Limp Rangers Brushed Aside By Robins

Ashton completed their sixth successive league victory with a comfortable victory over lowly visitors Stafford. After an early scare saw Phillips leave his line before giving the ball away to Davies whose effort drifted wide the hosts controlled almost all of the subsequent 90 minutes.

With just 13 minutes on the clock Matty Chadwick won the ball in midfield and beat ex-Robin Matty Burke before slotting home through the keeper’s legs and shortly afterwards a fine run by Pilkington saw Johnson side foot an easy chance wide. A corner by Burke saw the unmarked Bullock head over before Pilkington’s cross was miscued leaving Garry Gee to fire narrowly wide. Chadwick then set Pilkington free down the left wing before he cut inside only to see his effort deflected just over the top but Ashton doubled their advantage as Pilkington made progress down the right wing before his shot was parried by Brain straight into the path of Lee Rick who finished confidently.

The game continued in much the same vein after the break with the hosts in complete control and Chadwick made a fine run past 3 or 4 defenders before seeing his shot pushed away to safety before Pilkington was narrowly wide on the turn. It was only a matter of time before Ashton added to their advantage and following a bout of head tennis Johnson nodded the ball beneath the Rangers’ keeper. Lee Rick sidestepped a defender before flicking the ball over the top and Chadwick then found O’Neill who fired wide before Chadwick himself had an effort saved at the foot of the post.

Kayde Coppin came off the bench and added the final goal on 78 minutes as he was left with a clear run on goal and finished despite Brain’s best efforts and youth player Josh Steadman made his debut off the bench showing some nice touches as Ashton moved up to 7th place in the league and now look forward to the New Year’s Day visit to Droylsden.

Team: Phillips, Lynch, Pearson, Gorton, Higgins, Young, Chadwick, Gee, Pilkington (O’Neill), Johnson (Steadman), Rick (Coppin). SNU: Halford, Coo