Sensless Robins Ruin The Day

Bad Discipline Scuppers Chances Of A Fine Result Report Steve Lee

A game with very much of an end of season feel boiled over in the last ten minutes resulting in three sendings off with Ashton bearing the
brunt with both Kyle Harrop and Thomas Moore seeing red.
Before that the Robins had looked comfortable after Chris Baguley’s superb long range strike had set the visitors up for a likely win, but
the Magpies immediately levelled and were left to rue a missed penalty in injury time for what have been an unjust three points.
Chances were very few and far between in the opening half, Dennis Sherriff having an effort blocked after good work from Chris Amadi and
Matty Kosylo.
Chorley’s best chances came from set pieces and Andy Russell headed over from a corner by Dale Whitham whilst Tom Baker’s corner was
headed over by Andy Teague.
Ashton’s best chance of the half came as Kosylo’s cross fell to Matty Barlow, who had time to pick his spot, only to shoot wide.
In the first minute of the second half, Sherriff held off the challenge of Teague, but his shot at the near post was palmed away by Jack
Cudworth.
Ashton eventually took the lead after 65 minutes when Chris Baguley found himself in some space inside the Chorley half after some sloppy
play by the home side and he fired home from 30-yards, giving Cudworth no chance.
The home keeper was relieved to not to concede a second goal almost straight away as he dropped a routine ball, Barlow unaware that the
ball was back in play, and by the time he reacted, Cudworth had gratefully pounced on the ball.
Barlow did have a further chance to increase the lead when he cashed in some more sloppy defending as he intercepted a back pass, only to
shoot straight at Cudworth.
Chorley’s attacks were becoming more desperate by the minute with Baker pulling the strings against his former club, but with time ticking
away they resorted to long balls that were easily dealt with.
With some ten minutes on the clock a challenge from Moore resulted in almost all the players involved in a fracas that took a while for
the referee to regain control.
When he did, Harrop and Cameron Dawrkwah were sent off, and Moore joined them for an early bath.
Chorley’s fans that had become subdued for most of the game got behind their team and Ashton immediately conceded from the resulting free
kick as substitute Darren Stephenson got the slightest of touches to a Baker free kick to give Paul Phillips no chance.
A Baker corner was headed over by Whitham and Stephenson had a shot saved by Phillips following a good turn..
Phillips then produced a great save to tip a long range Baker shot around the post.
The two were to come head to head again in injury time as the Magpies were awarded a penalty for a foul by Barlow, Phillips has a great
penalty saving record for Ashton, but he didn’t even have to make a save this time as Baker’s spot kick hit the bar.

Ashton Phillips, Harrop, Lambert, Baguley, Moore, Frost, Kosylo, Burke, Sherriff (B Smith 61), Barlow, Amadi. (subs not used) Caldecott,
Riley, McCartney