HIGHMOOR Ibis’s Hellenic League Premier Division relegation worries were increased with a 5-2 home defeat to fellow strugglers Ascot United on Saturday.

Conditions underfoot were appalling, although the Yellamen made light work of the mud as they raced into a 3-0 lead inside the opening half-hour.

The impressive Matt Jones opened the scoring for Ascot on the quarter-hour mark when he powerfully headed home from Jonny Denton’s cross.

Jones almost added his side’s second – heading Ben Hodges’ corner goalward – but Trevor Mutero applied the final touch to give Ascot a 2-0 lead after 23 minutes.

The visitors made is 3-0 just three minutes later when Denton’s corner got stuck in the mud, and Ryan Cooper was in the right place to prod home the loose ball.

Highmoor rallied and Mitchell Parker’s angled effort beat Allen but cannoned back off the inside of the right-hand post before Allen saved again moments later following Parker’s cross.

But the visitors missed the chance to take a 4-0 lead into the break when Mutero latched onto Jones’ flick-on and rounded Watkins, only to miss from a tight angle.

Debutant Phil da Silva entered the action for Mutero at half time, and his deft flick would create a scoring chance for Ross Seldon late-on, only for the latter to shoot tamely at Watkins.

Before all of that, Allen tipped Jamie Porter’s free-kick onto the bar after 59 minutes, with Joe Joslyn heading the rebound over, but Ascot added a fourth when Louis Bouwers bundled home direct from another Hodges corner on 65 minutes.

Highmoor pulled a goal back with 15 minutes remaining when Bouwers diverted Parker’s free-kick past his own keeper, before Parker capitalised on a ball over the top to cut the deficit to 4-2 with eight minutes left.

At the other end, Watkins stood up well to deny Da Silva, but Seldon bagged a deserved goal in the 89th minute when he slotted home after the Yellamen had worked the ball out of a short corner routine.

Highmoor reached the quarter finals of the Bluefin Sports Supplementary Cup with a 2-0 win at Milton United on Tuesday.

Highmoor Ibis visit Wantage Town in the league on Saturday (3pm), before hosting Wokingham & Emmbrook in the Reading Senior Cup on Monday (7.45pm).

  • AFC Aldermaston's Bluefin Sports Supplementary Cup game with Chalfont Wasps was postponed on Tuesday.

The Atom Men host Holyport in Division One East of the Hellenic League on Saturday (3pm).

  • THE majority of games in the Reading & District Sunday League were postponed due to waterlogged pitches and snow, but the sides second and third in Division One – Reading United and AFC Burghfield Reserves – shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw.

In Division Two, Maiden Place beat Arborfield 2-0, while Barton Rovers overcame FC Showcase 4-3 in Division Three.

Sanctuary Strikers downed Shinfield Rangers by the same margin in Division Four.

In the Berks & Bucks Junior Trophy, Twyford Comets battered Bracknell Corinthians 8-0, and Theale reached the last eight by eliminating Southcote Colts 3-2.