “The match changed minutes later when Ascot’s new goalkeeper Carl Dennison came out of the penalty area, perhaps a little indecisively and clashed with the Highmoor forward.”

Related: Full round-up from the Hellenic Premier League opening night

A duck to water

It seems though that Lamb took to his new role like a duck to water with Highmoor taking 20 minutes to beat the United boss.

They then let Ascot back in with a penalty of their own – captain Paul Coyne levelling things up until the final minute of the game when James Piercy beat the Ascot gaffer to give Highmoor the points.

Reminiscent

Lamb isn’t the only manager locally to lace up his boots again after retiring. Bracknell have a long history of managers taking the field again.

Two season ago Keith Pennicott-Bowen laced up his boots after being placed in charge at Larges Lane while current boss Mark Tallentire famously scored a spectacular goal against Paulton Rovers in the Southern League a decade ago, we’d guess almost ten years after retiring from senior football.

All photo’s by Mark Pugh.

Football in Berkshire has a Breaking News WhatsApp Channel where we’ll send you updates on all the latest football news from the Royal County. You can join Breaking Berkshire Football News by clicking here

Upcoming fixtures

Thursday 28th March 2024

Slough Town FC Ladies19:45Tilehurst Panthers Women

Friday 29th March 2024

Show all fixtures

Subscribe to the newsletter

Enter your email address to receive regular Berkshire football updates in your inbox

Search Football in Berkshire
FIB-Badgetransparent-dud.png