[Forza_Roma]

Ascoli still sitting at the bottom of the table....

Serie A Week 28 - 11/3/07 (14.00 UK)

Siena 0 - 1 Ascoli
Bjelanovic 23 (A)
Stadio Franchi

Ascoli secured a shock away victory in Tuscany, although once again Siena were denied by the woodwork.

Serie A's Bianconeri clubs faced off at the Stadio Franchi in a relegation clash. Bottom of the table Ascoli were fresh from holding mighty Roma to a 1-1 draw, but were again without Gianluca Pagliuca and the suspended Valentin Nastase. Enrico Chiesa is on the road to recovery from chickenpox with Paul Constantin Codrea banned.

This was only the second ever Serie A meeting between these sides in Siena, as last season it ended in a 1-1 draw.

Siena had the first chance with Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos beating away a Luca Antonini strike.

On 14 minutes the Tuscans hit the woodwork with a looping Brevi header from a corner kick.

However, it was Ascoli who took the lead in chaotic circumstances. Bjelanovic set up Michele Paolucci for a shot that came off the upright, so the striker completed the move he had started by pouncing on the loose ball from a yard.

Siena were furious and fought back with Massimo Maccarone just failing to get on the end of a Molinaro cross-shot and the ex-Middlesbrough man testing the goalkeeper from distance.

In first half stoppages Eleftheropoulos managed to close down Daniele Portanova's finish, but Daniele Corvia fired the follow-up wide from six yards.

Enrico Chiesa came on for the second half and within minutes he had tested Eleftheropoulos with a trademark left-foot finish, but Ascoli could have doubled their tally with Alex Manninger saving a Paolucci volley.

Chiesa's free kick smashed against the upright, the second time Siena had hit the woodwork in this game.

Michele Fini blazed over an open goal from eight yards as Ascoli nearly doubled their lead.

Siena: Manninger; Bertotto (Frick 67), Portanova, Rinaudo, Molinaro; Antonini, Brevi (Eremenko 53), Vergassola; Cozza, Maccarone, Corvia (Chiesa 46)

Ascoli: Eleftheropoulos; Melara, Corallo, Lombardi; Foglio, Boudianski, Zanetti (Vastola 83), Pesce (Minieri 71); Paolucci, Fini; Bjelanovic (Perrulli 83)

Ref: Rocchi

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