Match Preview

After the less than imaginative action on display at Euro 2016 the real football is coming back, with Hurst Cross opening its doors for the first time this pre-season.
Ashton United welcome Vanarama National League side Southport to Tameside in arguably the toughest test of The Robins’ pre-season campaign.
The Robins got their preparations for the upcoming Evo Stik Northern Premier League season off to a fantastic start with a 4-0 win over AFC Darwen on Saturday afternoon, a swashbuckling start that saw United grab all four goals before half time.
Saturday’s victory was the perfect start to the warm up for the upcoming league season for Steve Halford and Paul Phillips’ side, blooding in a few new signings while trying to maintain the feeling from the good form the side were in towards the end of last season.
Another new signing was announced on Saturday evening with the news Tunji Moses has joined from last season’s playoff rivals Salford City. Moses could join midfielder Jack Dorney, who was on the bench on Saturday, in making his first start for The Robins as the joint bosses experiment in finding their best eleven for the season ahead.
Southport are the visitors to Hurst Cross on Tuesday and will bring a sizeable challenge for Ashton having resided in The Conference, or National League, since the 2010-11 season.
The Merseyside based club, managed by Andy Bishop, finished 15th in the fifth tier of the football league pyramid last season and will provide most likely the toughest test of Ashton’s pre-season fixtures.

Please note the game kicks off at 7-30pm. Admission charges are slashed to £5 adults and £3 concessions.