With John Cyrus failing a fitness test with an ankle injury Karl Rose was forced to shift Danny South to centre back. Macauley Parkinson was also missing due to a family illness. Simon Harrison was forced to play a makeshift role at left back. Gavin Allot returned up front but looked short of match fitness after a couple of weeks out with a hernia problem.

Ashton looked dangerous on the flanks in the early stages with Johnson denied by the first of a number of good saves from Ben Simpson. The Blues’ took the lead on the quarter hour as Danny South headed home unchallenged from Luke Jeffs’ corner. Some neat passing from the Blues’ then took Leonard into the area but his shot was deflected over the bar. Ashton’s midfield then started to take hold of the game and it looked only a matter of time before the equaliser came, only some stout defending and excellent keeping kept the Blues’ in front.

The visitors drew level as Young released Johnson whose cross was touched home by Pilkington who had nipped in front of Jake Stannard.

The same pattern continued after the break as Simpson denied Coppin with another good save. Ashton went ahead on 71 minutes as Youngs corner was met by an unchallenged Higgins who headed home. As the fog grew thicker Reece Thompson was then showed a straight red for an apparent kick out at Higgins following the defenders attempt to put him in a Boston crab. Higgins somehow escaped sanction for his part in the melee .

Simpson then pulled off an absolute top draw point blank save low down to deny Johnson. The Blues went three up front in an attempt to get a point from the game but were caught on the break in injury time as the visitors broke in numbers and Coppin pulled the ball to Baguely who shot home to seal the points.

There was no doubt the visitors deserved the points but the Blues’ showed great effort and spirit.

Team: Simpson, Stannard, Harrison, Leonard, South, Jeffs, Hinsley, Bloor, Thompson, Allott, Riley

Subs, Cable, Davies, Young, Stratford, Leigh

Att. 236