Outstanding Ashton Dispatch Chorley

Report by David Robinson.

Ashton got the better of a 5 goal thriller at Hurst Cross which turned out to be a fantastic advert for non-league football. However, they got off to the worst possible start as Craig Robinson woefully underhit a headed backpass allowing Cuncliffe to round Phillips and walk the ball home to give the Magpies an early lead.

Still in the opening minutes Ince’s cross was touched wide of the near post by Roscoe and then the same player reached a knockdown from Whitham but miscontrolled the chance. At the other end a great ball from Hogan set Astley Mulholland free but Aaron Burns volleyed his cross well wide of the target. Burns was not to be denied for long however as Tom Baker’s cross from the left was met perfectly by the striker’s head to guide the ball home. Visiting full back Walmsley then had a deflected 25yd effort pushed away by Phillips whilst Hogan cut inside before having an effort from similar distance held by Cudworth.

Ashton had not finished their defensive mistakes for the afternoon as Alex Frost miscontrolled inside the area leaving Cuncliffe to be brought down by Robinson to concede a penalty which was confidently converted by Ince and the same player could have made things even worse as the ball was sprayed wide to Millar whose cross was headed down for Ince to thunder a shot against the crossbar. In between a high cross into the area by Caldecott was dropped by Cudworth under pressure and as everyone stopped Alex Frost fired the loose ball over the top.

Ashton’s final chance the go into the break level fell to Matty Barlow who brought a fantastic save from Cudworth from point blank range as he connected with Burns’ left wing cross. Into the second half and after Lynch had put a free header wide from 6 yards out Barlow got free down the left and squared the ball to the Ashton captain who levelled matters up despite the best efforts of the visiting keeper.

2 minutes later Mulholland tricked his way into the area and was felled by Walmsley for a penalty which leading scorer Burns converted for his second strike of the game. The Robins really took control from this point and Hogan showed a great turn of pace after picking the ball up in midfield only to be foiled by Cudworth as he attempted to chip the keeper. Great skill by substitute Kosylo set himself up for a 25 yard strike which was pushed away by Cudworth who deservedly won the visitor’s man of the match award and was the difference between Ashton winning more convincingly.

There was still time for Kosylo to intercept a bad back pass by Russell before being denied again and fellow sub Moore fired wide of an open goal as the keeper’s clearance was charged down by Burns, but Ashton rightly took all 3 points to move up to 2nd in the league table.

Team; Phillips, Frost, Caldecott, Burke, Robinson, Lynch, Hogan, Baker, Burns (Beattie), Barlow (Kosylo), Mulholland (Moore). SNU: Peers, Baguley